Recommended recorders for learning bass parts
 

I would like to know your opinions on which digital handheld recorders have the best features, sound, and training abilities for learning difficult bass parts?

How I would be doing this is finding music that I want to learn (You Tube/Rhapsody)routing through my audio interface using the headphone out and then into the recorder. This way I dont have to mess with computer files just record songs on recorder then change speed and/or pitch and play along learning the bass parts.

I have been looking into Tascam's DR-40, DR-2d, GT-B1, GB-10, and BB-800. The Zoom H4n and Roland SD-2u

Thanks

I have the Tascam GB-10 - it is very good & easy to use (i.e. logical) and does the job great - allowing you to speed up or down without changing pitch and/or also change the pitch if needed (for bands that play songs in different keys) - all on the fly while the song is playing.

The only thing you need to do is copy mp3s onto it from your computer over USB cable (or use an SD card reader, as it stores everything on SD card).

This unit will also allow you to record (overdub) your own playing onto any of the songs - kind of handy. Or you can even record just you playing and overdub over top of that file as well. Only thing I've noticed is that these recordings are rather noisy (I notice a hiss in the recording) so it's not something you'd use for professional recordings. But it's great to use as a headphone practice amp and record ideas you have.

Considering the price (around $130) it is a very good deal. Oh, it has built-in tuner and some effects as well.

I am curious to know how it records audio direct from a audio source as a Wav file rather then a Mp3? I use a audio/midi interface as my sound card device and would record music as wav and then use the GB-10 to change speed or pitch. Can this be done without compromising the sound quality?

I`ve tried a lot of the equipment mentioned hear with very limited success.

Not a handheld but there is an awesome music player program by Seventh String called !Transcribe (the word transcribe with an exclamation mark in front). It is cheap, simple to use and does it all... slow downs, loops, gives note guesses, does key changes, exports, etc, etc. I think there is a 30 day try before buy trial download.

To score parts (convert to sheet music) I`ll usually use celemony melodyne to convert recorded bass line wave files into a MIDI file. There are then many scoring programs that will import this MIDI data. You can have fun hearing a parrallel piano part play along with your bass line. it is great for learning to read, practicing tough parts, etc. Melodyne is available as a stand alonie program or as a plug in for your favorite DAW.

Not an answer to your specific question but I thought I would through this in here. It took me many years of experimenting to find these two programs. They are really simple to use (well melodyne can have a bit of a learning curve) and they actually work unlike the hardware versions.

Google a product called RiffStation.. It's pretty good if you practice a lot are your PC like I do. It plays mp3s but also lets you isolate frequencies and change the speed and/or pitch of a song without affecting the other.

I've heard nothing but great things about the Tascam DR40, i actually plan to get one myself today/

I would check out the Amazing Slow Downer. I'm not sure what the cost is now, and it's pretty basic, but it's slows down without changing pitch, has EQ so you better isolate bass or whatever else. Not bad.
http://www.ronimusic.com/amsldowin.htm

EDIT: It's 50 bucks

Tascam BT-1 MP3 version.
Owned it for 4 years, love it.
Fits in my shirt pocket.
Best device I ever bought for learning & jamming.
Use with headphones or go thru my amp.

Guitar pro dude. They even have an iphone app now. Most tab website have gp files ready to download and you can do it right off your phone

+1. This is what I use as well. It does everything you want, it's just not a handheld recorder.

+1. I've used this thing for a few years and it does everything I could want. It'll import files from my iTunes or Garageband. I think it's great. I'm gonna check out that !Transcribe though. Sounds interesting.

almost any DAW.