Amp or Trainer ?

[DbbleD]

This is my first post. I bought my first bass saturday - a Fender FSR Jazz - I'm excited to start learning.

Since I'll be an "at home" bassist for a while as I learn, I am thinking I am just going to get a trainer such as Pandora (I was inspired by Marlowedk on youtube) or Tascam as it will allow me to train with songs, drum beats, slow music down, etc..

What are your thoughts about this idea? Any recommendations regarding pandora or others? Should I get an amp?

Thanks.

 

[Edword]

Traynor > Trainer

Seriously, I love my Tascam trainer. Great for late at night when others are asleep and you want to practice. It also does the tempo and pitch change things.

 

[nortonrider]

I have both and use both regularly. The Tascam has a tuner which is nice!

You can get away with just the bass trainer for a while , but you will want an amp before long.

 

[Fnord Explorer]

I'd go with the trainer now too, it'll be infinitely more helpful than an amp at this point. Just keep the budget in mind for the amp.

 

[DbbleD]

Thanks for the replies. Any opinions of which is the better choice between the pandora px4d or tascam mp-bt1?

 

[projectMalamute]

Get an amp dude. You will never again in your life learn this instrument for the very first time. Don't turn it all the way in to an analytical exercise. Sure get a teacher, stick to a practice schedule, whatever; but also just plug the thing and flail away naively, make sounds you think are cool without any real knowledge of why or how. Play.

Amp is good for doing this stuff, you can practice to a metronome with headphones on for the rest of your life.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Welcome to TalkBass.

Another vote for the trainer. For that money there isn't a feasible amp anyway, unless You make an unbelievable score.

As I haven't used either of those trainers I can't really tell which one would be better, but featurewise the Tascam seems like a more versatile choice. Either one of them should be able to drive an active cab, if You wish to have the sound amplified.

Another route, a bit more expensive though would be something like BOSS Micro BR that would allow You to record your tracks too. When I was a kid a 4 track portastudio helped in learning a lot. Not that I'm anything but mediocre now, but the general lack of dedication to one particular instrument may have had something to do with that .

Regards
Sam

 

[davecheng]

The MP3 Tascam is awesome.

I've been using my to shed at home, at a coffee shop, in the park... just about everywhere.

I've had software on my laptop (Transcribe for OS X) that works well for slowing down, fine-tuning playback pitch, etc. but it's nowhere as convenient as the Tascam.

You can also use the thing to play back and record yourself jamming along to tracks the same way as the Pandora. I think the Pandora has more bells and whistles (effects, drum loops) but fundamentally, the Tascam is a much more useful learning tool.

Just get yourself a good set of headphones so you can really hear those recorded basslines (and your own bass!)

 

[DbbleD]

Thanks davecheng. I'm debating between both as they are about the same price. It seems like the only thing the pandora has that the tascam doesn't is the drum machine. I'm not sure how much I would use it but it seems pretty cool.

I watched a lot of marlowedk on youtube and he does all his videos using the pandora.

Also any rec's on what headphones to check out. I don't want to spend an outrageous amount but don't want cheapies either.

Thanks again.

 

[audienceofone]

Thanks davecheng. I'm debating between both as they are about the same price. It seems like the only thing the pandora has that the tascam doesn't is the drum machine. I'm not sure how much I would use it but it seems pretty cool.

I watched a lot of marlowedk on youtube and he does all his videos using the pandora.

Also any rec's on what headphones to check out. I don't want to spend an outrageous amount but don't want cheapies either.

Thanks again.

I am selling my tascam mp3 version as I really need the amp and don't use it as much as I thought I would. I really like it though. some songs don't do the pitch shift or slow down very well, others work great.

As to headphones I recommend a pair of Skullcandy Hesh, if you are into the skull logos that is a plus. I mainly bought them because of the 50mm drivers. They really do work great. They are a little tight and hot for long wearing. at my last church we used Aviom boxes for our monitoring, and I had the bass and bass drum turned up, and me and the drummer wacked hard on the start of a song, and the headphones literally lifted up off my ears!!!!!!! it was awesome!!!!

just my 2 cents.