Can someone recommend portable technology for playing bass with recordings?

M

MikeSknabriaf

New member
I want to learn to play songs I like that are in my Ipod while playing bass along with them.

I've been playing bass for a long time and can learn songs pretty quickly (if they aren't John Entwistle or Geddy Lee, etc.), but I'd love to be able to play along with them in a portable situation.

I remember the Rockmans that Tom Shultz made, but those haven't been updated in twenty years.

I'm hearing that Iphones can take software like Amplitube now, but can a person play bass and have the song going at the same time?

It would also be cool if I could, at time for clarity, have the recorded track in one ear and the bass I'm playing in the other.

I can already do all this with my laptop (guitar tracks pro--I just upload an mp3 on one channel and then play bass through another), but I would love to be able to pocket an Iphone or Itouch and play along to some of my favorite songs.

Thanks for any advice.
 
mjbphotos said:
What, you want to walk around while practicing songs? Just use your computer set up.
Click to expand...

Yes, I want to walk around practicing songs. That's precisely correct. I don't want to have to sit down just to practice bass. Standing is much better for me. I can't sit and play easily because my legs are constantly moving to the music, bumping the guitar
 
OK, but can't you just stand near the computer? Get a long headphone cord, or a set of wireless headphones.
 
Vox has some nice little units you plug right into the bass. Headphone outs and even an mp3 input.
I'm thinkin they have a bass one now.
 
It's not that I don't want to use my computer (using a long cable, headphone cable, etc.) but really like the idea of just sitting with my bass and something small that can fit in my pocket. Sounds lame, but I really like to move to the music.

The Ipad and Itouch (plus Iphone) have the capability, so I'll probably go with that setup as it won't cost much money.

I need to learn a lot of cover songs and that's why I need a really easy and simple way to practice, even if I'm on my lunch break, in the car (parked somewhere), etc.

I'll check out the Vox products. Thanks.

But, back to the computer thing: Yes, I can import MP3s into pretty much any program (I like guitar tracks pro) and jam to it.
 
Ha! Found the Line 6 products being advertised on this site. The Pocketpod is perfect, and only 139 bucks. You can plug an Ipod right into it and jam along.

Now I can master all those Dion Warwick songs I've been wanting to play.

;) (I'm only half-joking--I literally listen to Dion Warwick one minute and Black Sabbath the next).
 
I have a couple of devices that do what you're asking. One, I picked up probably 15 years ago and still use is an Ibanez Rock and Play. It's like an old cassette walkman. It is a cassette player with inputs for two basses and an external device. I used to use it on vacation a lot back in the day. Made cassette tapes of new material the band was going to cover and would sit on the porch of the beach house learning the new tunes.

The other is made by Danelectro and called the Honeytone. It's just a simple little headphone amp with a belt clip, headphone jack and external input. They're about $25. They're made for guitar, but work fine with a bass.
 
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