anybody use the Tascam "Guitar Trainer"?

Joel Paterson · Post by **Joel Paterson** » 26 Feb 2005 7:01 pm

Has anybody used the Tascam CDGT1MKII "guitar trainer" transcribing device or anything like it? I'm wondering how good the Cds sound in the headphones and how well it plays burned CDRs. I sure the steel doesn't sound too great but it would be nice to practice without making any noise.

Joel Paterson · Post by **Joel Paterson** » 26 Feb 2005 7:09 pm

I just searched the archives and read a lot of info on this topic. I'm still interested in any problems people have had, or any new updates. I'm mainly interested in having one unit that I can hear the CD and steel in the same headphones. Not too interested in the bells and whistles- but it would be nice to slow down Lloyd Green!

Gary Ulinskas · Post by **Gary Ulinskas** » 26 Feb 2005 8:35 pm

Hi Joel;
You might have read my posts on this item. I am very happy with it and use it for exactly the same reason you want to. Practice without making noise. One piece of advice--mount the unit to the table. I got so used to wearing headphones, that I got up to answer the phone and forgot to take my headphones off. Yanked the GT1 right off the table busted the cover tab thst sensed that the cover is closed. Made a clumsey but effective repair so that it still works. CDs sound great as slow as -32% speed. -50% is wobbley. I also feed my Band In a Box tracks into it along with my steel so I can silently practice with those as well.[This message was edited by Gary Ulinskas on 26 February 2005 at 08:36 PM.]

Joel Paterson · Post by **Joel Paterson** » 26 Feb 2005 10:08 pm

Thanks, Gary, that's good to know. Sorry about your mishap. Another reason not to answer the phone! Have any trouble playing burned CDs? I make compilations to practice to. It would be nice to reduce my practice space a little to just that one unit. I've never slowed down anything to transcribe- I would imagine that 32% is plenty slow.
I hate to set foot in guitar center but I gotta check one out.

Steve Hitsman · Post by **Steve Hitsman** » 27 Feb 2005 5:19 am

Joel,

I play CD's that I've burned through my GT1 all the time without a problem. I can't recommend this thing enough. And I have used 50% on some really fast stuff.

Joel Paterson · Post by **Joel Paterson** » 1 Mar 2005 12:08 pm

Well, I bought the thing. So far so good. The directions are a little maddening. There are 47 guitar sound presets- and for the life of me I can't find a normal clean sound with a touch of reverb. But I guess they are marketing this thing at guitar center so they have to put 50 wanker sounds in it. The CD sounds good, the slowing down feature sounds a little shaky but I did manage to figure out a Lloyd Green lick that's been eluding me. I would say overall it does the job.

Steve Hitsman · Post by **Steve Hitsman** » 1 Mar 2005 1:00 pm

Joel,

I just ignore those ridiculous effects presets and use my Profex. That seems to work fine.

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 1 Mar 2005 1:21 pm

I thought about buying one of these units for quite awhile. But with an AC adapter and sales taxes it would run me well over $250Cdn. I've decided to hold off for now and maybe later look for a good used laptop PC. I've been using the 'Amazing Slow Downer' software as a learning tool and if I coupled that with the portability of a laptop I'd be in hog heaven. As it is my PC isn't even in the same room as my guitar which is limiting, to say the least. I see used laptops widely available on eBay for under $500...multimedia capable and typically with 10 or 20 GBs of storage space. I still find the Tascam guitar trainers very interesting but for the difference in price a laptop might be a more powerful alternative.[This message was edited by Bill Miller on 01 March 2005 at 02:19 PM.][This message was edited by Bill Miller on 01 March 2005 at 02:19 PM.][This message was edited by Bill Miller on 02 March 2005 at 01:26 PM.]

Joel Paterson · Post by **Joel Paterson** » 1 Mar 2005 5:28 pm

Steve,
What's Profex? I searched it on Google and found nothing related to music.
Bill, The laptop sounds complicated to me. I like how small the guitar trainer is to simplify my practice space. Are there quick play, pause, rewind, etc functions on a laptop keyboard? I think that would slow me down. The best way to transcribe for my money is still an old fashioned tape recorder. It's the most hands on and quickest way to go over a part in a song. I've never really gotten used to CD transcribing. But I'm tired of all the tape clutter and the slow dow feature is very important. I learned to play guitar dropping the needle down- but pedal steel is much more rapid fire and complicated so I'm trying to get with the times. The guitar trainer will probably be obsolete soon but it's just a learning tool -so it is worth it for now.
Did I mention the guitar effects suck?!!
The guitar trainer could be 100 times simpler and it would be awesome.

Steve Hitsman · Post by **Steve Hitsman** » 1 Mar 2005 7:07 pm

Joel,

Profex is a signal processor from Peavey. My point is that you can use your effects pedals, processors, etc., in conjunction with the GT1 instead of relying on the onboard presets.

Billy Woo · Post by **Billy Woo** » 3 Mar 2005 11:11 am

I just bought the Gt1 and found there is a GtMk11 available which completely deletes the guitar on cd allowing you to jam at will also it has a metronome but for the extra 50 bucks I decided to keep the original which is sufficient for me. Prior to having this I had an Ibanez "Rock n Play' which is the cassete player which essentially did the same thing, slowing down the tempo to "try and cop the riff". Anyway Guitar Center here in Hollywood is currently selling the GT1 for 99 bucks +25 for the adaptor and the new MkII sells for $149.00
Hope this helps, it is indeed worth its weight as a learning tool especially if youre shooting for "country boy"

Bronco Billy
Zumsteel U-12

Steve French · Post by **Steve French** » 3 Mar 2005 1:23 pm

The Tascam unit is pretty cool, very convenient with a lot of additional features. But there are software solutions that are cheaper and much more powerful.
http://www.worldwidewoodshed.com/

Works great. At one time SlowBlast was being bundled with some Cakewalk products like Guitar Tracks.

Steve

Steve Waltz · Post by **Steve Waltz** » 4 Mar 2005 10:17 am

I have this tascam and I love it! I don't bother with the effects, the point is to learn and play to things which I think is easier when there isn't any effect. One of my favorite things is the "loop". Once you know how to do it it is quick and easy. When you get to a part that you want to learn you hit one button to mark the front and then wait till the end of that part and hit the botton again. This section starts to repeat over and over again, without you having to do anything, until you stop it or tag a new section. You can play over the same lead 50 times with no breaks between the copies. You can slow that tagged area down as well in key. Ignore the complicated stuff on this unit and it is simple, portable and has a carring case with built in speakers that came with mine. Use the line out and it is a CD player for your home system or use the headphones while traveling. It is smaller than a laptop and less expensive so when you ge tit stolen or lose it you won't cry as much.

My Tip, make sure you have headphones with a long chord so that you don't knock the system onto the floor while playing.

Steve