Bass Guitar For Dummies
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You can buy a multitude of bass guitar gadgets, but the question you always want to ask yourself is, "Will this make me a better bass player?" One gadget that's guaranteed to make you a better player and can certainly enhance your practice session is a phrase sampler, also known as a looper.

The looper is a great tool to incorporate into your practice routine. It can take any phrase you record into it and repeat it ad infinitum, giving you a chance to listen to what you sound like without having to play at the same time. You can record a groove and check out how it sounds. Is the timing solid? Do the notes sound correct? Is the tone pure?

Eventually, as your skill level as a bass player increases, you can loop a groove with the looper and then play a melody or a solo over it as it repeats your groove, giving you a chance to really work through an idea. A looper certainly keeps things interesting in the practice room and can greatly enhance your progress as a bass player.

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Patrick Pfeiffer is a professional bassist, bass educator, and composer. His former clients include Polygram, Red Ant Records, Arista Records, and other major labels as well as Adam Clayton of U2. He has recorded with George Clinton, Phoebe Snow, Jimmy Norman of the Coasters, Paul Griffin and Bernard Purdie of Steely Dan, and many other stars.

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