10 MORE Gadgets to Make You a Better Bassist (Or NOT?)

👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz....
We’re back with more bass gadgets - will they level up your playing, or clutter your closet? Let’s find out - no sponsors, no BS.
Wanna know how I rated all these bass gadgets? Watch the video so you get the full context. Here are some quick blurbs on what they do, and where to find them: (no affiliate links)
Funk Fingers
Mini drumsticks that attach to your plucking fingers, giving you a totally different tone and attack.
Hot Hand
Handheld expression tool that uses an accelerometer to detect your movements and send the signal to an effect pedal through the base station receiver.
NordyMute
Transform the sound of your bass, making it more muffled and ‘vintage-y’, with this plug-and-play rubber mute.
Soundbrenner Pulse
A metronome you feel rather than hear, through a vibrating motor you strap onto your body, which can be synced up to the app or a DAW.
Positive Grid Spark Amp
This super-compact bass amp is also a multieffects unit and a digital audio interface, which can be controlled from a smartphone or tablet.
Getaria + Xvive Wireless
Both these wireless systems are very simple - plug one in your bass, plug the other on your amp, switch ‘em on and go.
RoadieBass Auto Tuner
Straight from Skynet, this little robot (supposedly) tunes your bass for you - just stick it on your tuner and it’ll detect the pitch and turn the knob for you.
Guitar Glove
Nothing magic here - just a nylon glove that can help with various issues including excessive sweating, nerve issues, focal dystonia, arthritis pain, and nickel allergies.
Bonk Thumbrest
This non-adhesive, no-drill thumbrest tightens right onto the edge of your acoustic bass soundhole, so you’ve got somewhere to rest your thumb.
Hearos Earplugs
Tiered earplugs like these are a good option if you don’t want to throw down on custom earplugs - just remember they only protect your ears if you take them out of the case and put them in your ears!
Sensaphonics Custom Earplugs
The gold standard for musician’s ear protection, you’ll need to work with an audiologist to take impressions of your ears to get started with these - but it’s worth the effort if you’re a pro.
Nathan Navarro shredding the Hot Hand: • Nathan Navarro - Manta...
Jayme Lewis testing the Roadie Bass: • Roadie Bass Automatic ...
Make sure you catch the next gear review video by subscribing here, so you don’t waste money on any crappy gear - yeah.bassbuzz....
#bassgadgets #notsponsored

[@BassBuzz]

What’s your favorite bass gadget? Did I miss any good ones? 🎸 Timestamps for these reviews: 0:00 - Busting Out Bass Gadgets 0:34 - Funk Fingers: The New Slap? 2:46 - Hot Hand: Weird Expression Tool 5:15 - NordyMute: Vintage Your Tone 8:16 - Pulse: Vibrating Metronome 11:59 - Spark Amp: Solid or Hype? 15:51 - Should You Go Wireless? 20:37 - RoadieBass: Tunes For You? 23:20 - Who Needs a Guitar Glove? 26:10 - Bonk Thumbrest: Improve Your Acoustic Game 27:06 - How to Protect Your Ears

[@user-ru5sw3ss2u]

My thumb ring for slapping 👍

[@theeverythingchannel2785]

Amazing keep it up

[@BaldoFlores_godmetal]

Love these videos. I picked up the Vox headphone speaker from the last vid and it tripled my practice time!! Keep it up, man!

[@unclemick-synths]

@@BaldoFlores_godmetal yes. I like the rhythms because they groove at a number of different tempos. Makes scales almost fun!

[@MikeMorrisBass]

You did, not only thought me bass but saved me $400!!! Thanks a Lot for this video man!

[@ryandavis7758]

My favorite gadget is this crazy new thing called "practice"

[@Jihadbearzwithgunz]

This right here.. as a parent and during covid-19 I've been stuck at home alot but my 2 year old doesn't let me practice alone. Specially when trying to read material and work on my theory usage.

[@z3r0x456]

Where can I buy?

[@freewave04]

I’ve been saving up for one of those

[@jpizzleforizzle]

Hwut? I don't understand "practice".

[@esk8jaimes]

Is it free though? 😏

[@Groovemyster]

I found the pulse an amazing piece of kit. But I put it down my pants and set it to 200 bpm. Didn't realize it was for musicians

[@BassBuzz]

😜

[@raphaeldukhan]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ramonemiliogomezjorge8557]

Lol

[@anotakudetective1546]

R/cursedcomments

[@djbministry]

Probably mostly high notes

[@tnhnoztel]

You forgot to mention ''new bass strings''. A lot of bass players need that

[@lorcanfitzpatrick6019]

That is true

[@vincesbasscovers7517]

Facts

[@michaelmorrison1198]

@@mardten how did you manage to get a set of bass strings to last 9 mths. I play a ton of death metal and thrash metal and lets just say i have had a set of strings last me more than 4 months

[@lisaskywalker8419]

Its just. Everytime you buy a new one YOU SEE a difference but when you play them for months they do not really seem like you have to change them

[@lisaskywalker8419]

And it sucks i cannot get them for christmas. For unknown for me reasons my father who has like 6 freaking guitars and was playing all his life do not know ypu have to change strings and was just standing there laughing at me whrn he heard that lol

[@avielt4103]

Sat in front of trombones for 12 years before getting protection and would 100% recommend using protection. Your hearing as a musician is too crucial to gamble with.

[@carpediemarts705]

When I'm at work in loud places, I always wear ear plugs or muffs so I don't hear shit. I don't go home with ears ringing. I'm not deaf like the brain dead people who I work with. But wearing earplugs or phones while practicing music loud... I can't hear shit. I cant effectively be part of the music.

[@symrin1548]

Yeah I agree. I play trombone right beside the tubas euphoniums and it definitely caused some problems. Better safe then sorry🤷🏻

[@dirkmeier751]

It's not the loudness that ruins your Ears ... 🤕 Use Protection!

[@brainrottedindividual]

underrated comment even with all the likes

[@marshwetland3808]

Agreed, and yet did you notice JOsh said tone is even more important? Lol. Somewhere towards the end.

[@enveritas4948]

Ear protection is so important. I worked in night clubs and gigged as a bassist for years and always wore earplugs or ear defenders and it’s saved my hearing. I used to give out fresh earplugs to people to try it for a shift or gig and people almost always started using them regularly. You can practise or work for hours and not have ringing in your ears. My advice to anyone is just try it and see the difference.

[@mkosmos]

not sure about vibration based metronome, but I would like to see a similar metronome that shoots electric shocks for my drummer and strength of electricity would be defined with amount of alcohol in his blood which metronome should detect and adjust electricity accordingly...

[@kjl3080]

Bruh

[@ksj2936]

@@kjl3080 lmao

[@vic5594]

The best gadget would be a drum machine, it's never late for practice, never drunk and always in time

[@brickwalljoen.y.c9514]

The money spent on custom ear plugs will be some of the best money you ever spend even if your not a musician they will save your ears from the nightmare that is tinnitus when we can not just play gigs but go to gigs again.

[@S0M3-B0DY]

Here's a horor storry, my dad is losing his hearing as he never protects his ears on stage or in rehearsals BUT he plays FOLK, ACCOUSTIC music. This isn't even mad loud, just a tad too much each time and now we have to yell each time we speak to him. Protect your ears. Also, use glasses while using a jigsaw. That one I won't explain, you get the picture.

[@dougmael]

I have been a bassist for almost 50 years, plus I played trombone and baritone horn in marching bands and drum and bugle corps from age 12 through age 33. My hearing has been pretty badly damaged from all of the loud music and high-frequency sound, and although I have been using Hearos for hearing protection for about ten years, I have difficulty with hearing the TV and many times I have to ask people to repeat themselves or to speak louder. One of the biggest favors that you can do for yourself is to begin using hearing protection every time you play music or rehearse with your band .... and start doing it as early as possible in your career as a musician or hobbyist.

[@millcreekgamerecovery9401]

What corp did you march and which years?

[@dexterjones4902]

"someone with more glove experience, let me know in the comments"; Scott Devine has entered the chat!

[@raphaeldukhan]

or the proctologist. LOL!!

[@scottwalters5081]

Scott has a neurological disease that forces him to wear the glove

[@yeoldefoxeh254]

@@scottwalters5081 Finally, someone paid attention.

[@humzatebai]

Yeah... try navigating a recording session with arthritis and a nasty cut on your index, hansaplast and band aids won't do the trick, at least not for the arthritis. Well, an important detail here is to learn bass first, get some professional level then wear gloves or a racoon skin, doesn't matter.

[@aprilkurtz1589]

@@scottwalters5081 Josh mentioned Focal Dystonia in the video.

[@SuperPrezaki]

When you put on the funk fingers you look like a human like E.T.

[@BassBuzz]

Noob Josh phone hooooome 👽

[@butterknight37]

@@BassBuzz good one

[@WattchomanBrandySavage]

bit of a warning for the $10-20 ear plugs. the rubber tip CAN break off in your ear if you're not careful. It happened to me without my knowledge (no hearing lose because of the center hole). After a few months of it being lodged in my ear, ear wax built up and hardened. I was able to visit a clinic to remove the rubber top and the built up ear wax. Luckily there was only minimal discomfort and zero hearing lose but I did have to miss work for the appointments.. That being said, hearing protection is VERY important for gigging, any loud practice and for me It's required for my job. Spend a little extra money, be careful, save your ears!

[@marshwetland3808]

Ugh. Good comment. Looks like it'd be a good idea to check the things for cracks before using, and discard when a crack appears.

[@arlolambdin8710]

Now I want a bass amp that makes smoothies.

[@BassBuzz]

That's how that banana ended up on my arm...

[@Frenchmelodymaker]

@@BassBuzz, wut ?!

[@glennhussey4096]

Hearing loss, tinnitus, and Meniere's Disease here...it's as awful as it sounds; high-pitched notes are indistinguishable and even hearing the kick and snare drums is a challenge! Hearing aids help but are an imperfect solution when learning an instrument...I will have a very loud ringing in my left ear 24/7 for the rest of my life; protect your damn ears!

[@b1lly137]

I fired an AR15 once and forgot to put one earplug in and now my right ear sometimes randomly rings and definetly isn't as good as my right, to the point where I almost have to stand with the rest of the group to the left of me if I'm singing Edit: also, I'm 16, so I kinda fucked up by giving myself hearing problems so early in my life

[@losangulos]

@@b1lly137 thats harsh, theres some things you.could do to lessen the speed of the ongoing damage, eating habits, no headphones forever, excercise, ear plugs, taking care of your teeth so they never move and lose their strenght alignment, sleeping well, etc. I have that tinnitus bullshit too. Good luck

[@aggzish]

Might be worth looking at a subpac subpac.com/ Been around a while ,came from djs wanting to be able to feel the bass in the booth . Good items

[@glennhussey4096]

@@aggzish That is an interesting product; I'm thinking it may help considerably! Thank you for pointing it out; I'd like to see Josh do a review on it!

[@aggzish]

@@glennhussey4096 no problem at all dude , I'm hoping he does check it out . It could change alot for many people .

[@PhoenixFlight94]

My stepgrandfather was a soundguy for The Who. Despite having the strongest hearing aids he can legally have, he's pretty much deaf anyway. Unsurprisngly I've been anal about hearing loss due to it despite what others may think about it. I'm shit out of luck if my hearing goes.

[@johndennison2769]

Yo that is absolutely incredible! I love The Who! Favorite band. Sorry about your grandfather. The Who were known for playing incredibly loud gigs.

[@Spaceman-mm6od]

BassBuzz video has it all: - Good and honest insights - Advice for beginners - Advice for aspiring pros - Time and effort preparing the videos - Budget discussion - and of course witty comedy!

[@TheBassPanda]

I want to point out that a 1ms latency is achieved by moving about 34cm away from a sound source. Playing 2m away from your amp ? Enjoy your 6ms latency ! And it has never been an issue. Therefore, I'm not sure a few ms of latency can be that problematic. Move closer to the speaker and voilà, it's gone. Sure you can hear it when played simultaneously with a control track, does not mean it is significant or hindering for your playing ! Just putting things in perspective. It really becomes an issue when you're already stacking delay inducing elements in your signal chain.

[@NicoWesterhof]

About 45 years ago I was playing bass in a Dutch rock band, being proud smashing cups and beer bottles that fell on the ground from vibrating tables in front of me. Sometimes even almost vomiting because of the high sound pressure! And yes, the very loud ringing tinnitis in both ears never went away since. Being half deaf, a normal conversation is difficult and impossible in groups of more than one person. Tinnitis is irreversible and you never will enjoy real silence anymore. So, don't be an idiot as myself and wear ear protection or turn the volume down!

[@mathbookhero]

I'm 21 years old, but i was part of marching band for all 4 years of high school plus indoor percussion competittions 3/4 years. Add in a few rock concerts where i had no hearing protection, and then about a year of drumming on a kit and i have constant ringing in my ears at all times. I've had to leave jazz band practice at my college because the instructor's saprano sax is like a drill into my brain and i nearly threw up a couple times. Nobody else had those issues in the ensamble, and now i have difficulty hearing people a lot. It may just be other sensory processing issues i have due to stuff like ADHD, but it was NOWHERE near as bad as it was even a year or two ago.

[@hicksdillon]

If you take ADHD medication it can raise your blood pressure which can cause extra ringing in the ears. Just something to be aware of if you didn't already know!

[@mathbookhero]

@@hicksdillon oh snap i didn't know that! I appreciate that a lot!!!

[@mathbookhero]

Its also worth noting i have only passed 2 hearing tests in my life and i cheated on one of them.

[@rudylutz2085]

Notice: bass player priority - bad tone is worse than hearing loss🙂

[@squire8801]

Perfect with Christmas coming up

[@paulclemas513]

@27.06 - hearing loss/damage is no joke. I've got bad tinnitus in my right ear from standing on left of a drummer. This is irreparable damage. I have a pretty bad loss of mids and highs those frequencies are now painful to me and not just from instruments - it can be on the phone, in the street, or at home especially the kitchen. Wish I had known more when I was younger as I would have worn earplugs in all rehearsals, gigs, nightclubs etc. DO IT!

[@fraliubass]

Hey Josh.. I'm an old school bass player and drummer playing with local classic rock bands and I sing backup and lead also. I just wanted to say how impressed I am with your videos. Not only educational but entertaining. Your a true inspiration to me and I'm sure all the other musos that are on board with you. I'll continue to be on the lookout for you. ✌️😎

[@salazeug]

“so between the deafness and the bad tone.. the bad tone especially”

[@jacobjefferies-mfam]

Unfortunately that was the part that convinced me the most... I might have a slight problem.

[@fisnikbalan5253]

you should make a lesson about making more complex slap riffs btw: thank you for being here with us!

[@Syl518]

I would just buy the Pulse to look cool lmao. "What's that on your wrist, a watch?" "No. It's a bracelet that vibrates every (insert bpm here)" "...cool..."

[@kirkbolas4985]

I can speak from some degree of experience about two of these. 1) Do you remember the Alien movie franchise? Do you recall the Xenomorph and its “Dissolves anything it contacts” blood? That’s pretty much my perspiration. The guitar glove preserves my strings like nothing else. No, wiping down my strings between sets doesn’t do squat in terms of protecting or preserving my strings. I don’t like the feel of coated strings either. The guitar glove is extremely effective at preserving my bass guitar strings. Between rehearsals, live stage and studio session gigs, my strings need the protection that this glove affords. As I’m not made of money, getting a month’s worth of use out of my strings instead of a week’s worth is a huge deal for me. 2) The high end hearing protection ear plugs. I’m 57 y.o. 40 years of gigging (I play guitar, drums and keys in addition to the bass guitar) has taken its toll on my hearing. Most of the deficit is in the 2-4 kHz range. I’ve learned to adapt my Eq adjustments to render something that sounds good to someone whose hearing is not damaged. To me, it kind of sucks, but I’m used to it, so I’m ok with it. So what’s the point of hearing protection if my hearing is already FUBAR’d? Simple. As I said, I’ve learned to compensate in a meaningful way. That compensation was learned. Continuing to eff up what hearing I have makes for a moving target when it comes to the Eq compensation I’ve developed. Spending $250 on maintaining what I have is of paramount importance to me. Fun Fact: If you’re serious as a musician and your hearing is still in decent shape, invest in some high end protection. Cut back on the weed and the alcohol and put the difference into something that will protect your hearing and still let you hear the uncolored, unmuffled sounds of your performance and the rest of your band. I’m looking at hearing aids now. A good pair of those are about $6,000. No, health insurance generally does not cover hearing aids.

[@eagereyes]

Nice! I really appreciate you actually testing these things, not just giving your off-the-cuff opinions! Also, no affiliate links is nice. I know you've tested the VOX Amplug before, but have you tried the NUX MP-2? It's less noisy than the Amplug and has some neat cab simulation features.

[@BassBuzz]

Haven't tried that! It'd have to be pretty good to justify almost twice the price of the Amplug, and personally I prefer the Vox's onboard controls approach versus the smartphone app think - it just feels like so much fuss to have to do Bluetooth connecting just to practice. But YMMV obviously!

[@eagereyes]

@@BassBuzz It doesn’t have nearly as much hiss as the Amplug, so that’s a plus for me. You don’t need Bluetooth to use it, just to configure it (and to change volume, but you can change the volume on your bass). And it’s still a lot cheaper than that auto tuner ;)

[@RaimoLis]

I was thinking of buying spark and a pulse beat, but I needed reasons not to. Thanks to you I will save a lot of money. Thanks!

[@Chef316]

The glove reminds me of Scott over at Scott's Bass Lessons. Though he uses his glove for medical reasons.

[@TheNightmareRider]

A pulse metronome could be useful for someone like me, who is hard of hearing. I wouldn't have to worry if my loss of frequency not hearing the click, though given the products reliability, I don't think it'd do great beyond a concerptual aid.

[@andreashadjipakkos1545]

You are awesome man. You inspired me to buy a bass and i ve been trying to learn from your videos. Keep it up man. Good job!

[@BassBuzz]

Thanks Andreas!

[@farmboypersevere]

"Just buy your drummer a beer" That one got me

[@jansestak954]

Hearing loss (hopefully not horror) story I started wearing headphones few years ago and some time ago I started noticing tinnitus. I don’t know, how I got it, because I wasn’t playing in a band, so I assume, it must be from the headphones. I definitely wasn’t blasting them, but who knows. Anyway, now, when I want to become professional musician, I protect my ears as much as I can. Sometimes playing with earplugs can be hard, because of the loss of high frequencies, but playing music deaf is harder. I am Czech, so I always think of Bedřich Smetana, great Czech composer, who went crazy, partialy because he went deaf and was constantly hearing rumbling sounds in his head. It is so terrifing to me...

[@stratnut]

Good shout for ear plugs. Tinnitus is no fun ☹️. Wish I'd taken ear protection seriously as a youngster

[@goffgoffson2330]

I got the Spark amp because I also play guitar and wanted something that could do both to decent level. It works well for bedroom playing but would suck trying to do anything with a drummer. Works really well as a bluetooth speaker too.

[@_omega420]

Earplugs also make you feel less tired after cutting lots of grass. Even a push mower (which is quieter than a riding mower) is still pretty loud and could be enough exposure to harm your hearing, even my small amounts is still enough to warrant protection. Your hearing absolutely does not grow back

[@eney0522]

I have extremely sensitive hearing, and I actually get vestibular migraines (usually dizziness) from loud noises (took me literal years to figure out). I got custom fit earplugs for pit orchestra, but then covid hit and I wasn't able to use em for that. I've used them for other high noise situations, and they are SO WORTH IT!!! If you are a musician, and you perform, please consider getting earplugs! Don't do what my dad did and ruin your hearing to the point of needing hearing aids by going to loud concerts with no hearing protection

[@wesleybrehm9386]

Surefire Ear Pro Sonic Defenders are awesome. Hands down my favorite ear pro I've ever worn. I wish they had existed when I was playing so many gigs back in the early 00s. I wear some Samsung Galaxy Buds + when playing now since they can allow ambient noise in when noise reduction isn't needed, and they can play a metronome in my ear when I want one. But I still wear the Surefires to any live events that are going to be loud. Played bass almost weekly in clubs for almost a decade. My cab was always on my right side. I'm now 95% deaf in my right ear. Full disclosure, I was also a machine gunner in the U.S. Army, which probably did more damage to my right ear than playing bass (since I had perfect hearing when I went into the Army). But I doubt pumping bass right into my ear at loud volumes for a decade helped. Please listen to people when they tell you to wear ear pro; I wish I had. But young, petulant me thought I didn't need ear pro when the "old" people told me I should wear ear pro whenever I was playing a gig. You can't get your hearing back, so do everything you can to protect it!

[@asamcqueen3513]

I have a bit of tinnitus, less from loud music and more from my day job involving being around a lot of server racks. Turns out, when you've got a warehouse full of server fans, they're loud enough to damage your hearing. Have I been irresponsible with loud music? Sure, but that's a few minutes, to maybe an hour of exposure at a time. Server floors are hours upon days, upon weeks of cumulative exposure. It may seem like it's below hazardous levels, but it's not.

[@killbuhside8991]

i bought the vox amplug bass 2 and i have genuinely improved alot more, as I can practice everywhere, thank you josh

[@andrewawood3658]

Hey Josh I love the musician practice glove. My hands sweat immensely. It is very helpful for me. I’ve been using them A couple months now. Very helpful

[@Heivang]

I got notified and ran home as quick as possible. Hope I'm not late.

[@oldleatherstocking3185]

Late? It isn't live...

[@BYLRPhil]

I don’t have much hearing damage from playing (yet) but it is inevitable. We play at church and our setup is fairly crude. We have a drummer who absolutely crushes her drums whenever she plays. I’ve long thought I need something for when I’m on stage with her, and I think this has inspired me. Hear-O’s here I come!

[@amazontmint]

I have to say the Spark has been my favorite piece musical item beyond the instruments themselves. I play guitar and bass recreationally, and I've lived at home, in a dorm, and now in an apartment. In all of these places, noise is something I have to be cautious about. Something the spark manages uniquely is making bass/guitar sound huge at a semi reasonable volume. It is plenty loud to play with friends in a basement, which I think is the scope of most people anyways. Added bonus is it gives you a killer bluetooth speaker as well!

[@stordoy]

It's late and people have most likely said it before, but Tony Levin does use the funk fingers as an alternative for slapping, with a good example being the song Sleepless from King Crimson's album Three of a Perfect Pair. The song was originally played with a slapp technique, with footage from the 80s concerts showing Levin slapping and popping the strings, but any video of him performing the song today will have him using the funk fingers instead

[@wednesdays7791]

Very refreshing to hear a true review on the spark. It seems that it's is mainly aimed at guitar players. I'll still get one as an all in one solution for my guitar and bass, space is a big issue for myself and having two different amps in the house wouldn't get past my wife 😂

[@jaylamb88]

Definitely. I really appreciate your lessons. You obviously are a good teacher because you don’t assume everyone is on your level,unlike other bassists who “teach” on KZbin.

[@lincolnpires]

I use alpine's music pro earplugs and despite being a bit more expensive than normal earplugs, they are worth it ... our drummer is so freaking loud 😆 which is awesome btw. Still, protection is good, I don't wanna use a hearing aid after 20 years of playing (going for the 10th).

[@derektp1159]

I started with a small acoustic bass out of convenience and love of the look and sound. The thumb rest is huge! I was really struggling with thumb placement and was unaware there was options you didn't have to screw in. Thanks, phenomenal video series.

[@maks886]

The glove is also helpful for faster movement across the fretboard (if your bass has a varnished neck, the thumb will not get stuck to the wood when it gets sweaty)

[@captbuscemi]

Love all the Conchords references in your vids 🤣 bro, always fun to spot them.

[@eliezerjk90]

depends on your circumstances (and budget), you could also consider to make a custom made in-ears, especially if you are gigging/perform regularly with in-ear monitoring system. I play in church and used universal in ear monitor (shure se-215) for several years. With the universal in ear, the isolation is not that good. There are three sizes of foam and unfortunately, none of them fit perfectly in my ear (the mediums are a bit too loose, the big one hurts my ears) and I had to crank up the volume a bit and sometimes ended up have that ringing sound after playing (thankfully it is not permanent). few years ago I upgraded to 3 drivers custom in-ear and boy..... that was best investment of my life as a musician!! Not only I get better isolation (which extremely important for bassist since we almost always stand close to the drummer), but it also gives me much better definition!!! it really helps you to hear the mix better and you'll notice details that you'd probably miss had you use cheap headset/earphone. furthermore I also use it for silent practice at home (bass + amplug + in-ear + aux to my smartphone/computer for metronome/backing track). In the end, it is not only protect my hearing, but also helps me to develop as a musician.

[@roninmusic144]

Hi please notice I love you man and you’ve taught me so much

[@BassBuzz]

Thank you!

[@roninmusic144]

@@BassBuzz oh my good you responded yes my only achievement

[@danelaw4502]

I'm so glad you use the flight of the conchords for the "think about it"

[@iloveGod1105]

Glad you mentioned the earplugs! They inspired me to get some before my Local Natives concert. Ik you intended it for the players, but as bass player who will be a listener at a rock concert, they'll help for that too! ☺️😉

[@l.j.turner185]

JOSSSHHH!! Hi 🙋‍♂️❤️ I’ve almost completed the Beginner to Badass Course, absolutely loving it ~ I’ll be jamming in a band before too long 🤩 🎸

[@BassBuzz]

Right on Liam!

[@PerpetualBass]

Yo I've got that Getaria wireless system and I can't believe it works! I took a risk once and played it on stage- I was able to jump into the audience and mosh! The latency is definitely noticeable when recording though. Super convenient if you're just riffing to hear ideas, but a no-go for serious applications.

[@waynealderman1921]

Dude, I have been using the Xvive for around 18 months. Last night was my first drop, and I dont think I will ever trust it again... >.

[@Jacksmusicshack]

I'm practicing bass and saw this.. laughed soo hard at the nickelback joke.. Subbed!

[@mark_midmark]

This is such an incredibly thorough multi review. You give information in such a clear and thorough way, yet without rambling. Really awesome.

[@BassBuzz]

Thanks Mark!

[@mikegreenebass]

Definitely, make an appointment with an audiologist and get fitted musician ear plugs. It's a investment to protect your greatest piece of gear ( your ears!) Great for going to concerts to still hear the band clearly. I have tinnitus and that does not go away.

[@johnterpack3940]

I guess earing loss explains the ungodly change in Angus Young's tone over the years. No more angry mids, just christmas bells out of those Marshall stacks.

[@chuckguy3057]

I can't wait to order the acoustic bass thumbrest!

[@sacraficialraccoon6135]

I remember I was playing a show when I couldn’t hear what I was playing, his would have been less terrifying if it wasn’t for the fact that there was a break where the only music was a bass solo coming up in a few bars. The problem my bass was turned down but I thought it was the amp so I had to try both of those before the solo, I fixed it one measure before that solo came up.

[@GfnWiz]

It is really cool how Tony Levon came up with the funk fingers. He played the left hand while the drummer played the right hand. Tony Levon is an artist bass player, stick player...truly amazing.

[@jwall3873]

Levin developed the Funk Fingers to emulate Chris Squire's sound/tone, when Levin did ABWH... Look it up, interesting story

[@alholz7836]

I was dumb and listened to loud music through IEMS, along with playing loud and being front row at concerts without hearing protection. Now I have permanent ringing in my ears. Turn your music down, wear earplugs, and save your ears!

[@3inherjar]

Ah, the ear protection. If only I thought about that first with the Walkman, yes I am that old, later with playing and seeing gigs. I guess I'll have to carry on living with the mild tinnitus.

[@RobfromNorCal]

I have the spark 40 positive grid. I enjoyed a lot. It can handle bass and guitar. And the money you would save on all the pedals. A compressor and a noise gate make a huge difference. I recommend it for somebody who has nobody to practice with or play with.

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

Floating thumb technique fixes the thumb anchor issue 🙂 but if you like a thumb rest, it looks cool!

[@lapinranger7405]

The Best mute is "The Bassmute" by Elio martina, it come with a switch so you can choose how much you mute (if you have to mute) I Love it

[@royalredus]

Nickel allergies!! I am dying laughing 🤣 Thank you JOsh, you have the BEST bass channel on the planet, and I am current student of your Beginner to Badass course.

[@judih.8754]

Me too. I laughed out loud at Nickel allergies!

[@sandorrabe5745]

Hmmm yes people unfortunately can develop skin problems when their skin is in contact with nickel (cheap jewelry etc) and the same applies to nickel wound strings.

[@royalredus]

@@sandorrabe5745 Um, it was a Nickel back joke. Did you get it?

[@sandorrabe5745]

@@royalredus Ah no sorry never heard of that band before

[@trebusbass3263]

thanks a lot for this review, very informative and I really appreciate that you still go into the details and possibilities even on the gear that you might not necessarily buy/use yourself. And obviously, the little creative fun parts add great value to the video.

[@fretlessman71]

I love how the hair on his left temple would encroach and retreat in accordance with how interested it was in a given gadget.

[@Stoney3K]

The big advantage of those molded earplugs is, despite the initial investment: They can also double up as in-ear monitors. Which will eliminate the necessity for the rest of your band to wear plugs in the future. Now if we could only find a good solution for drummers...

[@patrickclune3600]

I’ve used the X-Vive wireless for years as a lead and bassist. I’ve never had any cut outs or latency issues. Now our lead player uses one and so far so good. I really like your honest reporting on these items. I love gimmicky things. I’m 70 still rocking out with the band.( I drive my wife nuts due to always wanting something else that “ I Need “ ) Thank you, I was gonna buy that small Spark, will get the fender 40 now

[@BassBuzz]

Glad the XVive has worked well for you Patrick! I've heard other good reviews too, I'm just always suspicious of wireless units cuz drop-outs are the WORST.

[@hollowify_tensa_zangetsu]

I use ipod headphones!! It takes all the high end freq out. I played drums in a band and for 3 practice I left with ringing so loud for 15 mins. So I got ear plugs and I couldnt truly hear great. So one day I used my headphones and I heard everyone very clear but after practice and shows I never had ringing again.ni was shocked and so happy.

[@chase2bass860]

Love your vids, really helped me a lot. However I still have the rookie problem of what you like to call "flying fingers". When I use any kind of pressure on one or some of my fingers, the others just go way back, almost automaticly. Problems affective are: off range tones because of quick misplacement, and mostly and more relevant: Sl0wer reactions, wich lead to off balance time placements. As I said, you HAVE adressed this in some of your video's even going as far as giving us excersizes to withold that. I do believe however this is quite a large issue in the beginner Bass community, so maybe it would be a good idea to make an entire Video bassed on the "Flying finger" problem, since I am sure you have a lot more thoughts on this topic😉 Whatever happens, tnx for the awesome coaching

[@Matt_bechillin]

Thank you for showing the Mute up close at 7:53 Once I saw it I went into the woodwork shop and made it in about 10 minutes from scraps finish and all 👍🏾

[@BlackDumble]

It's not really a horror story, but I played the drums without protection for a couple of years and now I'm close to getting a hearing aid. For the moment it's not that bad but I definately wish I appreciated hearing protection earlier.

[@jnspincliffe2]

thank you for doing the wireless transmitter reviews! I was on the fence about them due to the cost and I wasn't even aware of latency issues. great video!

[@alexkessis]

15:30 yep you can get a fender rumble 40 and a zoom B1X four for about the same price!

[@bocobocoboco]

yep, I have the rumble 40 and it’s a good practice amp. sounds good and it’s light to carry

[@Vortigan07]

I got the Roadie Bass and stuck it on my knob like you suggested. My girlfriend left me and my bass is *still* out of tune!!

[@TheOnlyBoon]

Thanks Josh, great video as always. Definitely grabbing a Bonk for my acoustic! What a gamechanger I had no idea a product like that even existed

[@1337million]

I think Herman Li uses(or used?) the Hot Hand or something similar to control effects, so definitely with some practice it can work well. Probably more suited for a wah than anything else though

[@isaschmidt2743]

not as part of any band, but as a DJ: I had fitted ear protection made for 200€ or so - only to lose them at the club (I am usually not that clumsy)... so the 10€ tier is now my choice at high volumes ;) - but as there are no club nights or parties with the pandemic, my hearing must have recovered anyway :) at least a bit. as a beginner bass player/learner my favorite gadget is a metronome, and I am waiting for a better, padded strap to arrive in the mail :) at this time, that's all I need

[@DeadGirlRising395]

I bought a Soundbrenner Core a couple years ago. It's sitting in a drawer. I just couldn't get used to it and found it annoying

[@jensvide777]

I think the "funk fingers" were pretty cool. I liked the tone! Then again maybe just slap instead.

[@strachinariuciprian9721]

Thank you for the great advice for the Hot Hand, athan really impressed me with it and if I bought it right now (without previous expression pedal experience) Id regret it You are a great bass guy, keep it up

[@boboconnor9779]

OK, the Nickelback joke had me rolling. I too, have a nickel allergy. :)

[@theonlytoad2]

So, I am both a Bassist and a Vocalist. I didn't wear hearing protection for nearly a year. Because I don't know if it's my ADHD or just the way my brain is or what, but every time I would put earplugs in (Usually the foam kind) they would cause me to dissociate and/or cause me to just completely zone out. This would cause me to miss cues on when to come in and overall, just made it very hard to focus. I still have no clue why. But I found a pair of earplugs that work for me. Luckily, it didn't affect my hearing to much.

[@ladyjulia4038]

When I was in the jazz band in high school. Hearing loss was some kind of badge of honor. Being born extremely hard of hearing I'm glad to say I never ran that race.

[@GuyXVIII]

This is a GREAT review! I like the fact it is not sponsored, so you don't have to "tweak" the truth to sell this stuff. People should totally consider getting a good solid wireless units that goes a long way rather then the cheap ones, that aside from lag issues, will probably brake easily after a few months of stage use. I have a Shure GLXD belt pack unit for 2 years now and it is WORTH the $$.

[@eliezerjk90]

In the end, unless you really need to use wireless (you have to walk around the stage,etc), it is probably better to stick with cable. no matter how good a wireless system, transmiting signal through air would never be as effective as transferring it through cable (because... physics..)

[@GuyXVIII]

@@eliezerjk90 that's for sure, but the number of times I get people on stage (myself included) all tangled up makes up for it. Sound is in the studio. Avoiding hazards is for the stage 😁

[@davesdream]

Im happy with my Getaria. I can use it for Bass or Guitar, to the AMP or to the Audio Interface... very handy.

[@rebeccaetienne1546]

Me too

[@cactustactics]

I always appreciate these videos, feel like we're getting some real honest info! Wonder if you could make shorter finger sticks that are closer to like, really heavy thimbles or something. So it feels more like drumming your fingers than waving them around in the air, surely that would give you way better control

[@5greenfeathers]

You can cut those foam ear plugs in half,so if you just want to filter out extraneous buzz ,that works too .

[@judih.8754]

Thanks for the thoughtful review of these items Josh. I'm making slow but steady progress with your Beginner to Badass course. Your enthusiasm shows through and I'm having fun learning. 🙋🏼‍♀️

[@BassBuzz]

You got it Judi!

[@Scooter110]

I've read that towards the end of his life, The Ox (John Entwhistle) couldn't hear at all. It was said that he would turn up the amp really loud and feel the sound.

[@giveitawaynow4649]

Can somebody please please help me. I Have a 1971 fender mustang bass and the E string sounds muted I have nothing resting on it and all the strings are in tune