TASCAM MP3 Guitar Trainer

[Mike54]

Does anyone else use, or own, the TASCAM MP-GT1 guitar trainer? If so, have you had as hard a time as me figuring out how to get all of the features to work?

My wife got me this a couple of years ago, and after a couple of days of confusion I sort of gave up on it. Over the long weekend I dicided to take it back out and learn how to use it.

 

The basics are: you can put up to 240 songs on it, and adjust the speed of the songs as you play along. You can slow a song down, speed it up, cancel the guitar lead, it has an input jack to plug your guitar in and play the lead with the recording, it has a loop feature, metronome, and electronic tuner.

 

I finally figured out how to convert .wma files to MP3 files and get them loaded, and I played along, not plugged in, with a few tracks. Then I tried to plug in, that didn't work, tried the tuner, couldn't get that working, etc.

 

I'm sure this is a great little tool if you get everything working as it should, but in my mind, when you plug in a guitar and strum it, you should hear it in the earbuds. Switch it to "tuner" and pluck a string, the meter should work.

 

It seems like this thing is the least intuitive electronic device I've ever seen.

 

So, anyone have a similar experinece? Anyone have any tips for how to get the guitar plug in working or the tuner function? The manual is not too helpful, and it has no troubleshooting section.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[gvdv]

I don't have the mp GT1, but you might want to try the Tascam forums to see if you can get some help

Tascam Forums

 

All the best,

gvdv

[rocman13]

I have been using the MP-GT1 for several years now. I finally wore my first one out through use and dropping it and am on my second one. If I am any guess of things, you may have the input dial next to the guitar plug-in turned down. Try turning it up to 10, then work it down as you listen to an MP-3 while you jam. If this is on zero, the tuner won't funtion either, so I think this may be it. Next adjustment is the mix balance, it could be set to hear only the "playback". Try pushing the guitar button ( it's on the left side panel, next to the output buttons) a few times to get the balance set the way you want it. Don't give up on it, it's not really that hard, though I agree it's not the most intuitive device ever designed. When I got mine figured out, it became the neatest little toy to take on trips and use in hotel rooms, works great with my LP and Riviera. I just got a Ministar travel guitar, and it works great with the MP-GT1 as well, small enough rig to play in the car while my bride drives (keeps me from freaking out over her driving!). Good luck, let me know if this helps.

[Mike54]

Rock, Thanks for the information. Indeed it was the input dial. I didn't have much time to work with it tonight, but the dial was set to zero, and as soon as I turned it up, I heard the guitar through the earbuds, and the tuner worked. So I guess everything else will work as well. I just need more time to familiarize myself with all of the features. I did get some crazy fuzz effects, so I'm looking forward to experimenting.

Thanks again.