You'll be amazed at how often you can use this little rig, and how much improvement you'll notice in your sound.

You can choose what notes to play with the fret hand, but you won't get them out on time or with the right attack, volume, tone, shape and quality unless your rhythm hand is up to it. The PraxAx gives you a way to isolate and focus on your rhythm hand skill. It's not easy, and it will take time. Because the strings are so short, inconsistency and imprecision is easy to hear, especially if you are plugged in. But that, and its portability, are exactly what make the PraxAx so useful! Work with it a while, put the miles on your fingers.

Once you are able to get a nice little groove going on the PraxAx, and keep it going steady, people will notice how much smoother and more musical you sound.

The PraxAx is Patent Pending.

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	Three models to choose from! Guitar Bass (4-string) Bass (5-string) Each model is available in red, black, or natural. The body is made of hardwood and is finished with lacquer or polyurethane. Tie-around waist cord included. Electric versions include a built-in Piezo pickup and 3.5mm output jack. Cable not included.
	Model Price Sale Guitar $45.00 $35 Bass (4-string) $45.00 $35 Bass (5-string) $45.00 $35 Guitar w/pickup $55.00 $45 Bass w/pickup $55.00 $45 Banjo $45.00 $35 Lefty versions available!
Please Note: the PraxAx does not tune to pitch, as it is designed as a picking practice tool. Increase your precision and speed anywhere, anytime, without your instrument.	Strap it on like a belt, wear it anywhere! With the amp-ready version, you can plug into any portable amp or headphone amp, to better hear your picking practice.

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Q. What's it for? Is it an instrument?

A. The PraxAx is a practice instrument. It isolates and focuses on certain aspects of technique (rhythm, touch), while minimizing or eliminating other aspects (melody, pitch). The PraxAx enables you to practice rhythm hand exercises when you can't use your regular instrument.

A.Yes and no. Yes, because you only have to contend with one hand. No, because the strings are so short they are extremely sensitive to very small variations in touch and time. Even experienced, good players will notice imprecision when using the PraxAx. But that's exactly the point! First you hear it, then you figure out where it comes from, and how to fix it. This often involves breaking down a series of motions into its parts, deciding which parts are causing trouble, inventing an exercise to strengthen the weak area and putting on the miles. Each time you do this, you improve your technique and create greater capacity for musical expression.

A. No! It takes a little time to get used to the idea that it doesn't sound like a guitar or bass. What it does well is help you learn by giving you information about exactly when your fingers are hitting the strings and the shape of the notes you make. With the PraxAx you can clearly hear and focus on rhythm hand aspects of playing without the added complication of all the rest.

 Q.

A. If you are using the PraxAx to develop your chops, we recommend that you try tuning it so that the tension and feel of the strings resembles the tension and feel of your regular instrument. Often, this happens just when you feel the tension of the string increasing as you loosen then tighten the tuning screw. Turn the slotted screw on the back to tighten or loosen a string. Clockwise tightens, counterclockwise loosens. If you try tuning to get a musical pitch or a specific interval you may find that the string tension is much tighter than what you are accustomed to.

A. This can happen if you try to tune the strings to some particular note, or some particular interval. The string may break or detach at one end. There is also the possibility that you may crack or distort the body. Oops. Fix it or get a replacement. Also, remember that if you make the strings too tight you are defeating part of the purpose of the PraxAx, which is to emulate aspects of a regular instrument.

A. The strings will feel floppy and may buzz excessively as they slap against the end rods. Bass players--please note that a little buzz may be unavoidable due to the vibration of the core wire against the windings.

A. The sound we aim for when playing along with recordings is a thunk, like a drum, with the loudness of each string similar, but not exactly the same. This enables you to exercise along with music without clashing harmonically. When playing along with a metronome, we sometimes try tuning to pitch. Of course standard guitar or bass tunings aren't possible but you might find something else that is pleasant and interesting. Experiment and you will discover various set ups that work for you and with your current exercises. Try having some fun exploring the sounds it makes, running it through amps & accessories, and maybe even make some music.

Q.

A. The main idea is to identify targets for improvement by listening to a riff or passage and noticing the weak spots. When it sounds clumsy, rough, or just not right then you have found a target. Try to break the pattern down to simpler elements, then work on the ones that give you trouble. When the simpler elements are solid, put them together to form a more complex sound pattern. Every time you do this you add to your musical vocabulary. The smoother and more comfortable you are with the basic elements, the freer you can be to find a groove. Anything you do with both hands on your regular ax can be used as a starting point for Twanging on your PraxAx. Just isolate the rhythm hand pattern and try it. Some suggestions: Alternating fingers on one string, alternating fingers on two or more strings, quarter note patterns, triplet patterns, eighth note patterns, shuffle, blues walk, reggae...