Zoom Multi-Effects Pedals Are the Best for Bass Beginners

How are all of you doing? The other day I finally caught Covid and was on house arrest for about a week. I got bored just being at home, so I played the bass guitar secretly, but my wife scolded me saying, "You're not feeling well. If you don't want to die, get some sleep!" And now, I am finally somehow managing to find time to write this blog post.
I think it's best to sleep when you're not feeling well.
Putting all that aside, this time I'd like to introduce my personal recommendation on which effects pedals I recommend for beginner bass players.

To begin with, let me explain what an effects pedal is: it’s a device that allows you to adjust the tone and volume of an instrument. There are quite a few different types of effects pedals:compressors, equalisers, overdrives, wahs, chorus, reverbs…Nowadays DIs are also recognised as an effect.
Perhaps beginners don't know which one to buy even if they want to get this sound in this song.
So, for the time being, I will introduce some effects pedals that can handle any song that comes along if you only have one.

Beginners should buy a multi-effects pedal.
If you have one of these, you can get dozens of different pedals all at once. If it's a handy model, the price is the same as one compact effects pedal, making it the most cost-effective item you can buy.
*If you don't know the difference between a multi-effects pedal and a compact effects pedal, take a look at this article*

⇒ Sound House Tiger Scrolls! Types of Bass Effects Pedals

Of course, there is no problem if you start with compact pedals, but pedals are expensive to buy. Some of them usually cost more than 10,000 yen each, and depending on the song, you may have to prepare several of them to get the sound you want.
Furthermore, the difficulty with effects pedals is that you don't know how to use them or how well they will work with your bass until you actually try them. (This is also an interesting point for intermediate to advanced players!)
So, I think it's important for people to actually get a feel for what effects pedals are like without spending a lot of money on them up front.

Buy a multi-effects pedal → listen to the bass sound of the song you want to play → listen to it but don't know which effects pedal you're using ...... → google what effects pedal is used in that song → choose effects similar to that one in the multi-effects pedal →Adjust effects pedals and amps while actually playing → Improve effects pedal experience!

↑this is how I had fun with it.
I personally recommend the Zoom B3n and the B1 FOUR multi-effects pedals!

Zoom / B3n Bass Multi-Effects Pedal

Zoom/ B1 FOUR Bass Multi-Effects Pedal

If you can afford it, I also recommend the B6 (I want one too).

Zoom / B6 Bass Multi Effects Pedal

The reason why I recommend it is that it is very affordable.
It has about 70 different effects sounds built in, and you can buy it for around ¥10,000 or ¥20,000. It also has a built-in rhythm machine function, which is simply useful for practising.
Personally, I think it's a good grade for a bassist to own. In fact, there are many professional bassists who use it. When I was a beginner, I didn't have any drum friends, so the B3 helped me a lot!

I've written so much, but I think the most important thing is to actually try it out, whether it's multi pedals or compact pedals.
Bass players can be involved in many different genres of music, but the sound production varies depending on the genre (rock-like sound, jazz-like sound, etc.).
Personally, I think that bassists are best when they play directly through an amp, they should work hard to learn how to play without relying on effects (double bass has the strongest sound, right?). Pedals are indeed useful and it is fun to play with them.
When you get used to using effects pedals, it's fun to build your own pedalboard, even with compact ones, and show it off.

Conclusion: I really want a Zoom B6.