Bright Star: Banjo

Once I have the score, this app made more sense. But the videos aren't working on my iPad. Do they work at all?

This app is great and has helped me a lot in preparing for the musical. Thankyou!

I just downloaded this app to prepare for upcoming performance I’ll be doing of the musical. I was a bit confused by the tuning/capo directions at first, but I think I’ve figured it out and wanted to clear it up for anyone else who’s curious. First, it appears using 2 separate banjos is recommended (hence Banjo A and Banjo B). Banjo A should be tuned down 3 halfsteps from G standard to eBEG#B, as a few of the songs are in the key of E. That is why when you need to play in open G tuning (gDGBD), it says Capo 3. This tuning works better on a long neck banjo, but you can get by on a regular scale 5 string. Heavy gauge strings would be helpful to make up for the lack of string tension in this lower tuning if you don’t have a long neck, which is probably what I’m going to do. Banjo B is reserved for Double C tuning (gCGCD) and is often played with the capo on the 2nd fret to sound in the key of D. Hope this clears up some of the confusion!

Some of the songs are helpful, but most are missing important info, like which part of the song is featured. The instructions for capo are wrong half the time, and once you’ve learned a tune on the app, you go to the book, and it’s notated without the capo. REALLY frustrating. Great music. Crap app. And messy book.

Would it possible to get some sort of update? It seems to have gotten a little buggy, and I’m not sure all the timings are correct? It just doesn’t sound right when I use the capo for certain songs. I want to learn them all with all my heart, but I don’t think I’m getting the proper lesson from it 😞

I’ve played tons of shows for pro, regional and community theater as classically trained guitarist who reads what they write on the page. I can play rhythm slashes just fine too. Admittedly, I’m a bit out of my element on banjo. Thanks to a Deering vid, I got the essentials of clawhammer. My MD was told by another MD that the app is essential to an authentic sound. And granted, it’s certainly better that pages of slashes. BUT...Don’t think it’ll be your savior. It’s rife with omissions, wrong info, incorrect tab compared to the Notes. Written. On. The. Page. It’s hard to trust what they actually want you to play. Example: #1 says capo 3, then you listen to the recording and it’s not! The vids help a bit but when he drifts out of frame that’s just insulting. The app was a rush job for a book not appropriate for a pit. If you know clawhammer and 2-3 finger rolls and down with the style, you can have a laugh. If you’re a pit player like me, you’ve been warned. It’s a great show, but the banjo book blows.

It's really a shame this show didn't last a long time on Broadway. Thank you to Bennett Sullivan, the original banjo player for the show, for making these tabs available. I'm already brushing up on my clawhammer thanks to it!

Easy to use and a great way to play

Steve Martin writes such tasteful banjo parts. I enjoy hearing the banjo parts at any speed with tab. Also the videos of Bennett are as good as the ones he does for his own web site.

This is awesome. I was hoping for a tab book, but this is even better. And free? Thanks!!