Banjo Companion

Banjo Companion provides users with a digital banjo that they can play using their iPad. After launching the app, users can click the “Start” button to begin playing the instrument. Once playing, users can easily change the chords, scales, and notes being played using the available options. Additionally, to guide how users play the banjo, the app includes a “Strum On” option and a “Metronome” option. The “Strum On” option models how to play different chords and scales, while the “Metronome” option keeps a consistent beat for users to hear while playing. To further support users, there is a “Help/Tutorials” tab available from the home page, which provides them with further directions for how to play the banjo using this app.

Instructional Ideas

1. Teachers can have students practice playing the banjo using this app. To guide how they play, teachers can have students use the “Strum On” option to hear how a chord and scale are supposed to sound. After becoming familiar with the sound, students can attempt to play back the chord and scale. To help guide their playing, one student can play a chord and scale for another student, and the student who listened can provide feedback.
2. Teachers can have students play the banjo using this app and the guitar using the Guitar Chords app. Next, students can create a Venn diagram that compares playing the two instruments using the Venn Diagram app. Venn diagrams can then be emailed to the teacher for grading.
3. Once students become proficient playing the banjo using this app, they can add the instrument to a digital band, which includes students playing instruments using the Bongos Free, Spotlight Drums, Tiny Piano, and Lamophone apps. The band can play different songs, and they can be recorded playing their songs using the VivaVideo app. The videos can be uploaded to a class website for sharing.
4. To sharpen their banjo-playing skills, students can listen to different musicians playing the banjo and then try to replicate the music they heard. Banjo recordings to be modeled can be searched for using the YouTube website or app.

Screenshots