08-13-2014, 06:05 AM
Thanks Mike. And thanks for encouraging user feedback.
Maybe my ideas illustrate the struggle you're having trying to keep MS 'open' enough to all users.
Right now, it seems to be weighted towards professional instrumentalists. That's cool, but I also sense that there's a growing number of amateur picking this app up. Not necessarily 'musician wannabees' either.
A little background: I'm in an amateur a capella chorus. But it's part of a larger worldwide organization of amateur singers (over 35,000, at last count -- I think). Most members are just getting into using tablets to replace paper sheet music. Some are even just getting used to working with digital training tracks! We cover a wide range of ages -- from 11 to 90 in our local group.
I'd say that right now the iPad to Android mix in our chorus is probably 50/50. I think on the Android side, your app is pretty much in a class of its own. But, as I'm sure you know, the king on the iPad is forScore. And as they say on their product site: "It’s easy to copy a great feature, check off a box, and move on (so many of our competitors do). In fact, many of our best features have become so ubiquitous that it’s hard to tell who came up with it in the first place. We love it."
I think MSheet is insulated by the fact that forScore has no plans to make an Android version. But I couldn't help notice that a lot of the things others and myself have stuck up here on this virtual wishlist already seem to be standard features for fScore.
You know, I have a younger brother who's been programming for.. .geez, over 30 years (professionally since he was 14 on the Commodore platform!). Now, he's doing apps (of course). Most of his bread and butter work is pretty dry, industrial stuff -- but he does get to have fun on smaller gigs and with a few pet personal projects. Same kind of thing -- it would be nice to have the time to really make something polished up -- but you gotta pay the mortgage, right?
I've always believed that Adobe's PDF technology is seriously under-utilized. There's a lot of tricks buried in that engine that most people have never even tried or know about. Especially when it comes to training/interactive study.
Music notation does not come easily to someone like me who knew only the most rudimentary aspects of it when I started singing again in my early forties. By working with voice part mp3's, and keeping a copy of the score handy, I've managed to pick up enough to keep on moving -- but I can really see the appeal of combining the visual notes with the audio ones in terms of study. But that's why I see PDF reader technology capable of a lot more than most people give it credit for (have you seen ezPDF CLEAR? I think they're pushing the same envelope in that product).
If things ever re-org that you do get more time to devote to the MSheet development, I think you should consider splitting into two products: Mobile Sheets Performer and Mobile Sheets Practice (or something similar -- personally, the use of the word 'mobile' is quickly becoming meaningless).
And I'm guessing here, but I would bet that with the proper marketing and UI design, the Practice version could quickly outsell the performance version -- it's just a statistical reflection of the fact that there are a lot more amateurs than pros.
Anyhow, the best of luck. I'm quite happy with my investment with the product even as it is. But like others, I sure hope you can find the time to pursue pushing it a little further someday.
All the best,
-Broacher (Bob Roach)
Maybe my ideas illustrate the struggle you're having trying to keep MS 'open' enough to all users.
Right now, it seems to be weighted towards professional instrumentalists. That's cool, but I also sense that there's a growing number of amateur picking this app up. Not necessarily 'musician wannabees' either.
A little background: I'm in an amateur a capella chorus. But it's part of a larger worldwide organization of amateur singers (over 35,000, at last count -- I think). Most members are just getting into using tablets to replace paper sheet music. Some are even just getting used to working with digital training tracks! We cover a wide range of ages -- from 11 to 90 in our local group.
I'd say that right now the iPad to Android mix in our chorus is probably 50/50. I think on the Android side, your app is pretty much in a class of its own. But, as I'm sure you know, the king on the iPad is forScore. And as they say on their product site: "It’s easy to copy a great feature, check off a box, and move on (so many of our competitors do). In fact, many of our best features have become so ubiquitous that it’s hard to tell who came up with it in the first place. We love it."
I think MSheet is insulated by the fact that forScore has no plans to make an Android version. But I couldn't help notice that a lot of the things others and myself have stuck up here on this virtual wishlist already seem to be standard features for fScore.
You know, I have a younger brother who's been programming for.. .geez, over 30 years (professionally since he was 14 on the Commodore platform!). Now, he's doing apps (of course). Most of his bread and butter work is pretty dry, industrial stuff -- but he does get to have fun on smaller gigs and with a few pet personal projects. Same kind of thing -- it would be nice to have the time to really make something polished up -- but you gotta pay the mortgage, right?
I've always believed that Adobe's PDF technology is seriously under-utilized. There's a lot of tricks buried in that engine that most people have never even tried or know about. Especially when it comes to training/interactive study.
Music notation does not come easily to someone like me who knew only the most rudimentary aspects of it when I started singing again in my early forties. By working with voice part mp3's, and keeping a copy of the score handy, I've managed to pick up enough to keep on moving -- but I can really see the appeal of combining the visual notes with the audio ones in terms of study. But that's why I see PDF reader technology capable of a lot more than most people give it credit for (have you seen ezPDF CLEAR? I think they're pushing the same envelope in that product).
If things ever re-org that you do get more time to devote to the MSheet development, I think you should consider splitting into two products: Mobile Sheets Performer and Mobile Sheets Practice (or something similar -- personally, the use of the word 'mobile' is quickly becoming meaningless).
And I'm guessing here, but I would bet that with the proper marketing and UI design, the Practice version could quickly outsell the performance version -- it's just a statistical reflection of the fact that there are a lot more amateurs than pros.
Anyhow, the best of luck. I'm quite happy with my investment with the product even as it is. But like others, I sure hope you can find the time to pursue pushing it a little further someday.
All the best,
-Broacher (Bob Roach)