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Show HN: I finally released that sheet music app I keep yammering about

etudeapp.com

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Re: Show HN: I finally released that sheet music app I keep yammering about

#32

Post by Daemmerung »

davepeck wrote: post #13
dangrover wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's its own format (engraving + metadata + midi). It actually uses optimized PNGs, but the iPad version uses PDF. I'm going to do a detailed technical overview on dangrover.com when I get a chance

Cool, I look forward to it. I suppose one obvious next question is: did you do the engraving yourself? What tools did you use? And: when can I purchase Rachmaninoff's Etudes? :-)

Engraved via GNU Lilypond. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1192384

Re: Show HN: I finally released that sheet music app I keep yammering about

#33

Post by squidbot »

pistoriusp wrote: post #30
mrtron wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This app really does look like it is a match for the iPad. I would consider doing this: A) Make the iphone app free or 1$, get as many users as possible B) Approach whoever owns rights to sheet music, music lessons, etc C) Allow them to sell premium content through your app and you take 50% of the profits

iPad users could just double scale the iPhone app.

Except that the app scrolls the music along one staff. You'd still just get one staff, and it would be gigantic. An iPad version that could show a whole page would be much more useful.

Re: Show HN: I finally released that sheet music app I keep yammering about

#34

Post by mrtron »

pistoriusp wrote: post #30
mrtron wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This app really does look like it is a match for the iPad. I would consider doing this: A) Make the iphone app free or 1$, get as many users as possible B) Approach whoever owns rights to sheet music, music lessons, etc C) Allow them to sell premium content through your app and you take 50% of the profits

iPad users could just double scale the iPhone app.

I would personally pay 20$ not to do that for this particular app.

Re: Show HN: I finally released that sheet music app I keep yammering about

#36

Post by tom_ilsinszki »

sant0sk1 wrote: post #17

$2.99? I really hope you raise the price. This app looks exquisite and it provides immediate value. Well done! The iPad version could be a game changer...

A lot of people rate iPhone apps when deleting them, so I think a low price can really hurt your ratings. If an app is too cheap a lot of people, who aren't that interested will download it. After, however, they realize they never use it, they will delete it, and while they're at it, they might give it 2 or 3 stars. I think selling your iPhone app at a higher price could be beneficial, as mostly passionate people will buy your app, who will probably give it a 5 star.

I have not released an iPhone app (yet), but this is how I think of app prices; tell me if you have other experiences.

Re: Show HN: I finally released that sheet music app I keep yammering about

#37

Post by dangrover »

tom_ilsinszki wrote: post #28

Were you the only one developing it? How long did it take? Love the app and the video on the webpage, by the way.

Luckily, I have a precise answer to this because I have this weird habit of tracking every minute of my time on my own projects. Here's the breakdown on Etude in hh:mm

Actual iPhone app: 210:11

Song converter: 72:52

Store (UI + server side): 82:23

Building site and designing marketing materials: 44:52

I did most of the work, but I did contract some of the graphics I had trouble with to a designer, and I've taken someone awesome on board to work with music companies and other "strategic" stuff for the future.

Re: Show HN: I finally released that sheet music app I keep yammering about

#38

Post by gcv »

Very nice. Great initial selection, too. I grabbed the Art of the Fugue scores, and I'll give them a shot later today. I've always had a lot of trouble with reading the score and figuring out the fingering on 3+ voices in counterpoint at the same time, and let's see if your app will help.

Minor nitpick: the composition labels are a little hard to keep organized. For example: "Fugue 1". It does say BWV 846 underneath in the store interface, but when scrolling around, it isn't entirely obvious that it's actually from the Well-Tempered Clavier, book 1.

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