We're releasing SoundBrush
Creative
music creation app
SHOW HN2013
155points
64comments
#114of 1,739 in 2013
Top 7%of 2013 by points
How HN took it
MixedNo clear lean
10 positive, 17 neutral or asking, 7 mixed, 12 critical, out of 46 comments about the project. Thread score -0.01.
Design: 4 for, 1 againstPricing: 0 for, 4 againstExecution: 0 for, 3 againstIdea: 1 for, 2 againstPerformance: 0 for, 2 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Clean, slick interface and intro video
From 4 comments
Just downloaded it - beautiful app! I also love the intro video - slick and professional, but gets straight to the point and gives an excellent overview of how the app works.
nairteashop on HNI like the interface, and the marketing website / video did a great job of explaining the product.
hawkharris on HNProbably one of the best video introduction I've seen in a while!
d0m on HNIts amazing what a good video can do to sell an app.
fuddle on HN
Interesting concept of drawing music with touch
From 2 comments
Lovely execution. This is the type of app that I feel Bret Victor is talking about, allowing you to explorer and create in new ways with immediate feedback. The disappointing…
codereflection on HNVery cool, love the fusion of music creation and touch gestures!
smaili on HN
Objections
Free-with-restrictions model: instruments locked behind liking or in-app purchases
From 3 comments
I use a lot (actually way too many) music creation apps. This looks really nice, but there are a few things that made me turn away after only a minute: 1) In order to use any…
rohall on HNLooks like people want more than 1 instrument to create a song with. The restriction isn't letting people get a feel for the potential of your app.
MrSourz on HNI would like to recommend it to my fellow electronic musicians, but with such restrictions it is literally not worth the time. Make a lite version that presents the interface and…
anigbrowl on HN
iPad only, no iPhone version
From 2 comments
Lovely execution. This is the type of app that I feel Bret Victor is talking about, allowing you to explorer and create in new ways with immediate feedback. The disappointing…
codereflection on HNReally cool app. Are you planning to add an iPhone version?
lfuller on HN
No MIDI import or export, so creations stay trapped in the app
From 2 comments
Nice app. I find the overall color of UI elements to be a little too dark. Right now with a little room light reflections on my iPad I find it hard to see some parts of the UI.…
davidjade on HNDude, why would you weld a nice responsive interface to the sound and sensibility of a cheap plastic keyboard? Make it work with Audiobus, rebrand it as a sequencer, and sell it…
anigbrowl on HN
Chromatic notes sound bad; no scale constraint apparent to commenters
From 2 comments
I am not musical. This app has not changed this. Everything I draw sounds like crap.
nsxwolf on HNThat's because it's chromatic; the smart thing would have been to let you pick a scale (a subset of the 12 notes that sound good together, and which are standardized)and then…
anigbrowl on HN
Requests
MIDI and CoreMIDI support
From 2 comments
Nice app. I find the overall color of UI elements to be a little too dark. Right now with a little room light reflections on my iPad I find it hard to see some parts of the UI.…
davidjade on HNThat's because it's chromatic; the smart thing would have been to let you pick a scale (a subset of the 12 notes that sound good together, and which are standardized)and then…
anigbrowl on HN
Audiobus and Inter-App Audio support
From 2 comments
ok, I see that Facebook isn't required now but it wasn't completely obvious to me. When I tapped "create", it still showed the login via Facebook button and that confused me that…
davidjade on HNDude, why would you weld a nice responsive interface to the sound and sensibility of a cheap plastic keyboard? Make it work with Audiobus, rebrand it as a sequencer, and sell it…
anigbrowl on HN
Dropbox integration for backup and sharing
From 1 comment
Would love to see Dropbox integration for backup and sharing :)
daniel_levine on HN
More effects and sound customization
From 1 comment
I use a lot (actually way too many) music creation apps. This looks really nice, but there are a few things that made me turn away after only a minute: 1) In order to use any…
rohall on HN
Questions
How long did it take to develop, and what technologies were used?
From 1 comment
Looks quite good. Can you tell us how long it took to develop and challenges or technologies used. (I know this sounds like a job interview question but I'm actually quite…
adaml_623 on HN
Is an iPhone version planned?
From 1 comment
Really cool app. Are you planning to add an iPhone version?
lfuller on HN
Alternatives named
Animoog and Borderlands Granular
From 1 comment
That's because it's chromatic; the smart thing would have been to let you pick a scale (a subset of the 12 notes that sound good together, and which are standardized)and then…
anigbrowl on HN
Figure, Looptastic HD, Garageband
From 2 comments
The easiest one I've used is Figure (http://www.propellerheads.se/products/figure/). You'll probably want something on your desktop/laptop to pull everything together. Feel free…
rohall on HN+1 for Figure. Looptastic HD is quite nice for putting something together with almost no effort.
Tloewald on HN
Renoise, Musagi, Sfxr, PXtone
From 2 comments
Renoise http://www.renoise.com/ (demo seems to be full-featured) is a little more complicated but pretty powerful. It took me a little while to get used to the UI but it's worth…
zwieback on HNhttp://www.drpetter.se/projects.html Musagi and Sfxr were both created essentially for making basic game music and http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA022293/pxtone/index.html…
Avshalom on HN
Hyperscore, SoundBow, FL Studio (FruityLoops), TuxGuitar
From 4 comments
Hyperscore was my first thought https://hyperscore.wordpress.com/ Though in the intervening years (6 shit!) it appears to have gone from a cute mit tech demo to a commercial…
Avshalom on HNReminds me of SoundBow [0]. 0: http://www.binaura.net/stc/wrx/soundbow/
incision on HNHHmm reminds me of fruity loops
woah on HNI've recently started to compose music, and nothing beats the simple notation software like TuxGuitar. I don't even attempt to use any other complicated software. Note I'm only…
arc_of_descent on HN