Customer Reviews (500)

Yousuck1364 • 2025-03-21T21:19:33-07:00

Creator of the app continue to find way to physically make you pay for bandlab member ship first they started to block certain masterings so you had to pay to use them, now they decided to add ads into the app for no reason only way to remove them is by paying for member ship thank god I switched to fl the creator of this are a joke

Glzphkcis • 2025-03-21T20:55:30-07:00

The first one

(DR. DJAY-RUS) • 2025-03-21T20:48:40-07:00

It’s a very great experience!!!

Summary of Key Insights

BandLab is generally well-received as a free and accessible music creation tool, particularly for beginners. Users appreciate its ease of use, wide range of features, and ability to create music on the go. However, the recent addition of advertisements and limitations on free features (like track splitting and custom presets) are causing significant user dissatisfaction. There are also recurring reports of bugs, login issues, and feature requests, such as better vocal effects, more instruments, and improved collaboration tools. The overall sentiment is positive but trending downwards due to monetization strategies.

  • Key Strengths: User-friendly interface, comprehensive set of features (instruments, effects, mixing), mobile accessibility, collaboration features, and its initial offering as a completely free platform.
  • Key Weaknesses: Aggressive advertising, limitations on free features, reports of bugs and technical issues, algorithm limitations for promoting music, account deletion difficulties, and perceived shift towards a "cash grab."
  • Overall Sentiment: Mostly positive, but with increasing negative sentiment due to ads and feature limitations.
  • Quantitative Metrics:
    • Overall Rating: Appears to be high based on review text, but this needs to be calculated from the score distribution.
    • 5-Star Reviews: 79.2% (396/500)
    • 4-Star Reviews: 8.4% (42/500)
    • 3-Star Reviews: 4% (20/500)
    • 2-Star Reviews: 2.4% (12/500)
    • 1-Star Reviews: 6% (30/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: The reviews appear to be recent (late 2024/early 2025), given the mentions of current events and the app version number.
  • Analysis Methods: Manual review and thematic analysis of the provided reviews to identify recurring themes, sentiments, feature requests, and pain points. Keyword extraction was implicitly used to identify key themes.

Key User Pain Points

  • Excessive and Intrusive Advertisements: The most common complaint is the frequency and intrusiveness of ads, particularly unskippable ads that prevent users from accessing their projects. This is a major source of frustration and is pushing users to seek alternatives.
  • Limitations on Free Features: Users are unhappy with the increasing number of features locked behind a paywall, especially features that were previously free (e.g., mastering options, track splits, custom presets).
  • Bugs and Technical Issues: Several users reported bugs, including:
    • Inability to save progress or projects being deleted.
    • Sign-in and account access problems (2FA issues).
    • "URL Session Error" and other error messages preventing app usage.
    • App crashing or freezing.
    • AI voice changer not loading.
  • Loss of Audio Quality: Some users reported a decrease in audio quality after merging vocal tracks.
  • Account Deletion Issues: Some users have difficulty deleting their accounts.
  • Headphone Prompts: Annoying and persistent prompts to connect headphones even when not needed.
  • Lack of Algorithm Promotion: Difficult to get noticed or grow their music without paying.

Frequently Requested Features

  • More Vocal Effects and Presets: Users desire a wider range of vocal effects, including specific requests for detune on autotune/autopitch.
  • More Instruments: Requests for specific instruments like ukulele, bass drums, taiko drums, and more percussion options.
  • Improved MIDI Functionality: MIDI to vocal conversion, SF2 support.
  • Offline Mode Improvements: Users want better functionality when offline.
  • Album Creation Improvements: Specifically, creating albums with bands.
  • Latency Test Tool: Reinstating a previously available tool.
  • Pitch Bending: A feature to allow for pitch bending.
  • Echo Catcher: A feature to manipulate echoes specifically.
  • Themes: The ability to customize the app's appearance, especially on the computer version.
  • Tutorials: More tutorials on how to use virtual instruments and layer tracks.
  • Ability to Compress Stems into Zip File: For easier sharing and collaboration.
  • Lyrics Display for Karaoke: A feature to display lyrics for karaoke purposes.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Ease of Use: Many users, especially beginners, find the app easy to learn and use.
  • Comprehensive Feature Set: The app offers a wide range of instruments, effects, and mixing tools.
  • Mobile Accessibility: Users appreciate the ability to create music on the go from their phones or tablets.
  • Collaboration Features: The app facilitates collaboration with other artists.
  • Free Access (Initially): The fact that the app was initially free was a major draw for many users.
  • Good Sound Quality: Many users are satisfied with the quality of the recordings they can produce.
  • Inspiration and Creativity: The app inspires creativity and helps users develop their musical skills.
  • Community: Users enjoy connecting with other artists and getting feedback.
  • Versatile: Used for many different applications including recording music, creating audiobooks, and video game music.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

  • High Priority:
    • Reduce Ad Frequency and Intrusiveness: Re-evaluate the ad strategy to minimize disruption to the user experience. Consider less frequent, non-intrusive ad formats. Address the issue of unskippable ads.
    • Address Bugs and Technical Issues: Prioritize fixing reported bugs, especially those that cause data loss or prevent users from accessing the app.
    • Reconsider Feature Limitations: Evaluate the impact of feature limitations on user satisfaction. Consider offering more free features or providing more affordable subscription options.
  • Medium Priority:
    • Improve Vocal Effects: Expand the range and quality of vocal effects, including adding requested features like detune.
    • Enhance User Onboarding: Provide more tutorials and guidance to help new users learn how to use the app effectively.
    • Improve Account Management: Address account deletion issues and sign-in problems.
    • Improve Algorithm Promotion: Enhance the algorithm to help users grow their music without paying.
  • Low Priority:
    • Add More Instruments: Consider adding requested instruments based on user demand and development resources.
    • Implement SF2 Support: Evaluate the feasibility of adding SF2 support, potentially as a premium feature.
    • Add Themes: Allow users to customize the app's appearance.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • AI-Powered Music Promotion Platform: Address the difficulty of getting noticed on BandLab by creating a third-party platform that uses AI to analyze music and suggest optimal promotion strategies.
  • BandLab Enhancement Suite: Develop a suite of plugins or tools that address the limitations of the free version of BandLab, offering advanced features and customization options.
  • Collaborative Music Education Platform: Leverage BandLab's collaborative features to create a platform that connects aspiring musicians with experienced mentors for online lessons and feedback.
  • Royalty-Free Sample Marketplace: Create a marketplace that offers high-quality, royalty-free samples specifically designed for use within BandLab.

Trends and Observations

  • Negative Trend: A clear negative trend in sentiment is observed due to the introduction of ads and limitations on free features.
  • Feature Requests: A consistent demand for more vocal effects, instruments, and MIDI functionality.
  • Beginner Focus: The app is particularly popular among beginners, indicating an opportunity to further enhance the onboarding experience.
  • Mobile-First Approach: Users heavily rely on the mobile app, emphasizing the importance of optimizing the mobile experience.
  • Language: Predominantly English, with some Spanish reviews.

Conclusion

BandLab is a valuable tool for aspiring musicians, particularly those just starting. However, the recent changes to its monetization strategy are negatively impacting user satisfaction. By addressing the key pain points related to ads, feature limitations, and bugs, BandLab can regain user trust and continue to be a leading platform for music creation. Prioritizing user feedback and focusing on providing a positive and accessible experience will be crucial for the app's long-term success.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bandlab-music-making-studio/id968585775?uo=2