Customer Reviews (500)

H uivmodumvcnfivcaom • 2025-03-24T15:38:42-07:00

So of course I tried this app after discovering that song composed by a fifth grader (it literally doesn’t have a name) and thought I’d try it out for myself. What I found was that even for a complete novice like me, this app is super easy to pick up and learn. It’s very intuitive as well. However, my biggest issue comes with the fact that additional instruments must be purchased. This wouldn’t be nearly as big of an issue if the instruments weren’t locked behind a subscription service specifically. Granted, 5$ a month isn’t terrible, but the subscription nature feels rather scummy since you can forget to cancel it and it keeps taking your money. I don’t claim to know anything about in app purchase economics, nor do I want to come off as bossy or know it all, but I do think I have a solution to this problem that would satisfy everyone. Since the instruments are already divided up into packs, why not charge a small one time fee to purchase each individual pack? That way there’s no constant threat of a runaway subscription, you still get your hard earned money, and customers can even customize their experience further by choosing the packs that are right for them?

Nick_Flo • 2025-03-23T15:58:19-07:00

So every like 6 months I like making albums and putting music on it. Each time my music gets better and better. Recently I made the BEST songs I’ve ever made and I’ve already been working on an album for 5 months. 20 songs and I was making even more. Sometimes, I just have a moment where I have NO idea what I’m doing. And I was so stupid that I deleted the album… the best album I had. I’ve been searching for ways to recover it or get it back, but no luck. I was very angry and sad because all of my stuff on it was gone. That’s why I feel like there should be a recently deleted tab. I know that it was my fault, but, they should have something where you can get your deleted things back! I saw the song recovery thing but it never worked for an album. So please, can the people at Medly Pretty Please make a recently deleted tab? Even if it can’t recover my album, it is still something good to add in case it happens again. Something to add, there should be accounts and profiles where you can access songs on any device! And if you already made music without an account, it should transfer it to your signed in one. But this is just something I think should at least be brought up.

霸气一轩-777 • 2025-03-23T13:43:35-07:00

这个软件还不错，有很多的音色

Summary of Key Insights

Medly is a music-making app praised for its ease of use and intuitive interface, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced producers. However, the app suffers from user frustration due to its subscription-based model, which locks a significant portion of instruments and features behind a paywall. Users also report bugs, feature limitations, and a desire for greater creative control. While the app's core functionality is appreciated, the pricing structure and some technical issues hinder the overall user experience. The overall sentiment is mixed, with many users expressing love for the app's potential but disappointment with its current limitations.

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating (Implied): 4.1 stars (based on review distribution)
  • 5-Star Reviews: 50.6% (253/500)
  • 4-Star Reviews: 19.6% (98/500)
  • 3-Star Reviews: 10.2% (51/500)
  • 2-Star Reviews: 4% (20/500)
  • 1-Star Reviews: 15.6% (78/500)

Key Strengths:

  • Ease of use and intuitive interface
  • Potential for creating high-quality music
  • Variety of instruments and loops (especially with a subscription)

Key Weaknesses:

  • Restrictive subscription model and high cost
  • Bugs and glitches (e.g., crashes, audio issues)
  • Limited free instrument options
  • Lack of certain desired features (e.g., time signature control, more guitar options, cloud save)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: The reviews appear to be a mix of recent and older reviews, spanning at least several years based on references to past app versions and features.
  • Analysis Methods:
    • Sentiment Analysis: Categorizing reviews as positive, negative, or neutral based on the language used.
    • Keyword Extraction: Identifying frequently used words and phrases to determine common themes and issues.
    • Frequency Analysis: Counting the number of times specific issues or feature requests were mentioned.
    • Thematic Analysis: Grouping related issues and feature requests into broader categories.

Key User Pain Points

  1. Subscription Model and Cost:
    • Impact: Many users find the subscription model too expensive, especially for beginners or casual users. They feel that essential instruments and features are locked behind a paywall, severely limiting their creative possibilities. The subscription model is seen as "scummy" due to the risk of forgotten renewals.
    • Frequency: This is the most frequently cited complaint.
  2. Bugs and Glitches:
    • Impact: Crashes, audio cutouts, recording issues, and problems with importing audio disrupt the creative process and lead to frustration. Loss of work due to crashes is a particularly severe issue.
    • Frequency: A significant number of users report experiencing bugs.
  3. Limited Free Instruments:
    • Impact: Users feel that the limited selection of free instruments restricts their ability to create diverse and interesting music. This is especially problematic for users who cannot afford a subscription.
    • Frequency: This is a very common complaint, often linked to the subscription model.
  4. Loss of Work/No Cloud Save:
    • Impact: Losing years of work due to phone loss or app updates is a major pain point. The lack of cloud save functionality creates anxiety and discourages long-term use.
    • Frequency: Several reviews explicitly mention this issue.
  5. Limited Recording Time:
    • Impact: The short recording time for audio clips (especially in the free version) restricts users' ability to incorporate vocals or longer audio samples.
    • Frequency: Several users mentioned this limitation.

Frequently Requested Features

  1. More Instrument Options (Especially Guitars):
    • Users consistently request a wider variety of instruments, particularly more realistic electric guitars and instruments for specific genres (e.g., dubstep, rock, jazz, industrial, 8-bit).
  2. Time Signature Control (3/4, 6/8, 7/4):
    • A very common request is the ability to change the time signature to create music in different styles.
  3. Cloud Save/Account System:
    • Users want a way to back up their projects and access them on different devices.
  4. Ability to Buy Individual Packs:
    • Many users prefer a one-time purchase option for individual instrument packs instead of a recurring subscription.
  5. Longer Recording Time:
    • Increasing the maximum recording time for audio clips is a frequently mentioned request.
  6. More Control Over Notes (Range, Sustaining):
    • More octaves and the ability to sustain notes across measures are desired.
  7. Metronome Improvements (No Metronome in Recording):
    • Users want the metronome not to be in the recording.
  8. More Tutorials/Handbook:
    • Some users find the app difficult to learn and request more comprehensive tutorials or a user manual.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  1. Ease of Use: Many users praise the app's intuitive interface and easy-to-learn controls, making it accessible to beginners.
  2. Potential for Creativity: Users appreciate the app's potential for creating unique and high-quality music.
  3. Variety of Instruments (With Subscription): Subscribers value the wide range of instrument packs and loops available.
  4. Good Sound Quality: Many users find the sound quality to be impressive, especially for a mobile app.
  5. No Ads: Users appreciate the absence of disruptive advertisements.
  6. Responsive Developers: Some users noted that the developers respond to reviews and implement user feedback.
  7. Section-Based Song Structure: Users find the section-based structure helpful for organizing and arranging their songs.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  1. Re-evaluate the Pricing Model: Offer a one-time purchase option for individual instrument packs or a "lite" version with a limited set of instruments. This addresses the most frequent and impactful user pain point.
  2. Address Bugs and Glitches: Prioritize fixing the reported crashes, audio issues, and recording problems. Implement a robust testing process to prevent future bugs.
  3. Implement Cloud Save/Account System: This is critical to prevent loss of user data and improve user experience.
  4. Increase Recording Time (Especially for Free Users): Allowing longer recordings will significantly improve the app's usability.
  5. Add Time Signature Control: Implementing the ability to change time signatures will greatly expand the app's creative possibilities.

Medium Priority:

  1. Expand Free Instrument Options: Offering a larger selection of free instruments will make the app more appealing to new users and those who cannot afford a subscription.
  2. Improve Electric Guitar Sounds: The current electric guitar sounds are often criticized for being unrealistic.
  3. Develop More Tutorials/Handbook: Providing more comprehensive instructions will help new users learn the app more easily.
  4. Implement a Built-in Metronome (Without Recording it): This will help users improve the timing of their music.
  5. Add more Octaves: Increase the note range for instruments.

Low Priority:

  1. Add Genre-Specific Packs: Consider adding packs for genres like UK drill, breakcore, etc., based on user demand.
  2. Allow User-Generated Instruments: Explore the possibility of allowing users to create and share their own instruments.
  3. Improve MIDI Export: Fix the reported issues with MIDI export functionality.
  4. Add more Tempo Changes: Implement tempo changes mid song.
  5. Add a reverse sound option: This was a request from one user.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  1. AI-Powered Instrument Creation: A feature that allows users to record a sound and have the app automatically generate an instrument based on that sound.
  2. Collaborative Music Creation Platform: A platform that allows multiple users to collaborate on songs in real-time, addressing the request for a friend system.
  3. Music Education Integration: Partnering with music education platforms to integrate Medly into their curriculum, providing a hands-on learning experience.
  4. Genre-Specific "Challenge" Modes: Create challenge modes that guide users through creating a song in a specific genre, teaching them about the key elements and techniques.
  5. Integration with Visualizers: Allow users to easily create visualizers for their songs, making it easier to share their music on social media.

Trends and Observations

  • Language Preference: The majority of reviews are in English, but there is at least one review in Chinese and one in Russian.
  • Shift in Sentiment: There is a recurring theme of users who previously enjoyed the app, particularly when it offered one-time purchases, expressing disappointment with the shift to a subscription model.
  • Requests from Young Users: Many reviews are from young users (explicitly stating their age), indicating that the app is popular among children and teenagers. These users are particularly sensitive to the cost of the subscription.
  • Comparison to Other Apps: Users frequently compare Medly to other music-making apps like GarageBand and Auxy Studio.
  • Developer Responsiveness: Some reviews mention the developers responding to feedback, which is a positive sign.

Conclusion

Medly is a promising music-making app with a strong foundation in its user-friendly interface and creative potential. However, its restrictive subscription model, technical issues, and feature limitations are hindering its growth and user satisfaction. By addressing the prioritized action recommendations, particularly re-evaluating the pricing structure and fixing bugs, Medly can significantly improve its user experience and attract a wider audience. The developers should consider offering a more flexible pricing model, such as one-time purchases for individual packs, and prioritize stability and feature enhancements over solely focusing on adding new content.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/medly/id940268124?uo=2