Customer Reviews (500)

AsaAsterfield • 2025-03-26T12:49:36-07:00

Last time I had this app, it was open and tune. Now there are 11 stupid questions before you can even use it. No thank you. I didn’t get this app so you can sell my information. I got it for one reason: SIMPLE TUNING. Simple tuner is no longer simple. It’s needlessly complicated. I’m done.

Jakson brake • 2025-03-25T13:50:31-07:00

TOOK 5 HOURS TO LOAD AND STILL DOES NOT WORK!!!

BAKA!!123 • 2025-03-24T14:19:44-07:00

I have learned more on the app Gibson than I do here. I have to pay an exorbitant amount of money just to learn and few small things. They teach you the wrong thing at the wrong time.I feel like the lessons are too hard for the mid part of you journey when first trying the app out. I did not look forward to playing my guitar the only thing that kept me going was the fact that I was gonna be able to get an electric guitar if I played my acoustic one. I’m not saying that I hate this app. There are some really good features about this app like the encouragement the teachers give you along the way. Or the easy navigation and the somewhat simple like terms they use instead of big words. I colors make it seem a lot more vibrant and happy than some others. Over all I’m the biggest fan because of the bad timing for teaching certain things, but also this is my opinion.

Summary of Key Insights

The "Guitar Tuner - Simply Tune" app generally receives positive reviews, with users praising its ease of use, variety of tunings, and the fact that it's free. However, a significant minority of users report issues with accuracy, broken strings, and recent updates that have degraded the user experience. The app seems to be well-received by beginners, but more experienced users are more likely to find its accuracy lacking. The high number of 5-star reviews suggests many users have a positive experience, but the consistent negative feedback regarding accuracy and string breakage needs to be addressed.

Key Strengths:

  • Ease of use, especially for beginners.
  • Wide variety of tunings available for free.
  • Simple and straightforward interface.

Key Weaknesses:

  • Inaccuracy in tuning, leading to broken strings in some cases.
  • Recent updates have negatively impacted usability (e.g., removal of search bar, increased ads).
  • Microphone sensitivity and note recognition issues.

Overall Sentiment: Mixed. While many users are satisfied, a sizable portion experiences significant problems with the core functionality of the app.

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating: App Store rating is not explicitly calculated in the provided data, but can be inferred as high based on the score distribution.
  • Score Distribution:
    • 5-star: 67.6% (338/500)
    • 4-star: 6.8% (34/500)
    • 3-star: 4.8% (24/500)
    • 2-star: 4.6% (23/500)
    • 1-star: 16.2% (81/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame of Reviews: Not explicitly stated, but assumed to be a recent snapshot of reviews.
  • Analysis Methods:
    • Sentiment Analysis: Inferred from star ratings and review text.
    • Keyword Extraction: Manually identified recurring themes and issues from the review text.
    • Frequency Analysis: Counted occurrences of specific issues and feature requests.

Key User Pain Points

  • Inaccurate Tuning: Many users report that the app provides incorrect tuning guidance, leading to strings being tuned too high or too low. This is the most significant pain point.
  • Broken Strings: A concerning number of users report that the app's inaccurate tuning instructions caused their guitar strings to break.
  • Microphone Issues: Some users experience difficulty with the app recognizing the sound of their guitar, even at high volumes.
  • Glitchy Behavior: Users report various glitches, such as the app jumping between strings, freezing, or failing to load.
  • Negative Impact of Recent Updates: Many users complain that recent updates have made the app less user-friendly, removing useful features and adding unwanted advertisements.
  • Intrusive Pop-ups/Ads: Some users reported being bombarded with ads even if they were paying customers for other Simply products.
  • Unnecessary Onboarding: Users found the initial set of questions and silent videos repeating app features to be excessive and annoying.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Search Bar for Tunings: Users want the ability to quickly search for specific tunings instead of scrolling through a long list.
  • Recently Used Tunings Section: Users want a section that displays their recently used tunings for easy access.
  • More Song Tutorials: Users want a wider selection of songs to learn, including specific artists and genres (e.g., K-pop, Zach Bryan).
  • 7 and 8 String Guitar Tunings: Users with extended-range guitars want support for their instruments.
  • 6-String Electric Bass Tuner: Users playing 6-string electric bass guitars need a specific tuning option.
  • Manual String Advancement: Users want more control over which string the tuner is listening to, rather than the app automatically advancing to the next string.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Ease of Use: Many users, especially beginners, find the app easy to use and understand.
  • Variety of Tunings: The app offers a wide range of tunings, including alternate and open tunings, for various instruments.
  • Free Availability: Users appreciate that the app is free and doesn't require a subscription for basic tuning functionality.
  • Helpful for Beginners: The app provides step-by-step guidance and visual aids that are helpful for new guitar players.
  • Chord Library: The app includes a chord library that allows users to learn and practice chords.
  • Simple Interface: Some users appreciate the clean and straightforward interface of the app.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Improve Tuning Accuracy: Investigate and fix the tuning inaccuracies that are causing broken strings and frustration for users. This is the most critical issue.
  • Address Microphone Sensitivity Issues: Improve the app's ability to accurately detect the sound of guitars, even in noisy environments.
  • Revert Negative Update Changes: Restore the search bar for tunings and the recently used tunings section. Remove or reduce intrusive ads.
  • Fix Glitches and Bugs: Address the various glitches and bugs that users are reporting, such as the app freezing or jumping between strings.

Medium Priority:

  • Add Requested Features: Implement the most frequently requested features, such as 7 and 8 string guitar tunings, 6-string electric bass tuner, and manual string advancement.
  • Expand Song Tutorial Library: Add more song tutorials, including songs from popular artists and genres.
  • Improve Chord Diagrams: Ensure that chord diagrams are accurate and consistent across the app.

Low Priority:

  • Optimize Onboarding Experience: Streamline the onboarding process to reduce the number of initial steps and questions.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • AI-Powered Tuning Assistant: Develop an AI-powered tuning assistant that can learn the user's playing style and instrument characteristics to provide more accurate and personalized tuning guidance.
  • String Breakage Prevention System: Implement a system that detects when a string is being tuned too high and provides a warning to the user.
  • Community-Based Tuning Library: Create a community-based tuning library where users can share and rate custom tunings.
  • Integrated Music Learning Platform: Expand the app into a comprehensive music learning platform that includes interactive lessons, personalized feedback, and a social community.

Trends and Observations

  • Negative Sentiment Towards Updates: There is a clear trend of negative sentiment towards recent updates, indicating that the development team should carefully consider user feedback before making significant changes.
  • Beginner-Friendly Focus: The app is particularly popular among beginners, suggesting that the development team should continue to focus on making the app easy to use and accessible for new guitar players.
  • Free vs. Paid Expectations: Users have a strong expectation that basic tuning functionality should be free. The app should be careful not to alienate users by introducing intrusive ads or paywalls for essential features.
  • Reports of broken strings: Although there are many positive reviews, the number of users reporting broken strings is a significant concern.

Conclusion

"Guitar Tuner - Simply Tune" has the potential to be a top-tier guitar tuning app. However, the current issues with tuning accuracy, microphone sensitivity, and negative update changes are holding it back. By addressing these issues and implementing the requested features, the development team can significantly improve the user experience and solidify the app's position as a leading tuner app. Prioritize improving the core tuning functionality and carefully consider user feedback before making future updates.

Overall Recommendation: Focus on fixing the core functionality issues (accuracy and microphone) as a top priority. Address user concerns regarding recent updates.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/guitar-tuner-simply-tune/id1573260863?uo=2