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Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 3:15 am
by AronCruce
Hey guys I am a fellow musician and computer scientist student. For a class project I made a website that will auto scroll lyrics for you at a BPM. This is perfect for the gigging musician!

I made this because I am horrible at remembering lyrics. It can access text files from your local hard drive whether it be mobile or PC!

This is free! I will soon be making some adjustments to it making it more mobile friendly for example. Right now the menu bar doesn't work well on mobile. Honestly the website does't loo to impressive either but that hopefully will change too.

The more traction I see the more work I will put into it. Depending on interest I would also love to make a dedicated app for android maybe iPhone! Things I would like to add:

- API for searching and pulling in lyrics (this would cost me money!)
- Manage lyrics by artists etc.
- Ability to create set lists

Please check it out and let me know any suggestions!!

http://www.lyricscroll.com/

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 12:52 pm
by GuitarMikeB
A website that accesses the files on your computer? I don't think many people will go for that!
There are many apps out there already for mobile use (OnSong, etc) that work with scrolling - or better, with a blue tooth pedal to advance the pages.
Scrolling kind of sucks because you need to build space into the lyrics (based on BPM) for the instrumental sections - intro, between verses, etc. And if you change the BPM (play slower or faster), then the scrolling is off.

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 4:57 am
by AronCruce
GuitarMikeB wrote:A website that accesses the files on your computer? I don't think many people will go for that!
There are many apps out there already for mobile use (OnSong, etc) that work with scrolling - or better, with a blue tooth pedal to advance the pages.
Scrolling kind of sucks because you need to build space into the lyrics (based on BPM) for the instrumental sections - intro, between verses, etc. And if you change the BPM (play slower or faster), then the scrolling is off.


Yes I realize it is not a perfect solution but I am trying to make a cheap alternative to paid apps. That app you shared is 25 dollars. Also something cheap is good for hobbyists, single acts etc. Lastly there are many trusted websites out there that use JavaScript to access local files and I have never seen or read any security risks by doing so. In my website the file doesn't even go anywhere it remains in the cache believe.

Anyways I appreciate the feedback!

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 5:03 am
by schmedidiah
looks like Skynet is here. :mrgreen:

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 12:42 pm
by GuitarMikeB
AronCruce wrote:Yes I realize it is not a perfect solution but I am trying to make a cheap alternative to paid apps. That app you shared is 25 dollars. Also something cheap is good for hobbyists, single acts etc. Lastly there are many trusted websites out there that use JavaScript to access local files and I have never seen or read any security risks by doing so. In my website the file doesn't even go anywhere it remains in the cache believe.

Anyways I appreciate the feedback!


Yes, OnSong costs money because of all its features. You can create set lists, it'll do automatic updating of key changes (singer wants to do song n A, your version is in G, no problem), searches by song name or artist name - all in your device/memory card. It'll also access online music tabs via wifi (Ultimate Guitar, etc).
I forget the one I downloaded onto a tablet, tried it out once, that's when I realized I can't just put a PDF or Word document in and use it with scrolling because of the spacing I already mentioned. The solution to that is not to use scrolling, to 'push' the document along as you go through it, unless you have the Bluetooth pedal advancer. BTW, I see people do this all the time at open mics, not so much at gigs.
From what you're saying, you're just setting this up for home computer use at this point. Maybe you've seen requests for this use?

Hey, I'm just trying to save you some (wasted) time - take a look at the Google Play store, there are dozens of apps, many of them free (because they contain ads of course).
You're right about 'trusted websites' that access someone's files - but you don't have that - no one knows who you are and no one with any smarts is going to allow an unknown website to access their files! I'd recommend that it has to be 'stand alone - a downloaded program, not run remotely.

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2018 3:23 pm
by AronCruce
I don't think you actually looked at my app, it doesn't 'just' scroll, it scrolls line by line like a karaoke machine and highlights each line progress at a BPM. And I am not wasting my time, I am not developing it further unless I see interest which I haven't. As of right now it works on PC and mobile decently and with interest I would in addition make a standalone app. I would also add all of those things you stated OnSong has as well as importing average BPM from the spotify API. Anyways I presented the idea on another site as well and was met with about 90% ridicule. I have tons of other projects I have much more stake in, I will likely just take this down to save on server cost and keep it for myself. Thanks again!

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2018 4:11 pm
by schmedidiah
You're welcome. There's the door. :lol:

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2018 8:35 pm
by GuitarMikeB
AronCruce wrote:I don't think you actually looked at my app, it doesn't 'just' scroll, it scrolls line by line like a karaoke machine and highlights each line progress at a BPM. And I am not wasting my time, I am not developing it further unless I see interest which I haven't. As of right now it works on PC and mobile decently and with interest I would in addition make a standalone app. I would also add all of those things you stated OnSong has as well as importing average BPM from the spotify API. Anyways I presented the idea on another site as well and was met with about 90% ridicule. I have tons of other projects I have much more stake in, I will likely just take this down to save on server cost and keep it for myself. Thanks again!



No, I didn't look at it. A karaoke-like single line scroll? No thanks. When I do use lyrics or a chord sheet live, I'm looking ahead at the next line, not reading/playing the current line in time.

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 2:40 am
by AronCruce
schmedidiah wrote:You're welcome. There's the door. :lol:


Developers: Use own time and money to try and solve problems and potentially help people ...

Internet: We do not like this and shall express this in ridicule ...

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 4:04 am
by schmedidiah
AronCruce wrote:
schmedidiah wrote:You're welcome. There's the door. :lol:


Developers: Use own time and money to try and solve problems and potentially help people ...

Internet: We do not like this and shall express this in ridicule ...

Apps. A waste of time and money. Like I said, there's the door. You best be moving on. :mrgreen:

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 6:03 pm
by AronCruce
schmedidiah wrote:
AronCruce wrote:
schmedidiah wrote:You're welcome. There's the door. :lol:


Developers: Use own time and money to try and solve problems and potentially help people ...

Internet: We do not like this and shall express this in ridicule ...

Apps. A waste of time and money. Like I said, there's the door. You best be moving on. :mrgreen:



Im good...

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 10:46 pm
by schmedidiah
AronCruce wrote:
schmedidiah wrote: Like I said, there's the door. You best be moving on. :mrgreen:



Im good...

Ok. Good for you. You got any music to discuss, because the app you posted is a non-starter?

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 1:42 pm
by AronCruce
Joel Clyde wrote:I am happy that you are applying what you are learning to real-world solutions. Keep it up, and don't get discouraged.

A web-based scrolling function may not appeal to a lot of stage musicians simply because:
1. A lot of times, there is no WiFi access, unless you have the password. It's a pain, coupled with all the other requirements for being on stage.
2. Most stage musicians already have great apps that scroll, among many other wonderful things. I use OnSong and BackTrax myself when performing. They cost. but most of the time, you get what you pay for.

Your program may appeal to more casual users, which is fine. I would keep working with it.

Just a suggestion, bearing in mind that I am no engineer. I am just a pro-musician. Popular DAWS like Garageband, Acoustica, Sonar, etc..have the ability to embed lyrics within the music file, but they do not scroll. iTunes, in particular, is a very popular music app that includes non-scrolling lyrics. Perhaps you could approach the developers of these apps with your program and offer to incorporate it into their apps so the lyrics will scroll. I believe this would be a huge improvement, and possibly make you some money, as well as a name for yourself. Just a thought.

Best of luck to you.... :D


Thank you for the kind words. Honestly it restores my faith in our fellow human a little. I am not saying that me and my project personally 'deserve' kind words and or encouragement but it is nice to have open minded constructive feedback. This is one of my first attempts at gauging public opinion as a developer and it honestly was a great learning lesson for me. This forum was not so bad but the other forum I posted on was ruthless. I need to learn to get used to this type of treatment, for some reason trying to make solutions or entertainment for the masses even at the cost of free tends to be too much. There are many examples but the creator of 'Flappy Birds' stands out to me as a good recent example.

I thank you again sir for the feedback and I will say you should be proud of the fact that you are among the 10% of the population that obviously does not take the internet for granted and use it for good as opposed to senseless anonymous trolling. Thank you.

Re: Try my lyric scrolling app for the price of FREE!!!

PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 1:48 pm
by AronCruce
schmedidiah wrote:
AronCruce wrote:
schmedidiah wrote: Like I said, there's the door. You best be moving on. :mrgreen:



Im good...

Ok. Good for you. You got any music to discuss, because the app you posted is a non-starter?


Sure what do you want to talk about?