Version 5+: Major additions to MySongbook

Primarily prepared in 2024 and released in 2025, the new 5+ versions of MySongbook have some long-desired updates. I have wanted to include these features since the very beginning, over 10 years ago! These include:

  • Internet Searching: The App now can directly search popular music sites and interpret the results for inclusion.
  • iCloud Integration: Backups and restores can happen directly to you iCloud files. This does not provide immediate synchronization across multiple devices, but makes it extremely easy to sync AND has the benefit of allowing multiple versions of your library.
  • Same app runs on MacOS: This is huge, but only helpful for Mac users. Previously, there was a separate Mac app, that will soon be replaced by this update.
  • Several other features: Sort by date on the main screen. Import and edit as ChordPro. Importing as “positional” song data.

In doing this work, I have struggled to decide on the best monetization of this app. Up to now, the app has always been a single purchase. No subscriptions. No In-App purchases. I have thousands of users who use this app weekly. A business person would say clearly I should move to a subscription model. As another human, I know that that is generally frowned upon.

Although I only currently get revenue from NEW sales, I know that most of these sales are motivated by musicians learning about the app from CURRENT users. So, I want to treat these new users well. I have decided on a middle ground. ALL new features will be available to ALL users regardless of support. The only caveat is that heavy users who do not support the app may face a delay when doing Internet searching.

User Classification

This new version will group users according to how much they use the app. The groups and classifications are:

  • New: First 2 months of using the app.
  • Power Users: Large library and average usage of 3+ hours per month.
  • Active Users: Moderate library and average usage of 2+ hours per month.
  • Casual Users: Average usage of 1+ hours per month.
  • Occasional Users: Everyone else.

Support Requests

All new features will be available to all users regardless of their classification. I want to get some additional support from Power and Active users, so when using the Internet search feature, they will occasionally get a nag dialog asking for support if they have not already subscribed. But they can still email me and ask for free access.

User Community and Support Forum

Since early on, I have wanted to create a user community to allow users to share and support one another. Although this seems easy, it does come with unexpected difficulties for me. I do have an Email list of hundreds of users, but it has remained unused.

Moving forward, I will build a user community under a SubReddit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/MySongbookApp/

The plan is for me to post more there and allow users to interact with each other as well. It will take some time to get it flowing, but it’s time to start. If you are a Redditor or interested, please follow this subreddit. You can always read as well without even signing up.

Best to all, Eric