Pocket Pitch
The Singer App
A tool for singers to play and identify musical pitches, for practice or performance.
I am the founder of this app.
🎶 Pocket Pitch at a glance
Unique Downloads
Monthly Active Users
700,000+
17,500+
Average Rating
User Reviews
4.5 Stars
1,300+
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1994mets
“extremely simple and easy to use digital pitch pipe…”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Bay du Nord
“This makes finding the key and note much faster and simpler.”
🎤 How it all started…
Yep, that’s me in the photo. In 2015 I created Pocket Pitch while working as a singer at Hershey Park in Hershey, PA. At the time, I regularly used a piano app to play and identify musical pitches for practice, but I wanted an app that loaded faster. Also, I loved tech and just wanted to make my own app.
🐣 Early Versions
The first design was even simpler than the piano app I had been using before. It was one screen that replicated a pitch pipe (a simple reed instrument usually used by choirs). I chose a pitch pipe over a piano to make the MVP more achievable (it was my first app), and then I added the slightly more complicated piano/keyboard feature in version 2. Version 3 added extra settings.
📈 Growth Hacking
An impactful update during the early versions was when I focused on growth, and through a mix of research and brainstorming, I came up with some basic plans for AppStore SEO. I focused on keywords and in-app purchases, but the biggest mover came from prompting users for feedback and then redirecting the positive feedback to write user reviews. This all lead to an increase in usage by 300% in 24 months.
🚀 Passion project to professional product
Until this point I was a self taught designer, but next major update came after completing a UX Bootcamp. I learned a lot about the Design Thinking process and how to approach UX and UI with a greater attention to detail. I knew Pocket Pitch would benefit from a thorough update and could grow my app from a hobby or side-hustle into a professional product.
🗣️ User Research
I had previously used user feedback to influence updates, but for this next update I took the time to organize feedback from emails, as well as feedback in AppStore reviews. I also recruited 10 professional singers for users interviews to verify their existing problems and what tools they use to solve them (whether it be Pocket Pitch or something else).
➡️ Flows to Wireframes
The next major updates came after completing a UX Bootcamp. I had some new and improved design skills, and I saw that I could continue to improve this app. If anything I just wanted to redo the UI, but I was also long overdue for adding a tuner feature that had been on my wishlist for awhile (and users were asking for it!).
🎨 Visuals and Style Guide
The main visual goals were to adopt a more specific brand color rather than the previous rainbow palette. I also looked to use modern styles so that the app felt current and new like any other brand new tech. At the time, neumorphism was all the rage, so I used a lot of white with shadows to create depth for my buttons.
🖼️ UI Designs
🎭 Broadway!
This was very cool, and kind of a full circle moment for me. Less than a year after updating Pocket Pitch to be a much more polished and professional experience, I was contacted by a Broadway musical to become their official app!
My app had a promotional screen and link for their show until their production ended in early 2024.
📱Pocket Pitch today
The current version of Pocket Pitch has very similar functionality as the previous version above. Here are the key changes to the visual design:
I changed the brand color/gradient from primarily red to more of a purple/pink. I plan to add features in the future that will need red to be used as an error color, and I don’t want the brand color to be too similar to a negative indicator.
I swapped the neumorphic style for a flat design. This is to be more inline with other apps singers use for music (YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music) and common utility apps (Calculator, Notes).
What’s next…
The next big features will be centered around practicing and warming up for rehearsals and performances. There’s still plenty of growth left with this app, and so I hope to continue to make it more and more useful for singers!
Try Pocket Pitch for yourself on the AppStore.