How can I level up my learn piano app? (a devlog)

In this video I transform my bad piano app into an addictive arcade game. It all started with a failed New Year's resolution and a midnight coding session… Follow my journey here: Website: https://adamlyttleapps.com Twitter: https://x.com/adamlyttleapps Github: https://github.com/adamlyttleapps Instagram: https://instagram.com/adamlyttleapps TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@adamlyttleapps Substack: https://adamlyttleapps.substack.com Apps by Adam Lyttle is the personal journey of an indie app developer, sharing valuable lessons and experiences to help fellow developers succeed in the competitive app market My channel is based on one simple premise: "A rising tide lifts all boats" — I share my experience, teach what I've learned and highlight the mistakes I've made along the way. Featured in this video: * Macbook Pro M3 with 34GB RAM & 1TB HDD * Macbook Pro M1 with 8GB RAM & 256GB HDD * Mouse: Logitech MX Master S3 * Keyboard: Logitech MX Keys * Microphone: Shure 7 * iPhone 15 Pro * iPhone 12 Mini * LEGO DUPLO: My First Duck 30327 From Piano App to Arcade Game: An Unexpected Development Journey As a solopreneur in app development, sometimes your best ideas come from admitting what isn't working. My journey with SwiftUI began a year ago when I built Learn Piano Notes, a simple app to help people learn piano. Despite my questionable code architecture, it somehow climbed to #9 in the App Store. But success doesn't always mean you got it right. The Technical Debt In this devlog, I need to confess something: the original code was terrible. Each piano key was implemented as its own state check, creating a maintenance nightmare. The note detection was inconsistent, and the architecture made adding new features nearly impossible. As any developer knows, technical debt eventually comes knocking. The Arcade Epiphany During the holidays, I had an unexpected moment of clarity while playing a piano arcade game. The traditional approach to piano learning apps - with their endless scrolling notes and theory-heavy focus - wasn't working for casual learners like me. I just wanted to learn a few impressive songs and build muscle memory. SwiftUI Development Insights The transformation began with integrating MIDI functionality. Using SwiftUI's robust state management system, I rebuilt the core architecture from scratch. Here are some key technical improvements: Centralized state management for all piano keys MIDI synthesizer integration Custom sound font implementation Game mechanics inspired by popular mobile games From Education to Engagement The new arcade-style approach focuses on: 1. Quick, focused practice sessions 2. Lives system (two mistakes and you're out) 3. Score-based progression 4. Muscle memory through repetition 5. Achievement-based learning Lessons Learned as a Solopreneur This experience taught me valuable lessons about app development: Sometimes breaking your own rules leads to better solutions User engagement matters more than technical perfection Gaming mechanics can enhance educational outcomes Listen to your own frustrations - they often point to solutions Looking Forward As I continue this solopreneur journey, I'm excited about merging educational content with engaging gameplay. The app development world often pushes us to choose between education and entertainment, but sometimes the best solution is breaking down that barrier entirely.