Beta testers wanted: Score Reader, an accessible sheet-music reader for iPhone

By open independence, 27 September, 2026

Forum
App Development and Programming

Hi everyone,

I'm Ashley, the blind developer behind Open Independence, and I'd like to invite you to beta test Score Reader, my accessible sheet-music reader for iPhone.

The problem it tackles: printed and digital sheet music is almost entirely visual, so blind and low-vision musicians usually can't read a score independently - you wait for someone to transcribe or describe it. Score Reader imports MusicXML and compressed MXL files (plus simple PDF scores) and lets you move through the music with VoiceOver and listen to what's on the page.

What I'd most like feedback on: VoiceOver navigation through a score, MusicXML/MXL import, simple PDF reading, and playback. And the honest state of play: dense PDF layouts and camera capture of printed music are not reliable yet - I'd rather you hear that from me up front, because that's a big part of what this beta is for.

To join you need an iPhone and Apple's free TestFlight app, then this link: https://testflight.apple.com/join/JGAtgTKm

Feedback is welcome right here in the thread, or by email at info@openindependence.com. Everything I make is free and collects no data. Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance to anyone who gives it a try.

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Comments

By KE8UPE on Sunday, September 27, 2026 - 20:28

Hi Ashley,
During choir rehearsal last week, I received a piece of sheet music from my choir Director. How do you recommend I get this into the app so I can start looking at it? What would happen if I tried that feature now?

Hi KE8UPE - great question, and honestly it's exactly what this beta is for. The app can import sheet music by scanning a printed page with the camera, and how well that scan and import works on real-world pages like your choir sheet is the number one thing I want testers hammering on. So my recommendation: grab the beta from the TestFlight link above, scan the page your director gave you, and tell me what happens - what it got right, what it mangled. That feedback decides what I fix next.

Ashley

By FmNgqRZd on Monday, September 28, 2026 - 15:15

The problem it tackles

the honest state of play

I'd rather you hear that from me up front

Great question, and honestly it's exactly what this beta is for

how well that scan and import works on real-world pages like your choir sheet is the number one thing I want testers hammering on

and tell me what happens - what it got right, what it mangled

That feedback decides what I fix next

Why should anyone care about testing your project for you when you don't even care enough about it to introduce it and respond to feedback about it in your own words, rather than those of a chat bot?