I know all I'm known for at this point is being the guy who just complains about audiotool all the time, but I feel like it's warranted now since things such andre's departure and the stale lack of updates, community, boring drama that I am too old to care about, and the same boring people being on singles, and many of the greats from 2017 or earlier either moving on or the website has forgotten about them.
The excitement I used to feel when I was an 11 year old seeing the new song Opaqity posted, to a 15 year old tryhard who was trying to grind hard to become an AT legend like heissen, johann or seb, is gone. People don't really care anymore, I don't really see any up and coming people who are the new talk of the site anymore, (an when it is, it's just a damn fucking po9t alt). I see far too many people who have been producing for 2 - 3 years still making music as if they have only been producing for 3 months. Barely anyone is interested in grinding, improving, and learning from each other. It is honestly sad that many producers don't even know what a saw is. People seem to be more interested in dumb drama over which teenager e-dated which other teenager. All the already established people just do the same thing they have been doing for the past four years. No one cares, no one has energy, people are tired.
A perfect example of the lifelessness, is the AT discord, only the clique of like 8 people actually use it. Other people just care about using gambling discord bots, and the moderators are so bored that they come up with the most nonsense reasons to kick or ban people. Only the established clique of 8 large account still cares about this website, and it's honestly hilarious to see them desperately try to perform CPR on this website, with nonsense disstracks, nonsense callouts of users who don't even use the site anymore, and "magazines" that died quicker than they were born.
It feels like the only big events of the year are just ATD (which is a shadow of it's former self) and drama between teenagers. I was a teenager on this website in 2015 to 2017, and I had my fair share of fun with inane drama, but it wasn't all I was here for, some of my best online friends, I met on this website, and I learned from them, and the people I looked up to on the website, I wanted to learn, I wanted to be the next heissen, the next opaqity, but not in the sense of the desperate desire for recognition, but finally being able to make music I liked (the forever unattainable goal).
Make no mistake however, I am not writing this because I'm salty I never got stupid AT followers or won AT day or such inane nonsense like that, who above the age of 16 actually cares about that. I think it is time to move on from AT, the book has closed, Ableton, FL and even Reaper are obviously more powerful, but even Andre, the father of this website has moved on from this stagnant dead husk. I look at his progress with openDAW, and I finally see the life and intrigue of endless possibility that I haven't felt on this website since 2018, the drive to see if I can make something better if I used this new tool, or tried a technique similar to this song I liked. I see andre learning and innovating from the previous mistakes with audiotool, much like us producers learn from our previous mistakes and try to improve next time, never being satisfied, never saying it's "good enough", always seeking to learn, whether it be from ourselves or from each other. I see innovation (although overpriced), in many of ableton's new features, even in fl's new features. All around, DAW's are reducing the barriers between your creativity and your speakers. New plugins able to do things never before possible. New midi controllers able to do things even more efficiently and expressively than before.
Music Production is more alive and vibrant than ever, but Audiotool is dead
It's time to move on AT, because the developers and Andre certainly have.
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I have a weird opinion on this. I kinda like the simplicity of AT, (even tho ive only been here for a year) it makes the music we make more real even when people use samples, AT i feel is unique compared to other platforms with a fluctuating community. Im split bc it would be cool to see AT grow as a DAW but i also like the less mainstream platform with our own communtiy. And that smaller platform can help people show focus on other genres thst are more discreet, rather than just being a trap haven for all those prod tags out there.
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I have 2 cents for the other side as well: not that what keychain wrote is too helpful, but they're right on 2 fronts: kids safety, and AT and its userbase is ageing. I'm slowly, but surely approaching being on this site for a decade. The thing is, what I like in music is no longer the same as what the next generation of music enjoyers likes. Without offense, but jjbeats/root/some of po9t's work just no longer says something to me, but it seemingly does to a large audience. I grew up on Skrillex, deadmau5 & Flume. Slowly, but surely these influences change and morph and even partially disappear. At one point we inevitably experience a generational gap. 10 years isn't little. And it's not like we don't have new people here, but the older the site gets, the bigger the differences in taste get too. Like, I'm not going to enjoy fast-rap number 1 billion, just as much as a newbie that likes that kind of music might not enjoy the music from the usual 26+ techno unc. And neither of them make or like bad music, it just simply changed. Perhaps we're just a bit blind in that regard. That's true for me at least. For the same reason, I guess it's important for the site and developers to keep up with competition and trends in the industry. Change is inevitable. Getting bitter about it won't help, even if that's a human and understandable reaction. We need to accept this and do something about it. It won't be the same as it used to be, that much is clear. For better or worse.
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Thanks for the recommendation. I'll give it a look. I've been planning on later moving to Atlanta so I'll be in trap city at some point.
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I got introduced to audiomack.com by jetdarc. You have unlimited free uploads, but the site is focused on hiphop, pop and trap. But it works fairly well as an archive and the electronic community is growing there as well as far as I've noticed.
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@yito I do have a soundcloud, but to me I've not really liked it too much. It's got some of my old stuff. One of the best songs I've ever created in my early years is here: (link is only visible to registered users) .Are there any good alternatives? If anything, it seems like a waste of time right now because I don't have a full live set up yet.
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I know most people are gonna tell me i'm wasting my time, but I just wanted to respectfully share my perspective not just with you, but with the entire community.
I disagree about the site being dead, rather, I find Audiotool more as being on its last legs. It's true that the talent on this site has been steadily declining for the past couple of years as well as the active userbase, all with nobody to replace them. One noticeable result is the fact that mediocre songs are charting even more than they did in the past. Drama has always been a part of Audiotool and I see it spring up everywhere. I don't check the site as often as I used to so I don't know how much worse it's gotten if it has to a noticeable extent, but I DO know that E-dating on this site has absolutely exploded. The declining userbase may have left the rotten eggs more exposed to those who still stick around.
Regarding the Audiotool discord, there was a time where I really didn't like it there. In the past, yeah, there was DEFINITELY a clique-ish culture there, and it seemed kind of toxic to me, which led to me leaving of my own accord on multiple occasions. An example is that I've seen some people defend their friends' malpractices because "that's just how he is." Time has passed, and things have been brought up to the relevant people in the server, which was acknowledged by some, and in my opinion, the server's improved, but there's still remnants of that clique that appear every now and then that I don't appreciate. With the decline of the site's activity, the discord's activity sank along with it, which saddens me. There used to be cool events like producer challenges and chart listening parties, but it seems nobody cares enough to revive them. I can't remember everything that happened in the past, but as of now, I think the moderation team is pretty fair with their actions and don't really ban people willy nilly. I believe they actually put thought into what they're doing and try to be fair. [1/3]
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@yito Huh... You'd think Audiotool would be a strange place to do it.
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E-dating's been an issue for forever, but I guess it's not really visible unless you're seeking it out.
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I've not been gone for too long, but what's this E-dating? Never heard of it. Are people actually trying to date on here? That's a bit different.
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Whats the goal of this post, everyone quits audiotool or something? lol
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One: they said in the ATD 2024 desc that they would update the studio, clarified by the statement that this is the last atd with the current studio.
Two: the grooming shit is real,I was a part of that disgusting shit. but there are legends still around, and nice, non-pedo people around.
three: the people can be very supportive (even though I cant create shit, bc of my computer perfomance) I support artists like itxmi, or even noobs, because you'll never know, some of the noobs could win a Grammy!
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joe was speaking facts here. All that sparkling magic was us being kids. We're all collectively blinded by nostalgia here. Not the tool changed, we did. The fix is within you and changing how you look at this site and how YOU react to the feelings you feel about AT right now. I know I've complained a bunch too, but I found a way out in JUST creating. I'm not trying to win a race here, I'm just trying to create what I feel. I've turned my mental comparison and constant judgement filters off. I'll admit, I'm still driven by likes and I kinda have to delude myself into thinking I'm doing very creative and meaningful things sometimes, but the goal is simplicity and exploration. And that currently works. I HAVE to create and it fulfills me. This place provides tools and I have experience and a workflow here. For me, that's entirely enough. I don't need award-worthy mixing and sound-design. Was that ever what art is about in the first place? As far as I know, no.
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@yito Dude I've been on here forever. I gotta say, I just like making music. I'm practically started a nobody and still am, but I'm cool wit it. I made my peace a while ago. I feel like in a way, it's just cool to come back to here and there. I'm learning how to do stuff live now. But not just songs on this daw.
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That's a really good point.
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At the same time I read what kanaris wrote in one of these topics. Is it even worth it staying around? I'll be very honest, I dislike the lack of attention my "art" is getting here now. I can't seem to be able to judge whether it's just because I've gotten worse or too cynical/negative, but there's an undeniable abyss in my satisfaction here now. I no longer feel like part of a community, I feel very isolated and as if my music just lost its worth. Yes, it's quite likely my problem, but I'm doubting the solution is here on audiotool. Kanaris made very good points about where AT is likely headed in terms of management and all the stuff that is in the hands of the higher-ups instead of the community. I have my doubts that I will reconnect with anyone. I have my doubts the new updates are gonna bring in people and glue the community together (maybe even the exact opposite).
For me it's the alienation that is the worst. I should've realized that my connections here are not as stable and friendly as I thought and I should've looked for more options.
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[a comment downvoted by multiple users] 
I mean he's right lmao
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[a comment downvoted by multiple users]
Audiotool is an alt playground to "bring back life" to the site
hardy har har deadsite XD
If opendaw becomes a beta accessible DAW by mid 2025 or early 2026 I'd argue 40% of this sites active userbase will be introduced by the existing server members and hardly care to come back
the only interesting thing that has happened was the game award crap which of course
people unassociated with the DAW happen to come by published some samples and win lmao
says a lot about the "community"
What's the point in even using audiotool anymore if its a glorified audacity with a pretty UI which stockholms its users into staying
Let's be real THE ONLY people who like this daw is for the UI
The other people who use audiotool are here because friends and or hardware limited to a browser based daw.
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im not reading allat
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audiotool is great, even with its flaws so stfu
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close enough welcome back vizil
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Everyone ready to do what sim did should just back away, block keychain, and move on. The only 2 cents I'm going to put in is that yes, the current era of site doesn't feel the same as the era he mentioned, regarding opaqity and other artists around their timeline. But these posts do not help at all. It's just negativity. If AT is on a decline, so be it. But as long as I can still use this site, the studio, probe, everything available, I'm going to continue to make music. I've had my era of worrying about an audience, or consistency, or keeping up with the community, but now I don't let anything like that phase me. I just make, and it's fun. Just keep making. If your light for it is dying out on its own, fine, you can't force creativity. But don't let posts like these snuff out the candle.
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I get I've got so many followers and it might be a lot easier for me to get over those feelings of unease about engagement, but id be willing to try again and get stripped of everything. Because I've learned a lot over the years, with or without fans. Just make the music for yourself, that's the best way to enjoy the process. Download the mixdown of a draft, take it in your car, test different speakers, come back in the studio, make changes, look into chords and melodies, just make something. Don't let anything like this post get in your head, it's a waste of memory
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*shits pants*
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[a comment downvoted by multiple users] 
From now anyone who only can say, “it’s too long” is an AT site or discord mod
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[a comment downvoted by multiple users]
The fact that no one even wants to try to respond kind of just signals that I’m right, because people are too tired and jaded from the current apathy this website sits in to even try to defend it now. If I posted this back in 2021, ppl would have responded to my lengthy thesis, with an equally long essay. It’s in an indefensible state, and y’all are tired of fighting with people you know are right.
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thats nice. me personally, im obsessed with me, i like most of the music i make. but i do agree, audiotool is not what it used to be.