Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Audiotool

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Available in
  
English

Website
  
www.audiotool.com

Owner
  
dimensional GmbH

Commercial
  
No

Type of site
  
Digital audio workstation

Alexa rank
  
#50865 (Global 10/2016)

Audiotool (formerly Hobnox) is a German content distribution/publication website specializing in music. Most content on the website was associated with electronic music (due to its free browser-based modular-structured digital audio workstation under the same name, similar to Reason ReBirth), fashion and indie culture. Users could create and publish their music tracks onto the site using Creative Commons licenses or All Rights Reserved. In 2010, Hobnox was taken down because of financial issues. However, Audiotool is still available for use.

Contents

Version Demo

The first published version, titled "Hobnox Audiotool Demo", was published February 24, 2008. The Audiotool Demo was based on dynamic digital signal processing to provide very complex audio creation in Flash, and the graphical user interface was based on an unlimited-sized desktop to lay out the devices you wanted to operate. This first design delivered some Roland emulations and effect pedals, but didn't offer the option to save the environment. At this early state, it offered features such as history, clipboard and auto-alignment of the devices.

1.0 Firestarter

Two years later, after a flurry of updates, the application broke out of beta with a new polyphonic synthesizer and a partnership with LoopMasters to provide samples within the program. Tracks could be published to the new Audiotool community, or worked on privately and saved for extended periods. Options were created for other users to remix tracks, depending on the licenses the original artist specified.

1.1 Ping Pong

Later in the same year, after input from the community, the 1.1 update features included the ability to download tracks (MP3/Vorbis), an embed player, the ability to create drafts (even when remixing tracks), create templates, track cover images, and performance enhancements.

Following updates allowed dragging samples directly from the library to the desktop, and included a new two channel Crossfader, the revolutionary Rasselbock effect device, auto-connected devices, a sample-based drum machine, and an improved sample browser.

Audiotool 2.0

About one year from the launch of 1.0 Firestarter, Audiotool 2.0 was launched in collaboration with Burn-Studios and included a feature to import samples, recording from the timeline, a new 16-track mixer, and MIDI support.

A following update in April 2012 included 5 new plugins, a phase modulation synthesizer, and ability to save device presets.

A July 2013 update allowed users to collaborate on tracks.

Audiotool Next 1.0

February 2015, a major update was officially announced that would convert the application from Flash to HTML5, offering live collaboration and other new features yet to be announced. Later that year, some features announced included audio/video chat and a detachable timeline.

Audiotool features

The Hobnox Audiotool includes emulations of:

  • The Roland TR-808
  • The Roland TR-909
  • The Roland TB-303
  • The Tenori-on
  • a sample based drum machine
  • a phase modulation synthesizer
  • a polyphonic synthesizer
  • it also includes various effect pedals, which can simulate:

  • Dynamic range compression
  • Graphic equalizer
  • Exciter(effect)
  • Stereo Enhancer
  • Bit depth reduction
  • Digital delay
  • Flange
  • Parametric equalization
  • Phasing
  • Pitched digital delay
  • Reverb
  • Filters including (Lowpass, Highpass, Notch, Bandpass) and a separate Auto-Filter
  • Stereo detunization (which produces a sort of chorus effect)
  • Distortion
  • In mid-2013, Audiotool had 500000 users, 200000 tracks and the total of 44 million plays on all tracks combined has the abilities for their users to:

  • Create tracks/drafts/templates/remixes
  • Publish tracks that artist can decide whether other users are able to download (mp3/ogg), remix or collaborate.
  • Add tracks to albums
  • Awards

  • German IPTV Award - Winner, Category "Creative Design", 2008
  • Grimme Online Award - Winner, Category "Special", 2008
  • Flashforward Award - Winner, Category "Sound", 2008
  • red dot award - "Best of the Best" Category "Communication Design", 2008
  • LEADAWARDS - "Webcommunity of the Year", 2008
  • Webby Awards "Daily Honoree" Category "Music" - 2008
  • eco Internet Award - "Nominee" Category "Content Distribution Platform", 2008
  • World Summit Award Germany - "Winner", "E-Entertainment and Games", 2009
  • LEADAWARDS - Winner "Silver" Category "Internet TV of the Year", 2009
  • References

    Audiotool Wikipedia