Improve Soundcloud api access and policy

[marcelbusch]

I want to voice my frustration with the whole process of getting an app with soundcloud api access up and running, which is not really based on the technical implementation but rather on the available information regarding that process.
First of all, theres a ton of issues on here because people can't find the place to register for api access, the guide links to the old form which doesn't exist anymore, your social media channels just tell you to use the 'support channel' without any more info where that might be, and on the help page you have to open an article to be able to see the icon for the chatbot, I know there's probably a reason as to why it isn't visible on the startpage of the help pages but it's really unfortunate, I searched ages for that.
Then, I only found out through your support, that you're only allowed to have one app. That's fine, it's your api and you can choose how people are able to access it, but it would be nice to know that beforehand; I registered an app for a client and am not allowed to register any more apps, not even with a newly created account for testing, if i had known that in the beginning I would have asked my client to register the app themselves.
I also found out through support that something called partner api access seems to exist, but I couldn't find any information on that anywhere and my question to customer support was ignored (I assume and understand that my small client-specific app is probably not eligible for that, but it still doesn't feel nice to be ignored).

Suggested improvements:

• have a didicated article on the help pages regarding api registration
• link to that article in the api guide, on soundcloud.com/you/apps and maybe also in your social media profiles where you tell people to use your 'support channel'
• tell people that they are only permitted to have one app so they can plan with that information

and maybe a technical point:

• let people change redirect urls on soundcloud.com/you/apps

[dpreussler]

@marcelbusch thanks for message! We understand your frustration about the current process.

Reopening an API that has such large reach as SoundCloud has, is not easy, many bad actors trying to abuse it. We have to keep the platform and our users safe!

We do want our community to extend the SoundCloud universe with their creativity with a free of charge API! But this comes with a small team, that is trying their best to make.

You got good points too, about the limitations, the documentation should be updated here! Thanks for raising this.

And as mentioned before, our goal is to have this much smoother, better self service including changing the redirect is definitely something we want to have.
So bear with us:

• The API registration is back
• We started updating the API itself
• more to come!

I can also double check your case, can you send your ticket number?

[mmp7700]

Thanks @dpreussler for the response here. I was looking for similar information. You mentioned that the API registration is back but I don't see where the registration is? Could you point me to the form? Or should I just go through the chatbot?

[dpreussler]

@mmp7700 Its the chat bot for now indeed

[MariaVWSoundCloud]

In addition to what @dpreussler already said, there is a work-around for the one app per account, which has become kinda the best practise for developers who develop for another party: Create a separate account with your customer's email address which you can hand over after finishing the development.
You can still do that on the existing account by adding a new email address and removing yours from the account. And additionally, you can also ask for the app to be transfered to a new account, that's fine.
I know this i not the general improvement, you were suggeting, but should help you for your current issue.