Setting up a website

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jazzstan
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Setting up a website

Post by jazzstan » Sun Mar 15, 2009 5:23 am

Website? I'm looking to set up my own website soon, so I'm starting to over-think this well in advance, ha ha! While I do mostly instrumentals and jazz, I've gotten some forwards for new-age and electronica. Hope to get my orchestral chops soon with aspirations for film/tv placements. So my questions: 1) I've gone by "jazzstan" for a long time and I have the name reserved for a domain name. - Since I'll have music other than 'jazz' should I consider something other than jazzstan.com ?? - But stanleymmusic.com is a bit unwieldy, ya think? stanleym.com? or maybe stanleymmusic.com? or else stanleymusic.com? etc?? - I also have www.capizon.com for my (recovery-related) book publishing, I could devote the site to both books and music, but would that be too 'out of focus" or off-topic for the music audience (music supervisors, etc) ??2) When it comes to film and tv work, how important is the website to potential placements? What is YOUR experience?3) While I can do the HTML coding, I'd rather fine a plug'n'play approach with a mp3 player, and yet not be open to freebie downloads. - who has the best 'just-add-text & music' website development package? 4) Style (class) and ease of use for the user are important. - who here has the best web sites? - what features of sites you've seen are the best / worst?Thanks!!!

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Re: Setting up a website

Post by suzdoyle » Sun Mar 15, 2009 7:03 pm

Hey Stan;I think jazzstan is easy to remember and is a good domain name -- and would work even if your site includes other styles of music.I think using your full name might lead to people mis-typing your name. In my site, for example, I use "SuzDoyle.com" rather than my full name (Suzannah Doyle Music) because it's shorter, and more likely to be typed in correctly.I think keeping your music site separate from your book publishing site is a good idea. I made a movie a couple years back and have a separate site/ domain name for that, and am currently about to launch a separate site for a music-related venture that is just too dang big for my regular "everything I do" site. Too many things in one site is too complicated, in my view.I have standalone sites, so aren't very familiar with template style hosting, but CD baby hosting is probably a good bet.Good luck!Suz

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Re: Setting up a website

Post by mewman » Mon Mar 16, 2009 8:07 am

Hi StanBeing a jazz player myself, I understand your concern about the name and how it could mislead potential clients. I'm not so sure that you would want to lead people to believe you are a jazz musician if you are trying to sell yourself as something else. For reasons that I have never really understood, the word jazz is enough to cause some people to run the other way. Anybody here on the boards for awhile probably remembers Milfus and his charming statement under his avatar! The jazz saxophonist Steve Coleman tells a story of going around NY and getting rejected when he told people his group played jazz. Then he went around and told people he was a new wave punk act and he got booked! The even weirder thing was that people actually liked it! Go figure.Personally, I've got no problems with the name, but I do understand your trepidation. I like "stanleymusic.com" It rolls off the tongue nice, has a personal touch, and can be easily incorporated into your other online activities.Mewman

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Re: Setting up a website

Post by southpaw » Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:28 am

hey Stan, i thought stanleymusic.com sounded very nice also. I also dont know if jazzstan.com would best suited for keeping your options open in terms of marketability. One other thing was that, when you say jazzstan.com its sounds like something that you would have to repeat, and PRONOUNCIATE over and over again to people for them to get it right, ya know..? Maybe not, could get a little annoying tho.. Good luck, and ill be monitoring this thread also to see about the mp3 player packages you asked about.. I just got the new site up, and am also tryin to find an easy and practical way to put my music on it.Cheers!
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Re: Setting up a website

Post by ceedub » Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:47 am

Mar 16, 2009, 12:28pm, southpaw wrote:Good luck, and ill be monitoring this thread also to see about the mp3 player packages you asked about.. I just got the new site up, and am also tryin to find an easy and practical way to put my music on it.http://mediaplayer.yahoo.com/This media player is free and very easy to use. You can't scroll forward or back within a tune, which is a limitation, but otherwise it's a decent and very simple player.Cheers.

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Re: Setting up a website

Post by marcblack30 » Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:07 am

here is the media player i use, it's by Jeroen, pretty straight forward, i don't remember where exactly i got it from, it was free. if anyone wants to give it a try, i can send the files.http://marcblackwellmusic.com/marcMusic.htmlit looks like they have some updated players here:http://www.longtailvideo.com/marc
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Re: Setting up a website

Post by hummingbird » Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:50 am

I use Hostbaby and I highly highly recommend them. They help you set up your domain and get you set up in the wink of an eye. Their website interface is very easy to use and I have found their customer service to be extraordinary. I switched over from another hosting company and they had me set up and back on line within a couple of hours on a Sunday. I can organize my tracks into groups if I wish, and I've had no trouble sending direct links to my tracks in emails.
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Re: Setting up a website

Post by mojobone » Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:08 pm

Wordpress is easy to use, endlessly customizable and free. Add a music player widget, Bob's yer uncle. Most content on your page can be linked in from offsite, would keep your overhead to a minimum. I was planning an elaborate site with interlinked pages and custom everything, but the availability of proven templates that most folks already know how to navigate makes that seem a colossal waste of time and energy. I would focus on commissioning an excellent logo design, well written bio, mission statement and search engine optimization, and a few well-chosen design elements that are unique to you. In a way, you've been building the jazzstan brand for quite a while already, jes' by posting here; I don't see a reason to change horses. $.02
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Re: Setting up a website

Post by sgs4u » Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:43 pm

Mar 19, 2009, 1:08am, mojobone wrote:Wordpress is easy to use, endlessly customizable and free. Add a music player widget, Bob's yer uncle. Most content on your page can be linked in from offsite, would keep your overhead to a minimum.... 2nd vote for WORDPRESS. It really rocks and is easy to use. You can stick anything, any combination of things on Wordpress. Highly recommended by the Sue and Steve Show.

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Re: Setting up a website

Post by suzdoyle » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:32 pm

I use Word Press right now for my current site, but find it limiting in certain ways now that I have oodles of content. On the advice of a web guru whom I really trust, I'm learning Joomla right now, which is as user friendly as Word Press but which has many more cool plug ins and functionalities -- and is more stable and expandable. Might be worth checking out! ,Suz

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