Got A Sec? Mind Checking Out My New Site?

[Robertt8]

Hey guys...You might remember some of my stuff...if not, no biggie. I just wanted to post up my new direction of my site.

http://www.roberttait.com

I figure I'm a graphic designer...why are all my mp3's hosted on a site with a white background and nothing but links...If you've got a sec, check it out and let me know what you think. It's far from finished, but you get the idea, and you can check out some of my tunes if you've never heard them.

Thanks!
Tait

[sae]

I really like the look and the feel of the site.

I would prefer if the mp3's were streamed. I don't like downloading mp3's to have to listen to them

The link to "the band" doesn't work.

Seemed to load slow, but it might be my connection (the size of the files seems much larger than it needs to be)

I really like it. Simple = Good

[Robertt8]

I don't have the foggiest idea how to stream an mp3. any clue?

as for links that don't work...there are a bunch. Like I said, it's a work in progress.

[pashop]

I would change the fonts. The ones on the top which look to be a size 16 with that font are not that easy to read.
I would also change the front down the side ....get away from the circus look.
Songs I would move off of the front page ...many people will never go past your front page wth them on it. I like your artwork but I would resize better in the page

[Robertt8]

Yo Pashop!

Thanks for checking it out and the suggestions. As stated earlier. This is a work in progress. The REAL reason for this site at all right now is to house some mp3's, and this technically isn't going to be my main page. it just is now. personally I like the playfullness of the circus font, but then again, I'm not married to it. I'm trying to get a good vibe feeling here. I'm not trying to design this site for 80 year old woman. I think they can read da fonts just fine. Thanks though!

[Jhae]

i second the font suggestion. if you're gonna use it, at least make it bigger... very hard to read as it stands. otherwise nice site

[Massive Master]

Originally posted by Robertt8
I don't have the foggiest idea how to stream an mp3. any clue?

as for links that don't work...there are a bunch. Like I said, it's a work in progress.

Most of the streamability is in the browser settings and player software... HOWEVER -

Open notepad -

On each line, enter the full URL of 1 file SUCH AS:

http://www.musicstuff.com/music/music/song1.mp3
http://www.musicstuff.com/music/music/song2.mp3
http://www.musicstuff.com/music/music/song3.mp3

Save the file as "stream_my_music.m3u" or something (.m3u is the important part).

Link to it and go.

All this does is fake the player into starting playback right away instead of downloading first. The file is still benig downloaded into the cache or temp area (depends on the OS).

Some providers block this - So, try it first on a file or two. You may have to make one M3U file for every file you want to be able to stream. However, the M3U acts as a playlist (as above) so you can put as many files on it as you like.

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com

[earthboundrec]

Here's an article @ RP about MP3 streaming:

http://www.recordingproject.com/arti....php?article=7

It might be helpful to ya!

[Robertt8]

JHAE: Thanks!

MASSIVE MASTER: Thanks for the streaming info! I'll check it out. However, I'm a little worried when people have slow connections, it's going to start playing and be REALLY choppy cuz it's only loaded a few seconds in, then start playing when the next few seconds are loaded and then have to stop again...But maybe I'll try that and see how that works. Thanks!

EARTHBOUNDREC: Thanks! I'll definitely check that out.

You're good people Thanks!

Robert Tait

[sae]

That is why you have to have the option to download also

[Robertt8]

That brings up another point...when you do that right click thing and save to your drive, what does that do exactly and why do sites tell you to save it instead of just click on it and play. Does that save some kind of transfer speed or size or something? It seems that it would still need to be transfered either way whether it's saving it or just playing doesn't it?

[sae]

I think the reason some sites want you to download the songs is so that you won't go back to the site everytime you want to hear the song. Same bandwidth to stream as to download.

[Robertt8]

ahhhhh yes! makes sense...thanks!

[tanlith]

Originally posted by pashop
I would change the fonts. The ones on the top which look to be a size 16 with that font are not that easy to read.
I would also change the front down the side ....get away from the circus look.
Songs I would move off of the front page ...many people will never go past your front page wth them on it. I like your artwork but I would resize better in the page

I agree... one idea to combat the whole "I can't read it on my system" thing is to set up your page to check the user's browser/screen settings. It's possible to configure your site to "adjust" itself to user settings... ie: I'm using 1024 x 768 screen settings... someone using 800 x 600 may have to scroll to see it right. And the very few still using 640 x 480 wouldn't see to much of anything.

Basicly your main file (usually index.htm(l) ) would merely check the user's browser/screen settings then redirect (based on the results) to the appropriate page. Of course you'd need to basicly make 3 seperate websites... one for each setting. But on the good side, if you have a lot of written content you could store it in a text file and have it "post" to each of the tree sites so you don't have to duplicate the same info 3 times....

- Tanlith -

[Robertt8]

Yo Tanlith!

Thanks for responding! Over here at the design firm i work at, we don't even design sites any smaller than 800x600...actually, I think we've done one in the last 3 years as a special request. But I'll tell you what, it looks really stupid when your resolution is set high. The theory is, if their system is that old, they're probably not going to be at your site. Hell, they probably won't be on the internet. And if 1% of the people need to scroll a bit, then that's just fine by me. This is pretty much a little pet site of mine for now to house some tunes and (when we get around to it) post some show dates...that kind of crap...so I'll be damned if I'm going to do 3 separate websites!

Thanks!
Tait

[ChristopherM]

As far as streaming bandwidth, I paid a pretty reasonable fee to NoWhereRadio.com for streaming priveleges. Saves storage AND bandwidth for me.

At the very least, make the mp3's load in a new window so that us Quicktime users can continue to view the site while the song plays instead of staring at the player scrollbar.

Christopher
www.ChristopherMast.com
www.IndieShout.com

[ChristopherM]

Bump

[Robertt8]

Hey ChristopherM! Thanks for responding. I think through my web hoster, I get 25 gigs a month of transfer. That's pretty damn good and it's pretty damn cheap too.

That is a good idea though with having the tunes open in different windows. Good call!

[Robertt8]

Originally posted by Massive Master
Most of the streamability is in the browser settings and player software... HOWEVER -

Open notepad -

On each line, enter the full URL of 1 file SUCH AS:

http://www.musicstuff.com/music/music/song1.mp3
http://www.musicstuff.com/music/music/song2.mp3
http://www.musicstuff.com/music/music/song3.mp3

Save the file as "stream_my_music.m3u" or something (.m3u is the important part).

Link to it and go.

All this does is fake the player into starting playback right away instead of downloading first. The file is still benig downloaded into the cache or temp area (depends on the OS).

Some providers block this - So, try it first on a file or two. You may have to make one M3U file for every file you want to be able to stream. However, the M3U acts as a playlist (as above) so you can put as many files on it as you like.

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com

Hey Massivemaster...is this what you did on your site? I like how quick yours seems to play on my browser. So you actually name the actual MP3 file with an ending of MPU and it will still recognize it even when you refer to it as MP3?

also, I've got the tunes loading in a separate window...do any of you know how to load it in a window just big enough for the thing to run? Now it opens in this big ass window that blocks the main site...

Thanks!
Robert Tait

[reel buzzer]

I was able to easily understand the information you are presenting and navigate on the site.

[Robertt8]

Thanks REEL BUZZER!

on a side note, I tried the thing where I link it to an MPU document, and all it does is link to a new window with the link text in it...quite literally the text in the file (i.e.) http://www.roberttait.com/01_more_sex_than_me.mp3 , but it doesn't actually link it it. It just shows me that text on a blank page.

any idea what i'm doing wrong? or is it possible my provider doesn't let me do that type of thing.

Thanks!
Robert tait

[glynb]

Is that you carrying the surf board Robert? :-) I noticed you obscured the face?

[Only teasing]

Nice looking site. Simple, easy to navigate. About the circus font - I'm not sure how it fits with the postcard/holiday kind of feel and it's quite difficult to read on the menu at the top? I had a similar problem on my site when i chose to use 'Impact' font, it was great for large text but no good for the smaller stuff.

Just needs content now, lots of content, was there a picture gallery? I'm not a fan of putting holding pages up saying 'coming soon' I'd rather just not have the link there as it wastes people's time clicking on pointless links.

But overall I think the basics are in place.

Good luck with it.

[Robertt8]

GLYNB: hey thanks for checking it out! Yeah, I might change the button font at some point. I've gotten a lot of comments about that. When I originally set this site up, we didn't even have a bass player, so there was a lot of content that just flat out didn't exist...I should be able to update it now, but I wanted to wait until I could put in some show dates...then I figured I could add in the musicians.

Thanks!
Robert tait