Starting a Website

[Soul Stream]

Wondering what the cheapest and easiest way to start a website is. I have ZERO computer skills....

[Big Wheel]

For a musician? Probably MySpace. It looks kinda crappy, but everyone is on it, you get instant buzz among musicians you know, and best of all, it's free.

[Soul Stream]

For a musician? Probably MySpace. It looks kinda crappy, but everyone is on it, you get instant buzz among musicians you know, and best of all, it's free.

Yeah, ...I did myspace for a minute and got so freaked out by wierdos sending me pms and put funky comments up and wanting to be my 'friend' that I dropped it. Also, it's not a website for myself or my music.... So...any ideas?

[neveronfriday]

MySpace?

You gotta be kidding me.

Put your website elsewhere and use MySpace, if at all, for PR work only.

Head over to Wordpress, set up an account and get rolling. And forget about that Blogger thing.

What you'll get is a website, you can choose a skin (not much customizing possible when you are on the free service, but that doesn't matter I think), and everything will be set up for y<ou. The interface is simple, posting is simple. Read up on what you get with the free service and if it's good enough for you, go for it.

Re my comment about blogger: Although there are a ton of really great sites on Blogger (also a free service), from my involvement with the 9rules Network and some other blog-centric outfits, I know that in the world of free blogging services, Wordpress is ranked much higher than Blogger.

Still, you might want to check out the Blogger service as well. A member here (check my signature, "Keep Swinging") has a great website on Blogger. You might want to consult with him also.

Questions?

PM me.

Edited April 3, 2007 by neveronfriday

[andybleaden]

As you have seen I also have little techie skills and only tried blogger but you can ban the comments from people who really liked your blue note site ...now look at my viagra blah blah and also the same with emails. This got really annoying at first and I think you can have it that all comments can be sent (ie approved) via you so in my European one party type of way I banned them all!

I have not tried the wordpress or my space.

I need something that I can edit quick and easy ( as I get the wrong facts or piccies) rather than a techie mate when they ain't busy so thats why I plumped for the blogger thing.

It depends how often you want it changed, how much info you have to put up and what types...ie text and piccies or videos and music. I have only ventured on the first 2 as I have not got the first clue about sound and vision

What do other people use?

The main catch like all IT is to keep it upto date and visually appealing I guess.

Edited April 3, 2007 by andybleaden

[Chalupa]

Something else to consider RE: My Space. It's owned by Rupert Murdoch's Fox corporation.

[AllenLowe]

I just enrolled at Network Solutions at someone's suggestion, but have no idea how good it is - anyone else?

[neveronfriday]

No idea if they're good, but that's a hosting service. The above are free weblog services. Peaches and apples and that sort of thing. Just to clarify.

[Big Wheel]

MySpace?

You gotta be kidding me.

Put your website elsewhere and use MySpace, if at all, for PR work only.

I assumed that PR was the whole point. If you want instant connection to the community of pro musicians, it seems to me that that community is mostly centered on Myspace. For example:

Vijay Iyer

Wadada Leo Smith

Charlie Haden

Roy Haynes

Jack Dejohnette

If you want a website where you can write articles or a place to post your thoughts on various topics on an ongoing basis, or a place where you can post photos of your family, by all means get a blog. If you don't think you'll update it very often, then maybe something more static than a blog would suit your needs better.

[BERIGAN]

Something else to consider RE: My Space. It's owned by Rupert Murdoch's Fox corporation.

Hope you avoid the Fox channel on free tv as well, and never, ever give money via DVD(Or that run in syndication on non Fox stations) such as The Simpsons, House, King of the Kill, 24, Family Guy, WKRP in Cincinnati, That 70's Show, Arrested Development, The Time Tunnel, The X-Files, and many more. IF you would buy these, clearly you are worse than Hitler.

[Chuck Nessa]

Something else to consider RE: My Space. It's owned by Rupert Murdoch's Fox corporation.

Hope you avoid the Fox channel on free tv as well, and never, ever give money via DVD(Or that run in syndication on non Fox stations) such as The Simpsons, House, King of the Kill, 24, Family Guy, WKRP in Cincinnati, That 70's Show, Arrested Development, The Time Tunnel, The X-Files, and many more. IF you would buy these, clearly you are worse than Hitler.

Well, I'm free of those.

[DukeCity]

For a super easy, fairly cheap website, checkout dynamod.com.

Quite a few musicians (including me) have sites with them, and it can be as simple as filling in blanks in an online form, or you can get more involved as you go.

[AllenLowe]

My Space has beome so sleazy - full of hookers and sex ads - that I've banned my daughter from it. I do find it particularly amusing that the sleaziest sites and publications (like the Post) are always owned by family values Republicans - and I figure Berigan owns stock with Murdich -