Personal Development for Smart People^TM Forums

JimOfferman · #1 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 01:06 PM

I've revamped my music page to look more like a shop (before it was just a track list per album). I hope to achieve a greater perceived value of my products (even though they are free to download), as well as make the page more inviting to new visitors. The theory, of course, being that this will result in more downloads of my music (and, indirectly, increased CD sales and donations)

I will be running some ads on music community websites to test my theory in practice. But before I do, I would like to ask the kind folk here to take a peek and let me know if you see any gotchas that I might have missed.

Link: Music | Jim Offerman

Thanks in advance!

{aspiring_to_clarity} · #2 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 02:36 PM

Very nice. I like the layout and the colors. The only thing is it's kind of hard for me to see the text of the navigation links, but that may just be my eyes

.

Nice picture. Now I'm off to listen to some music.

Restrikted · #3 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 03:05 PM

I agree with Aspiring to clarity, I didn't even notice the navigation links on the sides until I went looking for the other pages on your site. You might want to change that. Also, what is with that white block above the navigation links on the left side?

seeker5 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 03:51 PM

Jim,

The page looks messed up on my browser. I'm using IE7.0 right now on an XP machine, and things are all over. I think what is supposed to be the menu on the left is instead all the way at the bottom of the page with nothing to the right of it. I could take and send you a screenshot if you'd like.

ps. You're giving your music away for free now instead of selling it?

Dan.Linehan · #5 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:00 PM

Jim,

I think the site looks great! I'd agree with the other about using some slightly more high contrast thoughout. (borders are a great way to do this)

PS - If you are going to listen to Nine Inch Nails, don't start with their new albums. The new albums are nothing like their old stuff. Check out The Downward Spiral sometime.

JimOfferman · #6 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by {aspiring_to_clarity}

Very nice. I like the layout and the colors. The only thing is it's kind of hard for me to see the text of the navigation links, but that may just be my eyes

.

I've intentionally kept those links low in contrast, so they don't distract from the main page - but perhaps they are still a little to low in contrast. I'll fiddle with the colors a bit more

(the first revision of this design was much worse - although it looked perfectly fine on my iMac)

Quote:

Nice picture.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Restrikted

I agree with Aspiring to clarity, I didn't even notice the navigation links on the sides until I went looking for the other pages on your site. You might want to change that.

Will do!

Quote:

Also, what is with that white block above the navigation links on the left side?

It's a design element that visually connects the main menu with the logo - which is a fancy way of saying it is just a cube

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeker5

The page looks messed up on my browser. I'm using IE7.0 right now on an XP machine, and things are all over. I think what is supposed to be the menu on the left is instead all the way at the bottom of the page with nothing to the right of it. I could take and send you a screenshot if you'd like.

Crap! I'll run it through IE7 when I get back to work tomorrow - it's usually something minor that makes that thing topple over completely. Shouldn't be to hard to fix or find...

Meanwhile, use a real browser!

Quote:

You're giving your music away for free now instead of selling it

Yes. I have a blog post that explains why: Why I Now Have Free Downloads | Jim Offerman

In short, people don't buy music unless they love it first... but then how can they love it if they don't have it on their iPods? (since I am not on the radio in any meaningful fashion). So I am now giving away free downloads and looking into other ways of making a profit, such as the patronage plan I posted in the business forum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan.Linehan

I think the site looks great! I'd agree with the other about using some slightly more high contrast thoughout. (borders are a great way to do this)

Thanks Dan! I will look into the contrast, but borders are out of the question

(design language: borders = cheap, white space = chique/expensive/reliable/thustworthy; that's an over simplification, of course, but you get the idea)

Quote:

PS - If you are going to listen to Nine Inch Nails, don't start with their new albums. The new albums are nothing like their old stuff. Check out The Downward Spiral sometime.

I will, thanks for the heads up!

Dan.Linehan · #7 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 06:08 PM

Borders and contrast example.

The best design is good functionality.

JimOfferman · #8 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan.Linehan

Borders and contrast example.

The best design is good functionality.

True. Although what counts as the best design is highly subjective, of course.

Anyway, I've increased the contrast of my website across the board (yay CSS!). I think the readability of the side links has improved quite a lot - aspiring & co: please confirm!

carenkh · #9 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 07:37 PM

Looks great! I didn't see the original colors, but the links now stand out nicely.

{aspiring_to_clarity} · #10 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 07:55 PM

It looks the same to me. So maybe I am not the best person to be giving you advice! I think it may have more to do with my vision than the contrast?

JimOfferman · #11 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 08:10 PM

Thanks!

Marth · #12 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 08:52 PM

You have to scroll down a lot to get to the music, maybe have a song to autoplay when open page too.

Wish I had headphones to hear music D:

JimOfferman · #13 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by {aspiring_to_clarity}

It looks the same to me. So maybe I am not the best person to be giving you advice! I think it may have more to do with my vision than the contrast?

The text is still hard to read for you? Maybe it's your monitor? I sure hope it is not your eyes! The contrast between text and background is now 3 to 1; eyes your age should easily be able to discern that... unless you are visually impaired somehow, find yourself a better monitor!

JimOfferman · #14 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marth

You have to scroll down a lot to get to the music, maybe have a song to autoplay when open page too.

The common opinion is that Auto Play Is Evil.

Quote:

Wish I had headphones to hear music D:

I'm still working on the downloadable version of those... might take a few more years...

{aspiring_to_clarity} · #15 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimOfferman

The text is still hard to read for you? Maybe it's your monitor? I sure hope it is not your eyes! The contrast between text and background is now 3 to 1; eyes your age should easily be able to discern that... unless you are visually impaired somehow, find yourself a better monitor!

I looked at it again and I do think it is easier to read now. I think I may have come from another page just before that where the colors were light text on dark background and my eyes just hadn't adjusted yet.

JimOfferman · #16 (**permalink**) 05-07-2008, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeker5

The page looks messed up on my browser. I'm using IE7.0 right now on an XP machine, and things are all over.

Seeker, are you still seeing this? I just opened the site in IE7 on my work machine and it looks just fine. I am on XP 64-bit, though, but I can't imagine that making a difference here.

seeker5 · #17 (**permalink**) 05-07-2008, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimOfferman

Seeker, are you still seeing this? I just opened the site in IE7 on my work machine and it looks just fine. I am on XP 64-bit, though, but I can't imagine that making a difference here.

Looks fixed now

Quote:

I would like to ask the kind folk here to take a peek and let me know if you see any gotchas that I might have missed.

Your face picture seems......so big and imposing and "in-your-face" on my screen - it takes a full half of the vertical space of my browswer when I open up your page. I have my screen set to 1152x864 pixels.

JimOfferman · #18 (**permalink**) 05-07-2008, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeker5

Looks fixed now

Pfew!

Quote:

Your face picture seems......so big and imposing and "in-your-face" on my screen - it takes a full half of the vertical space of my browswer when I open up your page. I have my screen set to 1152x864 pixels.

Yeah, the picture is fairly large

I've changed it so that it now uses a cropped version on all pages except the homepage. Better?

seeker5 · #19 (**permalink**) 05-07-2008, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimOfferman

I've changed it so that it now uses a cropped version on all pages except the homepage. Better?

YES!

jpmcgrew · #20 (**permalink**) 05-08-2008, 03:05 PM

Hi Jim.

I think it looks nice. The music is easily accessible and that is the main focus of how a music page should be, in my opinion. Of course, I was in a band for years, and I realized that the music plays a small role. haha. That doesn't make any sense...but it does...

JimOfferman · #21 (**permalink**) 05-08-2008, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpmcgrew

Hi Jim.

I think it looks nice. The music is easily accessible and that is the main focus of how a music page should be, in my opinion.

Thanks!

Quote:

Of course, I was in a band for years, and I realized that the music plays a small role. haha. That doesn't make any sense...but it does...

I wouldn't call the role that the music plays small, but I have definitely been spending a lot of time on non-music things in service of the music.

uberinquisitive · #22 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 04:58 AM

on the side frame, where it says "WANTED" - it says indie pop singe (no r)?.

Is that supposed to be "singer"

Also, is there a way that you can get your music on iTunes for free? That would be the most convenient way for me to download anything onto my iPod.

Also, have you considered doing a podcast and posting on iTunes?

Personal Development for Smart PeopleTM Forums

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