# Music on your webpage?



## kellylindseyphotography (May 1, 2008)

What are your thoughts on music on business webpages?


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## ssalulu (May 1, 2008)

I love the idea.  I plan on having music on mine when I go live.


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## quickshot (May 1, 2008)

I think it's classy, though it bothers some people. I was looking at a woman's photo page, it was the portrait section and had great pics of little kids. The song she used was "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo Ole. It was PERFECT for the shots.


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## saltface (May 1, 2008)

As long as it doesn't restart when you move to the next page. 
Use a pop-under, go old fashioned with a frame, or make it all one page with flash.
Or use a different song on each page.


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## Bevel Heaven (May 1, 2008)

bad idea.  let your work speak for itself and don;t bring in another subject for someone to either love or hate.  you may LOVE a piece of music but chances are someone visiting your site might HATE it.

Or the biggest problem is someone visiting your site just after they got their baby to sleep or whatever, and the volume is up because earlier they were jamming on iTunes or whatever........  and your music blasts out waking their baby.

If that happened to me I would never call you for work etc, I would be too pissed about it.


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## kellylindseyphotography (May 1, 2008)

^^ good point.


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## quickshot (May 1, 2008)

Bevel Heaven brought up a good point. To avoid those issues, you could use a media player that doesn't play on it's own-the internet user who is viewing the page should have the option to hit "play."


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## kellylindseyphotography (May 1, 2008)

I think I'm pretty limited w/freewebs for right now.  I think you can either play a song in the background or not.. you don't have control over volume or stopping it or anything.. so maybe I should skip it.


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## astrostu (May 1, 2008)

I'll be the big-mouth rude guy on this thread.

*BAD IDEA*​
Personally, if I navigate to a site that has sound, I immediately close it.  Period.  I don't even bother to look at it.  I think it's one of the worst ideas.  You may think it's cutesy and fits your theme, but if I wanted to listen to music, I'd have my own playing; I also normally am listening to the latest Judge Judy clip on YouTube when I'm online, so I want to listen to that and NOT your music.  By forcing the user to listen to your music when they're on your web page, you are imposing your tastes onto the user, which is rude.

Oh, besides this, it also could be considered copyright infringement since you are publicly playing a song without paying royalties.

There, I've said my piece.  Please continue with your regularly scheduled reading.  (_Note_ I said "reading," not "listening.")


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## One Sister (May 2, 2008)

I agree with Bevel Heaven and astrostu.  Sound is intrusive and just adds another element by which you can be judged.  If one is insistent upon having sound _please, please_ provide a  readily accessible button for users to turn the dang thing off.  And by the way I often shut down a web page with sound...I suspect I'm not alone.


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## craig (May 2, 2008)

If I hear music on a website I close the page. Not sure about retail photography, but I get the feeling that in the commercial/editorial end it is frowned upon.

)'(


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## Chris of Arabia (May 2, 2008)

Definitely a bad idea - don't do it.


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## doenoe (May 2, 2008)

i hate it when people use music on the website. Often i got my Itunes or Winamp on and then the music of the site is just annoying. So usually i close the site as soon as i can....dont even bother looking for a stop/pause button anymore.


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## CanadianMe (May 2, 2008)

I dislike it when it starts automatically but you do have the option of giving the choice to the user. Rather than have it start automatically have something telling your viewers that by clicking here you can enjoy the music with the site. As long as it is user choice it is a good idea, when it starts without user input I also just close the page and on I go.


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## kellylindseyphotography (May 2, 2008)

On my website, it gives the option to look at the gallery as a slideshow.  Since i put clients work up in different galleries, I thought it might be a neat idea to ask the mom to choose a song to go with the slideshow.

When opening the gallery, you just view it as an album.  You have to physically CHOOSE "view as slideshow" and then the music would start.  And there is a big button with the music symbol to turn it off.

What say you on that idea?


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## One Sister (May 2, 2008)

No sound.  Not professional.


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## Big Mike (May 2, 2008)

I usually don't mind music to go along with a slide show.  
It baffles me why so many people are so offended by it, that they will immediately move on.  Keep an open mind.

That being said, it seems that a lot of people don't like music on sites so maybe it's not a great idea.



> I thought it might be a neat idea to ask the mom to choose a song to go with the slideshow.


Remember that you would need to use 'Royalty Free' music or else pay for the use of a popular song.


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## zendianah (May 2, 2008)

I love sound on a website. Most websites give you a choice to turn it off or down. As long as the viewer has a choice I don't think its a bad idea. I have music on my site. 

I do agree on copyright issues. I found an amazing local artist on myspace music and asked her if I can use her song. I don't think its unprofessional...to use music.. it is what it is.


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## AprilRamone (May 2, 2008)

If I go to a webpage and I don't like the music, as long as I can turn it off easily I usually don't mind.  I think it's really common now for photographers to have music on their websites and if someone is searching for a photog and doesn't like music they'll catch on really quickly to mute their sound.  (It's the same as Myspace, I know that if I search around on there I'm going to hear blaring music so i mute my sound if I don't want to deal with it).  
Personally, I am still searching for something that would be perfect for my website so i don't have anything playing.  But, for private proofing galleries I have decided I will have music with it.  I think it is more high end and I did it for the first time the other day and proceeded to get my first order over 1K!


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## JIP (May 2, 2008)

To me music on a site is irritating I agree with the others who say they turn it off right away.  Another problem you could have is with users with slower connections who may have trouble seeing your content wich is what you want them to see in the first place.  Also your photograpy should stand on its own and should not rely on music to jazz it up.  You also run the risk of alienating potential clients who do not like our taste in music.  If they are turned off by anything on your site it should be the content (I am assuming this is a photography site).


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## 3of11 (May 2, 2008)

I had no idea that so many people found music on a website so irritating.  It is good to know.  I have three photographers websites that I love to look at, and they all have music.  Thinking back on looking at them though, I guess sometimes I do close their sites faster than others because of the music.  Like I said earlier, it is good to know how so many of you feel.


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## AprilRamone (May 2, 2008)

JIP said:


> Also your photograpy should stand on its own and should not rely on music to jazz it up. You also run the risk of alienating potential clients who do not like our taste in music. If they are turned off by anything on your site it should be the content (I am assuming this is a photography site).


 
JIP, I totally get what you are saying about potentially turning off a potential client because you chose music that they didn't like, but I also think that most people understand that everyone has different tastes in music and will just turn it off and keep going.  

But, I just think about movies I've seen (Eternal Sunshine for example) that were visually just stunning and awesome.  But, would I have liked it as much if there was absolutely no music?  I doubt it.  

To the OP, sites I've seen where the music worked well were the ones where it started off pretty quietly and then built up a little more.  It's hard not to be annoyed at least a little bit when it just comes blaring out right away....


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## astrostu (May 3, 2008)

I think if nothing else, the almost polar opposite opinions expressed on this page should be an indicator that it's better to err on the side of NOT including music and so not risk turning off a potential client than including music and not _really_ helping to win them over.  In other words, many of us who have said we DON'T like the idea say we close the site almost immediately.  Those who say they like it just say they like it, with only one or two saying they thought it worked really well and improved the experience.


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## Iron Flatline (May 3, 2008)

Add me to those who are suspicious of music on sites.


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## frXnz kafka (May 3, 2008)

I'm probably already listening to music when I visit your website. Having to turn yours off is just annoying (but unlike some people, it isn't enough to make me leave immediately).


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## Alex_B (May 3, 2008)

music on webpages are a pain. at least when it starts automatically

they embarrass you in public, when you open the page, they do the same when in the office, and they are annoying when you are on the phone and open the page.

also, often i just want it quiet...


i either turn down the volume, or just leave the page if it contains any kind of sound.


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## 391615 (May 5, 2008)

I find it extremely irritating, it makes me angry. KISS!

I can't understand why people glamorize their websites, you are selling your photography and nothing else. get to the point and surely that will attract attention.


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## Marnault (May 5, 2008)

I don't like music on websites, its one of the few things that can make me immediately leave a site. In most situations the music seems to over dramatize the pictures, almost as if the pictures aren't good enough on their own.


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## Sandspur (May 8, 2008)

Here's one more vote for NO MUSIC on a business-oriented website. It simply has no place.

Always reminds me of the b.g. music you're forced to hear when some auto system puts you on hold for the umpty-umpth time.  Or some god-awful head-banging noise playing when you walk into a lot of retail stores.

Besides, in my studio/workspace I have iTunes, two radios, a CD player and a cassette player.  So I can pick my own b.g. noise if I choose.

I also - usually - have a yard full of birds.  And I would much prefer to hear them most of the time.


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## dslrchat (May 8, 2008)

Music is a No no on most sites.
It can slow the loading down so much on your site that a potential customer gives up.
Music annoys many many potential customers.
Music takes away from from your work (unless you are the musician)

I have created 1 Online portfolio with music only because the photographer insisted.


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## Antithesis (May 8, 2008)

If I'm looking at a professional grade website with amazing work on it, I feel music downgrades it substantially. I have to agree with JIP on this one. 

Also, if your using royalty free music, it's likely not the best or recognizable music. If you have a popular song that you know will appeal to the largest demographic, it'll probably cost a fortune in royalties. I'd say, just skip it.


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## Sarah23 (May 8, 2008)

It depends on the music. If it is quiet and not annoying, then I dont mind it. I dont want something BLARING through my speakers though...or anything offensive or aggrivating. If its like that I just close the page or quickly turn it off.


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## Rachelsne (May 8, 2008)

depends on the music, do you need permision from the artist to play music? I would have thought you do, unles its library music


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## EricBrian (May 8, 2008)

Yeah... no music. None! I don't stay on sites that have music embedded. I don't want to listen to your music since 99.99999999% of the time, I will have mine going.

Dang, I didn't think my feelings were that strong regarding music in web pages.


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## celery (May 8, 2008)

Very rarely does music enhance a website, most of the time I just sigh and close the site when I hear music.

But if you want to see a site that uses music and is a piece of art in and of itself (in terms of website design and not fine arts), then visit www.2advanced.com . They are a web design firm and create amazing websites.


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## EricBrian (May 8, 2008)

Sandspur said:


> I also - usually - have a yard full of birds.  And I would much prefer to hear them most of the time.



Lucky you.


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## PerrieBelle (May 12, 2008)

I personally hate it....

I am often listening to my own music on my pc and so it just annoys me when a site has music playing.

Me and my boyfriend run a webdesign/illustration company from home.. so I see a lot of sites... and music on them just doesn't do it for me.


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## Lacey Anne (May 12, 2008)

I always have my mute button on so I never even notice if the site has music...


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