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Yikes -- Client wants a song to play on his site!

H

h0kie99

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 31, 2004
82
0
VA
First of all, I told him that I didn't think this was a good idea, but he is all about it. This is a large private club in our area and they host wedding receptions there. He wants just 1 minute of a wedding song to play when the user clicks on the "wedding" link. I almost threw up in this meeting... I mean, COME ON! I just got married and if I ever opened up a website with a song playing I would shut it... BUT... this is what the client wants.

Having said that (ughhhh), he gave me a CD and there is one song on it that he wants me to put on his site. My question is, how do I do this? I have 2 questions, actually:

1. How do I edit the song so that I can save a version of it that is much shorter? I used to do this with .wav files like 8 years ago but I haven't messed with music file editing since... I'm sure things have changed.

2. Where do I put the code in the HTML to make it so that the song plays just ONCE (no loop) when the user opens up the wedding page?

Thanks!!!!
 
You might be able to do this with garageband or iMovie.

Re: the site: I don't know how to do the HTML, but please include a link to "turn off" the music. This could be accomplished by moving to a sound-free version of the identical Web page.
 
One of my pet hates

Websites that have music load & play when you arrive.

Usually when your favorite song is on iTunes.
And it's never anything worth hearing.

One sneaky way to dissuade him is to casually mention the copyright issue and the possible fines.

Unless it's one of his own creations... :eek:
 
For trimming- download the shareware 'MP3 Trimmer'. It is for just such a purpose, and allows you to fade in/out. There's also 'mAC3dec' for converting audio types.
 
Can I upload the file as .mp3 and play it that way on the website? Or do I have to convert it to some other method?? Also, where in the code do I put the song so that it plays automatically when the page is loaded?

Good idea about "click here for no song"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Sound control can also be accomplished easily by using the streaming audio component in flash- it will give you a scaleable controller and such...
 
Wow. Tell him the reality of having music on his/her site. That it will piss people off, make them shut their window, and he would lose business. Just tell him striaght up that he will loose business and this is not an industry standard technique and that it is very unprofessional. I would never integrate music into a clients site. I don't care what he/she thinks they want. Thats why we are the professionals.
 
I know, I know, it's soooo bad. They went from playing music the entire time to just playing a 1 min blurb on one page, so I feel like I talked them down... but this is really bad. You know, the real problem is that my boss closed the deal on this site and agreed to do that without question. It was only when I met with them to get their site requirements that they talked about the music file and I almost spit my water all the way across the room! So, I'm in a bit of a bind... my boss closed the deal with the song included. I have tried to explain my point of view but I don't want to mess up the deal.
 
I agree with everyone here that, in most cases, putting music on a website is very low-class and trashy.
That said, if you absolutely have to do it then Flash is the way to go. The problem with having the music play straight from the HTML is that it comes up full volume with no way to turn it down or off (unless th user does so on his own speakers, of course). Flash allows you to adjust the volume of the music and allows the user to turn it of if he does not want to hear it. I believe a Flash movie has to be at least 18 x 18px, so you could create a Flash movie that is little more than a sound file and a button to turn off the music.
Good luck!
 
It's hard to tell clients that their ideas suck. True? Sometimes I get good responses and people are relieved that I'm working FOR them and trying to make their site as great as it can be... but others get really really offended...
 
First of all, there HAS to be a controller for the music. Usually I close any website that has annoying music as soon as it starts playing, and I would never stay at a website that didn't have the option to the turn the music off. It would bother me less if the music didn't start playing by default. Maybe you can talk your client into not having the music autoplay? Explain to him that its very unprofessional and annoying to have music play without the users permission first, and it could result (and most likely will) lost customers.
 
Stampyhead said:
Flash allows you to adjust the volume of the music and allows the user to turn it of if he does not want to hear it. I believe a Flash movie has to be at least 18 x 18px, so you could create a Flash movie that is little more than a sound file and a button to turn off the music.
Good luck!
Click to expand...

Best idea so far, have a flash movie. Fade the music in when it starts and out when it ends (to waste the most of the minute possible) and have it set very quiet. Also, the movie should just be a little speaker icon (with waves coming out of it) and "turn sound off" underneath. When it's clicked it would change to an icon with no waves and "turn sound on" under it.

AppleMatt
 
If you get to speak of this to him, first off ask him about artist permission, copyright violation, and royalty agreements for the music use (as others here have already suggested).

Secondly, come up with a list of hypotheticals on why it is a bad idea. Such as:

EX 1:

Sally is working as a secretary at a law firm in her cubical. During her break (or maybe even during work) she decides to google wedding venues in her area for her upcoming wedding. She clicks on your clients site, and all of a sudden music is blaring in the office gaining the attention of, and distracting, her coworkers. In a panic she closes the window and goes back to work, or to the next venue on the list.

EX 2:

Tom works long hours, and only gets surfing time late at night. He has the voume cranked on his laptop as he listens to iTunes with headphones before bed. He is not doing that right now, but is surfing for wedding info. All of a sudden your clients site comes up, music blares, and it wakes up his wife, and or baby, in the middle of the night.

You could come up with dozens of these examples of why this is a ****** idea.

Cheers,

James
 
James - I love your scenarios. Definitely made me laugh... and they are true.

And yes, it is TOTALLY a wedding song for the wedding page of the client's site. I just sent an e-mail to my boss explaining how much I am against this and if this (and the header frame thing in my other post) is going to be a deal breaker or not. If not, I suggest we have another conversation with them.

Thanks for your support!!!
 
Sadly I doubt the client will care

This seems to be angelfire and those dumby guides fault. It seems like most people know the web as the pathetic mid to late 90's creation where everyone could show of there "cute" little kids, or there kitty cats. And you always heard some dumb a$$ song playing. My advice, do a very professional job, don't include the song when you show him the first version, then if he asks put it on there and show him why its such a bad idea. Oh and make sure to add a flash into, and lots of animated gif's.

Don't you wish the web had style guide!!!
 
I have definitely copied/pasted this thread and although I am editing out anything that would be inappropriate, I am going to show this to my boss... DEFINITELY.
 
Also your reputation is on the line!!!

Honestly if it were me, I would do the best, most professional job I could do and explain to them the perils of putting music and corny nonsense on the web, and explain to them that you are a professional not just some nephew or cousin putting up a website. They are hiring you to generate revenue for their business. Also, I assume you would add a tag line on it to tell who developed the sight. That is your reputation as a pro-programmer. If you generate revenue and build a successful sight that is money for the client and you and future references and referals and portfolio material for future employment for you.
 
Sound/music is always so cheesy. Just make sure if you have no choice in the matter - they are paying you - put a mute/off button on there for the music. Also, make sure that the volume isn't at 100%, if its a wedding song, you could probably get away with something subtle.

Good luck :D

D
 
I think music sucks on websites, unless suited.

However, you have to abide by the clients wishes no matter if "you" don't like it. Your job is to implement his vision even if it is cheesy. Maybe the wedding he host at the place are cheesy. You can politely remind the client that from a user standpoint, it's distracting and then the rights issues. But, be professional in a business standpoint not in a I'm a professional web designer and I don't include music standpoint.

That said, say something like "music on websites is generally not a good idea. users will go to your website in different enviroments and have different preferences on what they listen to. they are coming for the visual presentation which is also what we would like them to see and the audio will distract them from the visual presentation. music is also a bad idea because most web browsing contains no sound, thus music will at some level will be unwelcome by the users. we recommened that the website not have music/sound because it does not add value to the message that your site is trying to portray and may actually hurt sales."

as far as having your professionalism on the line, you are just going to have to take losses (in that aspect) if the client is way to thrilled with music. just move on and not include him in your portfolio. professionalism is in the way you act. IMO, never tell the client that you are a professional developer when you are trying to persuade him. flaunting credentials is just going to belittle the client. merely suggest the benefits and discuss them with your clients. Communication is the key. when it comes down to it, he knows his business, you know web design, thus harmony is most likely achieved with a good mixture of the too.
 
jayscheuerle said:
If it's commercial music he doesn't have the rights for, you could mention to him that it's illegal to put it up...
Click to expand...

Correct, if he does not have right of use for the song then you should not put it on. File this one under ethics.
 
Peterkro said:
I'm guessing here but its probably the wedding march or something similar,in which case its long out of copyright.I'd just do a mock up and let him play,He will soon se how truly annoying it is.
Click to expand...
Sure, if it is a public domain song and he performs it himself, there will be no copyright problem. However, anything off a CD also has performance rights -- the performance of the music is protected as well as the copyright on the music itself and the lyrics.
 
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