Redesigned Recording Studio website - Site Check please

[briguy33]

thanks for the comments everyone.. the final site is now "LIVE"

www.ihookstudios.com

thanks

brian

[weallfailed]

The most important thing in a studio website is to quickly give the viewer usable information, not entertain them. The equipment page gave no specific information about the actual gear. The photos looked cool, but were lacking in the information necessary to make the potential client know if it's the right place to book their session./quote]

My thoughts exactly.


It seems to me that studios who don't give a comprehensive gear listing are ashamed of something they own. They'll say "Neuman! Pro Tools! Avalon!" but fail to disclose they are using a Mackie 1604, or their main room is lined with mattresses, or better yet...fail to disclose that engineer is a pot head who sole purpose in life is to reminisce about the oles day while listening to the fucking Eagles. Focusing on the good parts of one's studio is always a good idea, but I deifnitly won't bring a client into a studio until I know exactly what that place is packing.

At the same time, most musicians/bands couldn't tell the difference between a Control 24 and a Neve, so a lot of the time it doesn't matter anyway if the band is booking the studio...

[cwileyriser]

Focusing on the good parts of one's studio is always a good idea, but I deifnitly won't bring a client into a studio until I know exactly what that place is packing.

At the same time, most musicians/bands couldn't tell the difference between a Control 24 and a Neve, so a lot of the time it doesn't matter anyway if the band is booking the studio...

As someone working on a new (brand new, that is) studio site, I had the same thoughts. I guess there's some balance to strike. I think if you're aiming at freelance engineers and producers, you gotta go balls-out with the equipment list, and enough pictures to make it pretty. But if you're aiming at bands, you're probably better off making photos (of your actual gear and not catalog photos or logos) the top priority and keeping the lists complete, but simple. At least that's my gut. I guess I'll find out. Or if you have way too much free time, or you make enough money to hire someone to spend a lot of time, or if you're cool enough to have some college kid want to be an intern, you can go crazy like on the Electrical Audio site's equipment section (which is very cool, but would be cooler from a design/usability perspective if you didn't have to click so much)

"Oooooh, check out that big black and silver microphone that looks like the one in that [insert we-all-sound-alike alternative/emo/pop-punk/whatever band name here] video!" or "Damn dude look at that gigantic black thing with the meters and the big red knobs - just check out all that vintage shit!"

Speaking of "vintage", it seems like everything that's got a scratch on it that's listed in the Musical Instruments category on eBay is "vintage gear." Obviously "vintage" sells - even if it's vintage turds. Just check out how many "vintage" Telefunken (and other) plastic tape recorder mics go for crazy prices on eBay. A TD20 sold yesterday for $139!! Of course, it was listed as "vintage" and "rare." Plus, the seller was in Germany (so insured registered mail costs add another $40!), which must add to the mystique.