How do i do this?

soundtube · Apr 8th, 2008, 02:25

I am currently creating a website that uses a system where users will register and then have the ability to upload their own music in wav or MP3 format. I need my website to be able to sign up members and take them to a members area which has a database of all uploaded music. I also want to charge for the uploading of songs and I am not sure which kind of shopping cart to implement for this. Any help would be GREATLY apprciated!!

spinal007 · Apr 8th, 2008, 07:56

Erm.... I think you've gone way too far way too quickly. There are so many alarm bells ringing right now based on what you told me...

Firstly
Have you done anything like this before? What do you know?

Database
Which technologies do you have available? Access? MySQL? MSSQL?

Uploads
Which technologies will you have available? ASP? PHP?
How are you going to manage/store/organize these files?
How are you going to restrict file sizes?
How are you going to protect these files?

Shopping cart
Have you used Paypal?
Do you have a merchant account?
Have you ever built an online payment system?
Are you going to store sensitive/financial information? If so, HOW?

Lastly
What do you expect from this project? What gap are you trying to fill?
What will set you aside form YouTube, iLike and the other big guns?

I don't mean to discourage you from the idea, but I got the feeling you don't really know what you're getting yourself into and all the above are the most basic theoretical question you need to answer before you can begin to consider actually building this...

...if that's the case, may I suggest you start with something simple like a blog and familiarise yourself with web-design first before you attempt to make a living out of it.

welshstew · Apr 8th, 2008, 08:14

Also, I would question how you restrict the type of music that is uploaded.

Once signed up what would stop people using this to upload copyrighted music for sharing?

This would be a breach of their copyright and you would be held responsible as you provided the technology in which to do this. You would also have to pay royalties to the musicians

Such as the pirate bay was held responsible for it's users uploaded content.

soundtube · Apr 8th, 2008, 10:32

Well il tell you my story, I know its called soundtube but it isnt exactly like youtube, I have many contacts within the record lable industry and I want to use my knowledge of this to set up website that enables up and coming talented musicians to showcase there music. For this i charge a small fee.

In regards to your question I with a webhos (heartinternet) and I have use of the MySQL database and i am hopin to mainly implement CGI scripts bu the problem is tha i have good knowledge of html and php pages but my knowledge of database, website security and pearl are not great hence why i need the help.

with regards to the issue of uploading ilegal content, I can manage this as all music has to be confirmed by admin before it has been uploaded. I do have paypal and will probbly use them originally until i can get a merchant account soughted out.

As i said i am with heart internet and they offer a browser based website maintenance package. It enables me to upload and manage php, asp and whatever oher pages through a secure ftp server which I already have up and running. I have all the management and mantenance of the website in hand, my inly problem is the initial bulding and method to implement my plan.

Thankyou very much for your detailed reply, your help is apprciated!

So what do you thik i should do?

spinal007 · Apr 8th, 2008, 10:58

I think you should channel your knowledge into something else because you don't stand a chance against iLike, Facebook's almost-official music application. You will also have a lot of trouble getting artists to pay you anything when MySpace has long been established as the place new wannabe superstars showcase their talents. When you add to that Google's almighty YouTube, new artits have a whole range of free, well established, well known services thay can use for free to showcase their talents.

Bare in mind I haven't yet mentioned MTV's Directory and specialist services such as GarageBand, SoundLift, RecordScout, etc... and those are only the top results I found on a Google search for "upload mp3".

You idea is achievable, maybe, by a large team of experienced professionals. Your "one man show" hosted by Heart Internet (which BTW, aren't great) doesn't stand a chance and will definitelly be a waste of your time and valuable knowledge.

If you want to do this as a personal project that nobody will ever use, go ahead. But if you want this to be a means of earning some cash, you have to channel your expertise into something else.

IDEA: How about creating a service where you use your expertise to help new artists? Provide free information? Charge for consultancy (rather like an agent)? Your knowledge is valuable and with the right website (attractive and informative) you could establish yourself as an authority in this VERY popular field and then, only then, convert your traffic and popularity into a business.

Emzi · Apr 9th, 2008, 13:57

Like Spinal said it'll be difficult to get users to pay for your service when there are so many out there offering the same service for free.

What you need is to find some unique and different to add it to it. Something that only you and no one else is offering.