How hard is it to start a website?

Well, it depends on what you want on that website.

Normally, you need to go through these steps:
1. Create a graphic that represents the general style and layout that you want
2. Turn that graphic into a HTML/CSS template (note that you can also get an inexpensive or free template, so steps 1 and 2 will be eliminated)
3. Put that template onto a website creation platform like Wordpress, Tumblr or any other that fits your needs
4. Create the pages with your content

The choice of your template and the platform depend on what kind of content you plan to have on your website. Is it simply a blog? Is it a musician's website with albums and track previews? Do you need to post photo galleries there?

Please describe what you'd like to have there, and I can give you some suggestions.

BTW note that I have put out about a dozen music-oriented websites, and I can help you out if you'll need any service.

Artemiy.

Artemiy,
Although I designed a couple of simple websites myself, I'm also interested in your suggestions.
At the moment I'm thinking initiating a new professional activity as a free lancer, after 39 years working for others, and I'm planning to have a simple webside to adv my new activity.
Secondly, I'm also planning to have my own music website, instead of using other for tracks, photos and stuff...

Just ideas...

Paulo, the quickest way is to use iWeb on your Mac. However, you do need to do the layout and formatting all by yourself.

If you want an easier solution, you should have your own little platform developed for your site. This means you just provide the content, and the platform wraps and processes in all into a good-looking website. Making such a platform is not expensive at all, in the long term it's even less expensive than setting up a free platform like Wordpress.

Paulo, you can e-mail me your ideas and I'll look into them, will recommend the best options I know.

It's really, really, really hard.

Really.

Well I'd like to use the website as a marketing tool. As an online "store" or platform to sell music, CD's, downloads etc. Promote different artists and events. The basic purpose would be to do business. Seems like a great avenue to put yourself out to the public.

But yes it would allow people to preview tracks. It would also display some artwork as well. Maybe even a section to leave feedback. Not like a blog, but more along the lines of a "contact us" page.

SammyJames:

It's not REALLY hard - unless you want to do it yourself, in which case you need to know no less than four programming and layout languages: HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP, and have a sense of how to put that stuff together.

Beantown:

A while ago I helped one musician launch a similar website. So I built him a custom platform with which he can publish albums of tracks (with artwork, previews, descriptions, custom pricing etc.), and people can buy them right within the site via PayPal. The site supports multiple artists, not just one. You can also have news there, contact e-mail form, etc., you can also integrate the news feed with Twitter and Facebook.

If you want, I can adapt this platform to your exact needs, so that you can simply provide the content and the platform does the whole job for you. Feel free to contact me with your full list of ideas and feature requirements:
http://www.sinevibes.com/contact/

Hi Beantown!

Take a look at these guys. I have used their service for a few years now and am very impressed. One can very easily build their own site.

Cheers!
PiaKnowGuy
Please feel free to listen to Pirates

PiaKnow