Questions about developing a website with a user database, etc.

[ozziechan]

Hi there,

I don't know if this is the right area for this question, and I know this is a very broad question, but I have to start somewhere.

I'm looking at starting up a website for amateur music producers. Users would be able to sign-up, and have their own profile, bio, avatar etc. and they'd also be able to post there own instrumental songs for sale, and have them listed where other site visitors could preview, and if interested buy the instrumental directly with a checkout like interface.

for examples these two sites are similar to what I had in mind, to begin with anyways:

thebeattrader.com

givemebeats.com

Right now I'm just in the phase of looking at how to put something like this together, I have server space, and I have designed websites for years, but my knowledge stops at html, and graphic design, so I'm really looking for help right now with the scripting etc.
I've found some scripts that would do some of the things I'd need, but I have no idea on how to put any of it together.

Anybody have any ideas on where to start for something like that?
any help would be greatly appreciated thanks.

[SpirtOfGrandeur]

Your best bet is to pay for an experienced coder to do such a task. Not saying it cannot be done by yourself, but itll be alot easier for you to understand watching over some one.

[ozziechan]

what kind of prices do you think one would be looking at for a project like that if I did all of the design work? any ideas?

[mlseim]

Ozzie ...

The developer would most likely use a PHP/MySQL application that
actually queries the database and builds all of the pages dynamically.

Once the developer has the system working, they will provide you the
opportunity to customize the CSS style sheets (or HTML tables) ...
to whatever you want as far as the look of your website. That means
your actual site design, layout, graphics, text, content will all take
place around the actual PHP/MySQL database system.

The advice given to hire someone is good advice. You might want to
ask your webhost for recommendations ... they might provide the
program installations and get a complete system working for you for
a fixed fee. Sometimes they have programmers who do just that.

Contact your webhost first (or find a webhost if you don't have one),

note: you mentioned about already having a server. I don't know if
you meant a webhost, or your own actual server. I personally would not
recommend hosting your own site like that ... but that's my opinion.