Turning a word-of-mouth studio into a digital experience that builds trust, proves credibility, and books in under two minutes.
Overview
Pacemaker Audio is a recording studio with guitar tech services rooted in the Upstate NY hardcore scene — gritty, trusted, and fully booked offline, but nearly invisible online.
I led a full redesign to bring that energy online with a mobile-first, one-page site that clearly separates services, builds trust through visible proof, and makes booking effortless.
SCOPE + PROBLEM SPACE
Owned end-to-end UX, UI, and brand design. Aligning strategy, usability, and visual identity into one cohesive system. Partnered directly with the founder to translate Pacemaker’s offline credibility into a trustworthy, conversion-focused site.
The Challenge
Musicians were booking through DMs or outdated sites; slow, unclear, and missing proof of quality.
The Opportunity
Create a mobile-first experience that reflects the studio’s authenticity while making booking effortless through:
Trust — gear, credits, and testimonials up front
Clarity — transparent services and pricing
Speed — streamlined booking in under two minutes on mobile
PROJECT
Mobile-First Responsive Website
ROLE
Sole Designer; UX/UI, Research, Interaction, and Brand Design
TIMELINE
3 weeks
DELIVERABLES
User Research • Competitive Audit • IA + User Flows • Wireframes • High-Fidelity Prototype • Design System • Brand Identity • Usability Testing • Launch Assets
To design a site that actually served Pacemaker’s audience, I analyzed both the competition and local musicians to understand what builds trust online, and what kills it.
How Other Recording Studios + Guitar Repair Shops Show Up
Reviewed four local studios and technician sites with strong reputations but poor usability and slow booking.
TAKEAWAY→ Musicians had to piece everything together through Instagram and email instead of finding what they needed in one place.
USER INTERVIEWS
6 participants · 30–45 min each · Mix of DIY artists + scene veterans
Musicians wanted three things:
Proof: Show gear, credits, and real projects
Transparency: Clear services and pricing
Speed: Fast, mobile-friendly booking
KEY INSIGHT
Trust + Transparency + Speed = Confidence.
Artists need authenticity, quick proof, and instant booking, not flash.
The goal was simple: build trust, simplify booking, and keep Pacemaker’s raw, DIY energy intact. Every design choice supported clarity, speed, and proof, the three things users valued most.
Structure + Flow
Mapped recording vs. guitar repair paths to remove friction and surface key actions fast.
Single-page responsive layout with sticky nav
Three-step booking flow optimized for mobile
Proof points (gear, credits, testimonials) surfaced above the fold
Visual System
Blended clean usability with the brand’s gritty aesthetic.
Neutral base with bold, gear-inspired accents
Custom logo + typography that capture the scene’s personality
Sketching the Experience
I started with wireframes to test layouts, hierarchy, and flow on both mobile and desktop.
Mobile Focus
One-tap booking CTA
Simplified menus (hamburger navigation)
Prioritized gear/project proof for small screens
Capturing the Vibe
Defined a visual system that captured Pacemaker’s gritty, hardcore roots while staying clean and approachable for new clients.
Key Elements
Dark, moody palette with high-contrast accents
Bold sans-serif headlines, clean readable body type
Authentic gear + session photography (no stock)
Logo mark inspired by audio and movement
Form Meets Function
With branding in place, I refined designs into hi-fi mockups for mobile and desktop.
Highlights
Booking flow in <3 taps
Sticky CTA for quick action
Compact proof section with swipable visuals
Tested a high-fidelity prototype with 5 participants (ages 18–45) in 30–40-minute remote sessions to validate clarity, trust, and booking speed on mobile.
objectives
Identify friction in service selection and booking flow
Evaluate clarity of copy, proof sections, and visual hierarchy
Measure task completion time and perceived trustworthiness
Key Findings
Trust cues matter: Users looked for real gear photos and testimonials early in the flow.
Service clarity improved conversion: Separating recording vs. guitar services reduced confusion.
Booking flow success: All users completed booking in under two minutes.
Visual refinement: Adjusted contrast, spacing, and button hierarchy for faster scanning on mobile.
success metrics
Metric
Task completion rate
Avgerage booking time
Trust cues identified
User sentiment
Result
100%
1 minute 42 seconds
within 10 seconds
"clear", "fast", "legit"
Goal
—
< 2 minutes
—
Positive
From Testing to Impact
Post-launch feedback mirrored the test results — musicians could now book confidently without DMs or email back-and-forth.
The redesign replaced friction with trust, transforming Pacemaker Audio from a word-of-mouth service into a polished, self-serve digital experience.
Testing validated clarity, trust, and speed — now the focus shifts to refinement and future growth.
next steps
Integrate scheduling + payments → Build a seamless, end-to-end booking flow with live availability.
Add analytics tracking → Measure conversions, repeat visits, and referral traffic.
Extend the brand system → Apply visuals across merch, signage, and social templates for a consistent presence.
Reflection
This project reinforced one thing — clarity builds credibility.
Working directly with the founder blurred the line between UX and business strategy, proving that even small studios benefit from intentional design systems.
Every design decision balanced grit with usability — staying authentic to the scene while creating a modern, conversion-driven experience.
TAKEAWAY→ Design maturity isn’t about adding polish — it’s about knowing what to strip away. The simpler the flow, the faster users trust it.
Design reflects Pacemaker’s hardcore/DIY roots.
Dark tones, real photography, and bold typography carry the studio’s raw energy into digital form — authentic, fast, and unmistakably Pacemaker.
Pacemaker already had credibility. The site finally matched it.
