Rehearsal Room - How to Find the Perfect One
When I finally had found the right people for the band I wanted to start, I was facing one of the challenges that had already haunted me for the past two years: finding a rehearsal room. Click here know more about toronto rehearsal studio
In our home town (Hamburg, Germany) this seems to be a particularly difficult topic. The most common solution among musicians is to lease a room in one of the city's old bunkers, many of which have been generously sold to private owners. Because these bunkers are relatively rare (some being not publicly accessible, but constantly decaying, only giving a home to rats and spiders), the owners decided to raise the rent up to 11â‚Ź per square-meter, which is about the same rent you would pay for a flat in a nice neighborhood. But now, consider the slight difference: A room in a bunker provides pretty much the same comfort as a cellar - no windows, usually significant dampness, and no private lavatory.
Especially dampness can be a real problem - and there are basically only two solutions: Install a dehumidifier (that wastes a lot of energy) or find a better room!
I think, you should not only find a better room - you should find the perfect room! So, the next question is: what is the perfect room?
You should basically imagine what you want your rehearsals to be like, and what requirements the room has to fulfill to make that possible. Let me give you some hints that were important in our decision, and might play a role in yours, too...
Choose a room that is spacious enough! You might say, if it provides enough space so you can stand next to each other, that's okay. But it isn't. You should feel comfortable. Making music is fun - and it always should feel like that.
Also, if you are a loud band (like we are) you have to have enough space to place monitors or a PA system at a distance long enough to avoid feedback. Also, you should have enough space to place microphones in a proper distance to the main sound sources like amplifiers and especially drums. Music can still be fun in a tiny room, but the technical limits can be truly annoying! Imagine you want to invest in more or bigger equipment, but there is no space left for your new 200W amplifier stack - or you would like to get another member into the band, but there is no corner big enough for keyboards and another person. Obviously, the amount of space is the primary aspect in choosing the perfect rehearsal room, but there is more to it.
As I mentioned, dampness can be a serious problem. Remember - we are talking about instruments that are mostly made of wood. Dampness can really hurt your babies! No matter what it takes: Find a room with either a ventilation system, or one with a window you can open while you take a break. Why not have a window open while you play? Well, do you want to be tolerated by your neighbors and stay in your room? Okay, then do as I said!
Talking about neighbors and playing - Find out at what times of the day (and which days) you can play in the room. Of course the best rooms are those that are non-stop rockable. But you should definitely find out about such limitations before you call a room your band's home! Just make sure you have enough time to rock and make the investment pay out.
So, now we have talked about the comfort of your neighbors. What about yours? Sometimes the noise level from other sources (are there other bands around you?) can be a problem, too. This is not very likely, but possible. Maybe you want to do recordings in your rehearsal room? Then it might be good for you to have a few quiet hours each week - or you have a good relationship with your loud neighbors, so you can ask them to give you some quiet recording time when you need it.
Important is that you know what you want. Don't be modest when it is about finding your band's home! You can save a lot of effort, disappointment, and time if you are always clear about your requirements, and stick to them. You can take a look at any room suggested, but swear to me that you only say yes if it feels right, or when you know you can make it right.
I would like to share some personal experience here. After two weeks of cleaning, laying a carpet, and hanging all walls with cloth, our rehearsal room looked and felt incredibly comfortable and tidy, but initially, that room was a real wreck. Yet it had just the right size, it had a window, and it was affordable. So we made a good deal with the owner which really wasn't difficult. Don't be afraid of negotiating. Just think of possible arguments (like "We're at the beginning of our career, we don't have much money to spend."), or find flaws about the room and ask if they give you a discount. Just ask. What do you think is going to happen? Most people are not very trained at negotiating, and will therefore easily agree. I personally would not try to negotiate with a good friend, but I advise you to be honest - tell them if you think they are asking too much.
Unless you plan to play in your room every day, I recommend you to find a nice band to team up with. These guys have to be trustworthy. You should really like them personally. Find a rehearsal room that has spacious and share it. Having a band to share the room with does not mean that you need a room that you need twice the space. You just need these few square-meters for the additional equipment. Depending on how close you are, and how limited your budget is, you can even share your equipment - but make sure to note down your personal settings!
To find the room of our dreams, a crucial aspect were all the beliefs we had concerning why there was no affordable room for us in the whole city. These beliefs can give you very nice hints on what resources you have not yet leveraged. The most fruitful resource are usually (in every area of your life) connections and relationships you have. Do you know anyone who has (or
might have) some kind of room you can use? Or can you think of friends that might have such connections. Are you on Facebook or Twitter? Ask your friends and followers to help you out or keep an eye out. If you find someone who has a room, ask them if they are interested in making some extra money by allowing you to play there. Visit rehearsal room Toronto to know more about