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Measuring the health of music rehearsal spaces since 2006. ABOUT BANDSPACE Measuring the health of music rehearsal spaces since 2006 There are many commercial music rehearsal spaces across the world offering excellent opportunities for musicians to perfect their informal music-making. Similar to sports centres, they act as a critical meeting point between amateur and professional activity. Music Rehearsal spaces are developed over several years, often unique in response to their users, location and the building they are housed in. They serve a relatively local population and mostly located in urban areas. Artists will increasingly need access to high quality spaces as the monetary value of land and buildings grow. A number of spaces work with record companies, promoters, publishers, music management companies, orchestras and opera companies. Sometimes a room hire is on a long-term let or sub-let. However, there is little information or coordinated effort to promote their use. Until now. Our research The focus of the Bandspace platform is music rehearsal spaces not recording studios, although many facilities combine both. As far as we know, there has never been significant research in to the role the music rehearsal spaces sector plays in the development of artists and their work. Anecdotally, we know they are important, but what are they precisely, who accesses them, when, how and why? Our research suggests rehearsal spaces are often run by musicians keen to share their enthusiasm for music with others. The sector is characterised by an un-connected proliferation of these music practice rooms across the world, usually run on a commercial basis. Geographically they are dispersed, with their services shaped organically by demand from their users. Very few receive public subsidy despite the musical, personal and social benefits derived from participatory group music-making. Indeed, many are subject to local and national taxes, insurances and utility bills like any other business. These costs can put the cost of hiring a practice room out the reach of amateur and semi-professional musicians We know they can range from a single practice room to over 300 rooms across multiple sites, employing one part-time worker to many full-timers. In the UK practice rooms are mostly run on an hourly/session basis, whereas in the US they are predominantly offered as a sub-let where the user rents the room semi-permanently on a monthly basis. 3 By 3 Studios We have done some work on the where, but there is still much to share with those wishing to know more about the music rehearsal space world. Aim Bandspace was set up in 2006 in part in response to upholding high standards for professional music rehearsal spaces for all types and standards of musician. We will publish irregular blogs routed in our research. We hope Bandspace provides a resource from which others can build. Thanks for reading this far.... if you feel like making a donation to the cause please follow the link here . Bandspace is a procurer and list of music rehearsal spaces, a tell-taler of tantalisingly covert music happenings all across the world - recommendations and advice of what we dig from our obsessive cratedigging. Come play with us and add your voice to this growing community. The Brigs The Depot Studios Casemates Studios Brunswick Mill Studios Studio 91

Bandspace | music studio space near me and everything you wanted to know about music rehearsal spaces The world of music rehearsal spaces Play Video Replay Music Studios - New York City's Premier Music Rehearsal Play Video Arch Studios Play Video Finding a music practice room Play Video Play Video Play Video Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Share Channel Info Close The world of music rehearsal spaces Read our rehearsal guides Young people's music-making Issues facing music rehearsal spaces Introductory guides to music studios Bandspace introductory guides - A unique set of do's and don'ts for music rehearsal spaces packed with experience and knowledge. Store NEW Quick View Wrong Note Filter spoof guitar foot pedal greetings card Price £3.00 NEW Quick View Blame Shifter spoof guitar foot pedal greetings card Price £3.00 NEW Quick View Disdainer spoof guitar foot pedal greetings card Price £3.00 NEW Quick View Karen Speaker Manager spoof foot pedal greetings card Price £3.00 NEW Quick View Turd Polish spoof guitar foot pedal greetings card Price £3.00 NEW Quick View Ultimate Guitar Rig guitar spoof foot pedals greetings card Price £3.00 NEW Quick View Need More Distortion spoof ginormous guitar foot pedal greetings card Price £3.00 NEW Quick View Setting up a music rehearsal space guide Price £3.00 Quick View Mediocre Guitar Player Magazine greetings card Price £3.00 NEW Quick View Cancellation policies guide Price £3.00 Quick View Pack of 6 Greeting Cards Price £12.00 Quick View What makes a good music rehearsal space guide Price £3.00 Quick View Bassist: The pinnacle of our species greetings card Price £3.00 Quick View Rise of Pirate guide Price £3.00 Quick View Instantly create a Top 40 song with this synth greetings card Price £3.00 Quick View Challenges facing music spaces guide Price £3.00 Socials For an informal chat, better call Trevor on +447900683497 or email at trevor@bandspace.info Did you know? Bandspace is an independent project with minimal advertising income and no super-rich donors. If you have found our service useful, please consider supporting us with a regular monthly donation or buy us a coffee to help support our ongoing running costs! DONATE "Bandspace has been a supportive advocate for our business, with continual postings on social media directing musicians to us. The musician community runs on word of mouth and Bandspace understands this. Thank you!!" Meg, Eastside Rehearsal, Los Angeles, USA "The 'go to' place for all things related to Music Rehearsal spaces. With great articles, how to guides and a searchable location database, this has to be the most useful collection of rehearsal studio resources on the internet." Elliot Seymour, Pure Rehearsal Studios, Southampton, UK "A really great resource, run with passion with all of the unnecessary clutter cut out. Trevor is always very quick to respond to feedback as well, which is very reassuring as a business owner. Really highly recommended, we recommend it to all of the bands that come to us." Jimmy Mulvihill, Bally Studios, London, UK "Bandspace is a great resource for checking out local rehearsal spaces and getting an idea if they suit your needs." Lisa Caruana, Casemates Rehearsal Studios, Portsmouth, UK www.bandspace.info, www.bandspace.info, music, rehearsal, practice room, band space, band practice, recording studio, rehearsal room, show practice rooms, show rehearsal studio, show recording studio, best rehearsal room, best practice room, best recording studio, find a practice room near me, find a recording studio near me, find rehearsal room near me, affordable practice room, affordable recording studio, practice room blog, band rehearsal space, band rehearsal space near me, find me a rehearsal room, find me a practice room, find me a recording studio, where to practice, where to have band practice, where can my band practice,

Photo gallery of music rehearsal spaces from around the world. GALLERY Over 450 images of leading music rehearsal spaces around the world There are many music rehearsal spaces across the world offering excellent opportunities for musicians to perfect their music-making. A rehearsal space can range from one bare room to a dedicated space with soundproofed practice rooms, some with a recording studio. Many are run on a commercial basis but can include makeshift rooms and shared areas such as community centers and even Dad's garage. Spaces are often unique in response to their users, location and the building they are housed in. www.bandspace.info/gallery, www.bandspace.info/gallery, music, rehearsal, practice room, band space, band practice, recording studio, rehearsal room, music rehearsal space gallery, 13 Sound Studios, 44 Music, Abacus Rwww.bandspace.info/gallery, www.bandspace.info/gallery, music, rehearsal, practice room, band space, band practice, recording studio, rehearsal room, music rehearsal space gallery, 13 Sound Studios, 44 Music, Abacus Recording Studio, Abbey Lane Studios, Abbey Music Studios, Absolute Music, Africa Studios, Airplay Rehearsal Studios, Airtight Studios, AlphaDelta Recording Studio, Antenna Studios, Ant Farm Studios, Apollo Audio, Apollo Studio, Appleyard Studios, Archive Studios, Arch Studios, Ashby Academy of Rock, Aspect Studios, A.T. 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Whether it's that noisy guitar pot or a major repair on your PA head, having easy access to a local Repair Shop can be a life saver. With fewer music stores on main streets compared to the past , it is increasingly difficult for musicians to know where to take their instrument when things go wrong. Repairing a snare drum Any kind of kit regularly used will need routine maintenance to keep it in a good working condition. Often this can be minor maintenance such as an electrical re-solder or simply a good clean. Grace Hayhurst at Sensible Music describes the most common repairs for musicians who use their rehearsal space: "We've been fixing and re-soldering a lot of cables and stage boxes that have been used and abused over the years. Connectors start to come loose fairly easily over time." Abbey Music Studios Many music rehearsal spaces maintain a whole host of equipment available to hire including guitar amps, PA systems and drum kits. Many also operate recording studios with computers, outboard and monitoring systems. Maintaining your kit for hire to customers inevitably means employing a regular or adhoc routine for maintenance and repair. This may simply be disposing or selling kit once it's reached it's end of useful life. But before reaching for the phone there are simple checks individual musicians can undertake to maintain their kit. If you're musician - things you can do yourself Things go wrong, kit gets broken, dropped or simply needs replacing. This becomes an imperative if you're a regular rehearsing and performing musician. Check over your gear every time before you plug it in - just a quick visual check will help. Regularly check the condition of cables - if you can see bare wires anywhere then it is unsafe. All wires should be shrouded in an insulation cover and secure in their fittings. Make sure you have the correct fuses fitted to the power cables you are running your gear off. Extension power cables are designed to be unwound before you use them. Leaving them coiled while in use can cause them to overheat. Often extension leads are rated to 10 amps not 13 amps. Ensure equipment is serviced and maintained as per the manufacturer’s instructions. If there is a problem with an instrument or piece of kit it is worth considering the following: Check the product manual for any information Does the problem relate to something else e.g cables, attached equipment etc. If recently purchased, check if the item is still in warranty. If so, contact the seller. If computer related, and the problem has just arisen, check whether there has been a software update Check the manufacturer's website and forum. If you are still experiencing difficulties, then the Repair Shop is the place to go. Regular maintenance to keep equipment in good order Well-run spaces will have some kind of routine to maintain their kit and access to someone to repair it. The list of kit maintained by a music rehearsal spaces is almost endless but could include: guitar guitar amp PA drum kit/percussion synthesisers/electronic instruments FX pedals Mixers interfaces/recording kit lighting keyboards cables Some music rehearsal spaces have taken a step further offering a repair facility to musicians using their space. Opening his Repair Shop in 2002, Steve Norman at London's Abbey Music Studios explained: "Being a rehearsal space we have a good turnover of musicians who need repairs and maintenance of their gear. We gained lots of expertise in re-wiring the studio. The skills we learned have come in useful in offering equipment repairs in-house." Having a repair shop can be a valuable source of income for a music rehearsal space. Engineering flowchart Having a repair facility onsite It makes sense that if a music rehearsal space is maintaining a heap of gear, the skills and knowledge gained are put to use as part of the ongoing business. Scot at New Cut Studios  said: "My business partner runs a guitar repair space at the studio for instrument setups, minor electrical repairs, rebuild of harnesses and pickup replacement." If this isn't possible, signposting musicians to a go-to guy qualified in fixing stuff can be helpful. A repair service however may not always be needed. There are a few things you can do yourself before reaching for the phone. Utilising existing skills - maintenance Workers at some music rehearsal spaces have acquired sufficient skills to repair in-house kit. This resource can be extended to customers for a fee. If you regularly use a rehearsal space you can ask if they are able to carry out a repair or modification. Absolute Music Bournemouth's Absolute Music has developed a dedicated Repair Centre offering repairs and routine maintenance to in- and out-of-warranty products, no matter when or where they were purchased. Qualified technicians and a fully equipped workshop caters for live gear such as guitar amps, mixing desks and PA speakers and pro audio gear, from interfaces to synths. Its links with national and international music suppliers gives a reliable supply of parts and resources, however obscure the product or fault. Playing Aloud Scott Nairn at Lincoln's Playing Aloud has too operated a Repair Shop since 2012. He found there was a demand from musicians using his rehearsal space for a repair service: "Between the two owners we undertake basic repairs. I do the drums and my partner looks after guitars and amps. We also make our own cables and able to do simple mods such as kick ports. Anything more complicated involving circuit boards and components we outsource to a local AV repair business." PAT Test machine Portable Appliance Testing PAT testing involves examining portable electrical equipment to ensure its safe use, encompassing both visual inspections and electrical tests. It helps prevent accidents and complies with legal obligations regarding electrical safety. It covers a wide range of equipment, including amps, keyboards, computers, kitchen appliances, anything that is electrically powered. Checks are usually carried out annually by a 'competent' trained person using a PAT testing machine,. Maintaining records of tests and their results is crucial for demonstrating compliance and tracking equipment safety. The test can be combined with a general service. PAT testing helps identify electrical faults and defects in equipment that could lead to accidents, fires, or equipment failure. The mains plug, flexible cable and terminals are likely to be subject to more wear and tear than equipment permanently fixed. By ensuring the safety of electrical equipment, PAT testing helps protect individuals who may be using or interacting with that equipment. While not legally required, PAT testing can help reduce the risk of electrical hazards and the potential for legal consequences if an accident occurs. Gary Chamberlain at Leicester's Rewind Rehearsal Rooms said: "We have a PAT test machine which I use to test any new 2nd hand gear and then I go around each room every month or so just to make sure everything is working properly. Service wise I had my amp guy go around about 6 months ago, I try to make it a yearly thing." Ben at Southampton's Pure Rehearsal Studios said: "We PAT test annually and our gear usually gets checked/serviced as and when required. Our PA hire gear gets checked each time before it goes out and once it has been returned." Conal Cunningham at London's Bush Studios said: "We PAT test every year though it's a hassle and as we have our own in house repair guy on tap generally we service gear when it needs it." Miltron Musical Electronics The Repair Shop Beyond a routine service, The Repair Shop can offer a range of more in-depth and specialist services including: PA head repairs Spare part sales Electronic repairs to amps Amp refurbishment Digital valve matching Valve replacement Portable Appliance Testing Speaker repairs Drum kit repair and servicing Darren Hasson-Davis at Master Rhythm Studios said: "We have a couple of stores near us that do musical instrument repairs. I also have other musicians and various people that repair bits and bobs." Repairing a mic stand The Repair Shop in a music rehearsal space Smaller rehearsal spaces may find it difficult to directly employ staff to repair gear. However, larger operations such as Manchester's Brunswick Mill Rehearsal Studios rents a room to a self-employed technician, Miltron Barton. He has rented a room at the space since 2019 repairing guitars, synths, FX pedals and sometimes carries out mods on amps. As a self-employed technician he says: "I've had to make my own way working for myself. It can be difficult to expand the service because there is a limited amount of work coming from bands using the space." Grace Hayhurst at Sensible Music said: "The Sensible Repairs department itself is fairly new, but the man behind it used to be a touring tech for Emerson, Lake and Palmer and repaired lots of equipment for them in the 70s to keep the tours going." Ben at Southampton's Pure Rehearsal Studios said: "We have in house repairs and we also offer a service for our customers with Valentine Instruments & Repairs who keep our kit maintained." Conal Cunningham at London's Bush Studios  said: "We have our own in house repair shop run by Jon at Gtek where we service and repair amps and guitars for ourselves, the general public, other studios and touring bands. Even other music studios use us from RMS to John Henry's send their broken gear to us. Conal continued: "International touring bands have their gear fixed here, usually by their techs, either because somethings broke or they're about to go on tour. We sometimes have the odd 'star' dropping something by. We keep it pretty quiet who uses us so let's say many 'well known' touring bands." Grace Hayhurst at Sensible Music said: "We have our own repairs department on site. We found it was very valuable for our clients to be able to have things fixed quickly on site when in mid-session using our recording and rehearsal spaces. The room where our repair is located is temperature & humidity-controlled to avoid any damp corrosion of sensitive capacitors and circuit boards. if you're replacing corroded parts with more corroded parts, the lifespan of the repair will be shortened." If you're unable to fix an instrument or a piece of kit in-house, then you may have to turn to a specialist repair shop. Repair Surgeons at Soundstage Studios David Croft at Soundstage Studios said: "We cater for pre-tour rehearsals and stage shows where, for instance, over a week or so of intense rehearsals we help scrutinise technical issues, iron out any snags and repair instrument failures to build a show that runs flawlessly from start to finish. We also have decades of experience running the Synthesiser Service Centre. Specialist repair guys Repair Specialists fix instruments for players from all walks of life, often using specialist tools and equipment. Some run repair courses for musicians and other repairers. Scot at New Cut Studios said: "We have a couple of repair guys that we outsource to if anyone comes to us with amp, PA or other equipment repairs such as pedals or anything else." Peter Lancaster at Airtight Studios said: "We have a local amp repairer who we recommend to our customers as long as the equipment does not involve surface-mount technology circuits. For guitar and bass repairs we also have a guy locally. If I can't fix bits of drums that get broken then they will need to be replaced." Conal Cunningham at London's Bush Studios  said: "We can sort keyboard and mixing repairs because we're linked with Puretech Solutions in Wiltshire conveniently located just off the M4 motorway a digital keyboard repair specialist. Puretech Solutions is a good example of a specialist electronic repairers. It is recognised as one of the UK’s best repair service centres as an Authorised Service Centre for several manufacturers. It has a small team working in its workshop facilities also able to carry out a repair onsite at your home, on stage or emergency callouts. It can carry out warranty and non warranty repairs on many makes and models of digital and stage pianos approved by several manufacturers including Yamaha, Roland, Nord, Korg, Casio & Kawai. It can also repair on Yamaha digital mixing consoles and Yamaha and Roland Electronic Drum kits. Puretech Solutions offers convenient pre-booked repair drop-off/collection points across the UK, including their main office/workshop in Wiltshire, and locations in West London, West Midlands,, East Midlands, and the South West. Synthesizer Service Centre at Soundstage Studios David Croft at Soundstage Studios said: "Our Synthesiser Service Centre are repair services with a wealth of experience repairing and servicing electronic equipment. We have been providing warranty support to many major brands used throughout the entertainment industry since the early 1980s including Akai, Moog, Roland, Yamaha and many more. Our trade counter is open to the public where we're pleased to help with out-of-warranty equipment repairs from walk-in customers." David continued: "Sometimes new parts are no longer available but at the Synthesiser Service Centre we have the mechanical and electronic engineering facilities to provide solutions to otherwise impossible problems. Some years ago, The Synthesiser Service Centre acquired a company that had been servicing and repairing keyboard instruments for more than 30 years. With access to service records and technical schematics dating back to the 1930s, we were then in a position to create “The Vintage Keyboard Company”. This was dedicated to continuing support for vintage pianos and organs such as Hammonds, Fender Rhodes, Mellotrons, Wurlitzers, ARPs and Moogs, as well as a wide range of valve amplifiers from Ampeg, Laney and Leslie (among many others)." Guitars Ackworth Guitar Setups in West Yorkshire has begun an initiative working directly with music rehearsal spaces. It has been established for 10 years and in 2021, it launched the UK's first chain of guitar repair shops in Leeds, Nottingham, Manchester, Cambridge and Northampton. Tristan Johnson Tristan Johnson at Ackworth Guitar Setups said: "We work with Eiger Studios in Leeds and Brunswick Mill Studio’s new site at Salford offering both off-site and on-site services. Having worked at scale across the UK, we’ve become well versed in the art of managing repairs and working with our customers." The company offers guitar repairs, setups, fret levelling, rewiring, headstock repairs, neck resets and finished repairs on electric, acoustic and bass guitars. Its technicians are experts in working with Fender, Gibson, Gretsch and Rickenbacker guitars and worked with international touring bands. Tristan continued: "Guitar and amp repairs are a niche skill. We are able to offer repair courses to those interested in learning. We have introduced a membership scheme to offer people access to a great way of paying for work at reduced prices. It’s just making a difference to people and it’s our way of saying thanks to our customers." Electric guitar bridge Whether you’re a casual musician looking for a repairer near to where you live, or a professional on tour in need of an emergency repair, FindRepairers is a useful web-based directory of instrument repairers, makers, luthiers, ateliers and specialist instrument crafts people. A quick search on google will also reveal small businesses able to offer amplifier, drum repairs or the repair shop in a music rehearsal space. Hourly rehearsal spaces often have instruments and kit available to hire. If on occasion an amp fails or a drum skin breaks during rehearsal, the space can often hire a replacement so the rehearsal can continue with minimum disruption. At any stage of learning to play an instrument it is vital to know how to perform at least a few basic repairs and know some maintenance tips in order to get the best out of your kit. Only once you have exhausted your skills could you think about a specialist repairer.

London January 2009, and a group of music practitioners from the education, community and professional music sectors met at Morpeth School to consider what future music spaces in schools should look like. The meeting was part of the Building Schools for the Future programme, a UK Government funding scheme to transform secondary education in England. For some background context, the writer Christopher Small decades earlier said: " The very physical structure of the orthodox classroom, which so resembles that of the orthodox concert hall, with its rows of desks facing the blackboard and the teacher, making interaction possible only between teacher and pupil, never between pupil and pupil, makes clear, before a word has been uttered, the direction from which knowledge is to come" (p.184-185, Small, 1977). With this as the backdrop, the meeting more than 30 years later began in earnest amongst professional music educators. Led by Ian Sutton, from Arts Council England, the meeting explored the concepts for a music learning space based on their collective experience. music practice room Summary of the discussion The panel mapped out the range of issues and initiatives that have shaped the future direction of music in schools. The overall message was because developments such as the drive towards community use of school facilities, new designs and specifications were needed to reflect a growing interaction between ‘formal’ education and cultural learning/engagement with music in the community as a whole. Muzzle Music Rehearsal Studios In relation to the delivery of music learning in schools, it was agreed spaces need to be able to accommodate an ever-growing range of exciting new musical and learning styles ranging from ‘traditional’ instrumental tuition to informal peer learning. With these factors in mind, the discussion around design ultimately centred around the need for flexible spaces. The challenge, of course was being able to provide flexibility within a budget and in relation to practical considerations particularly around sound-proofing. Another big talking point was storage. Not only is it important to incorporate enough of it into your plans but that it needs to be based around a systematic design where ease of access is the defining element. The following is an outcome of these discussions, representing a series of ideas and concepts for schools. Key considerations for designing a music rehearsal space in a school could include: A music space needs to reflect the changing use of schools in general, with a growing emphasis on extended services, co-location of services and community use. Therefore, the design of music spaces needs to consider how it can respond to the needs of the community and the way people engage with music at a local level. If there is a lack of affordable rehearsal space or recording studios in the area, can the school provide these facilities? Spaces need to be a combination of ‘flexible’ and ‘fixed’. Adequate storage space is critical and should be positioned in such a way that teachers and learners can easily access what they need close to the space in which they are working. Storage also needs to be organised in such a way that instruments and equipment can be quickly and methodically packed up and returned to storage at the end of the session. Sound proofing is essential. Some teachers/practitioners felt that current regulations relating to the acoustic requirements in school spaces were inadequate for modern music making and needed to be revised. Morpeth School had been able to take advantage of the natural sound-proofing offered by adapting basement rooms as rehearsal spaces and hoped to recreate this feature in a new build. Any new build should be positioned so that sound is projected away from neighbouring buildings, including nearby housing. An architect or acoustic design consultant can prepare a design specification for your individual requirements. Heating and ventilation should not be secondary considerations, as heating and ventilation systems can be noisy, damaging to sensitive equipment, and unhealthy for students – especially in an environment in which acoustic considerations can result in windowless, enclosed spaces. Similarly, lack of natural light can be detrimental to performance, mood and ambience. Advances in technology make the use of glass in sound-proofed situations much more of a reality. Recording and playback facilities in every room. By using hand-held ‘field recorders’ and other portable devices, or by linking each room to a central recording studio teachers/practitioners and students would be able to utilise instant playback as part of their music learning progression. Access and Circulation. Doors need be wide enough and easy to open when you’re carrying for example a double bass or a guitar amp. Also, positioning your main entrance so that it’s accessible from the street makes it easier to use the space beyond the school day (thereby increasing access for students who may want to rehearse in their own time, or to promote access by the community). Making sure you have the right number of doors (properly labelled) is essential for public licensing. Personal safety, security and behaviour – whether related to students or visitors – are important issues. Clear lines of visibility including liberal use of window space and wide corridors will allow monitoring of activity and ease of access. The following outlines an evolving concept for how a music department might be structured into four ‘Zones’, and how they might be used: Zone 1 (flexible) A music department’s list of music activities can be extensive and varied, with greatly differing spatial requirements. Therefore ‘flexibility’ is the constant refrain in any discussion about space. The conceptual solution would be a single, large room intersected by a network of soundproof retractable walls that could be worked into any arrangement of smaller rooms at any time. A more practical option would be a room large enough for group instruction with a series of four or five smaller ‘break out’ rooms leading from it. Also, there is no particular need for any of these rooms to be square. A circle or oval space could work better in terms of students being able to face each other or focus on a group leader. Zone 2 (fixed) Despite a general call for flexibility, some spaces still need to remain ‘fixed’: a recording studio and space for the workforce (including rest space and administration space) for example. This ‘fixed’ zone may be best placed at the core of the space so that its functions can radiate into each of the ‘flexible’ spaces leading from it. Zone 3 (social) A music space in a school should not be a sanitised arts centre but a space that is designed by and for students. Having social spaces such as a seating area, informal performing area, possibly even a café, gives students a space in which they can interact. A public space of this kind could also provide opportunities to generate income by promoting community use of the space. Zone 4 (storage) It is impossible to over-emphasise the importance of storage. In the model to the right, storage is designed in such a way as to be held centrally, like a carousel, and therefore accessible from any room with minimum effort. Failing this, making sure as many boxes, flight cases or pieces of equipment as possible are on wheels would be critical. The UK's Musical Futures programme which coincided with this scheme stated: "Music facilities vary greatly from school to school. In the least ideal situations there is one classroom, often surrounded by classes teaching other subjects. In schools with more space, practice rooms are often occupied by instrumental staff teaching individuals or small groups of students...It is not just about having lots of break-out spaces for students to work in, but also about ensuring that the overall environment and atmosphere of the music department is one in which students are able to be creative." music map of London musicians London Music Education Survey Following this initiative i n 2011 the UK's Institute of Education carried out a major survey of the state of music education in London. The city plays host to a wide range of professional musicians and music organisations representing a broad spectrum of musical genres and cultural traditions. The survey revealed a number challenges and suggestions needed to be addressed to increase the number of young people participating in music: A large drop in students taking part in extra-curricular music education activity when they moved to secondary school (11 years old) Rock, pop and contemporary music were by far the most common types of ensemble Music services reported inadequate accommodation as a fairly significant barrier There was a perceived need for strong links between schools and the music industry The lack of effective pathways for those wishing to study popular music were also raised Lessons, workshops and projects are taking place in studios, universities, theatres, churches, old people’s homes, community halls, prisons, young offenders institutions, museums and galleries, health centres, hospitals, concert halls, hostels, music colleges, outdoors and online A range of activities were available through community music providers, arts organisations, music colleges and universities, including jam sessions, DJ drop-in nights, family orchestras, sign-language choirs, big bands, flamenco groups, glee clubs, beatboxing, folk groups and junk bands The report recommended partnerships are vital to: Provide progression routes for learners whose skills and interests are not catered for by schools and Music Services Enrich the music education of existing learners, inspire them to progress in their learning and provide them with outstanding opportunities to listen, perform, and compose young musician Are schools good for young people to learn music? Given the challenges in attracting young people to continue to learn to play a music instrument and the financial constraints placed on state schools, it is perhaps unlikely the building of modern music spaces would emerge as a priority in schools. Anthony Everitt in his book Joining In looked into participatory music and concluded: “If resources of this kind are also open to use by the local community children will find it easier to make the imaginative and practical link between school work and music-making in the world at large: this may help to ensure that they maintain their musical interests after leaving school…what is needed is a kind of ‘one-stop shop’ for music-makers, a network of citizens’ music advice bureaux which would not only offer good counsel but identify the whereabouts of such resources as musical instruments and equipment, studios and rehearsal space” (p. 77/161, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, 1997). The following issues may conspire to restrict access to a music-making facility located on a school site: The school management structures that oversee school premises, quite rightly, act in the interests of young people, not necessarily the wider cultural community The opening times of a music facility is subject to the goodwill of the Headteacher possibly limiting wider public access in out of school hours Their design and construction are predicated on a formal learning environment and not a ‘real-life’ authentic music space experience Governance issues may hinder developing long-term partnerships with cultural and commercial organisations that would help with sustainability and development Access to the facility is likely to be free possibly putting it at odds with fostering a sense of entrepreneurialism Such a facility will be subject to education priorities rather than reflecting other government policies allied to the music industry What would be a more appropriate space? The Sports Centre or gym may provide an alternative model in offering a diverse range of musical opportunities supplying instruments, equipment, sound-proofed rooms, music technology and the professional leadership skills to support this work. There are no comparable music facilities comparable to the ubiquity of those in the sports world, where users can self-develop the skills needed for music participation, production and performance. Instead, would-be young musicians are reliant on the vagaries of the commercial music rehearsal space sector. Thus, the progression routes built in to the structures and networks of the sports world make reaching international competitions less of a lottery. music space layout If such a space is realised, a pipeline of competent musicians would feed in to the music industry having graduated from the informal music sector. Indeed, this may be something the music industry given the right encouragement may wish to support. Trends are already showing that in the coming decades more time and money will be spent by those over 40 years old on leisure and recreation – and not just on TV, radio and ‘resting’ activities. As a result, music will come to play a huge role in utilising the wisdom and potential of this older society in both creating and fulfilling the demand for more meaningful activities. References Anthony Everett - Joining In: An Investigation into participatory music, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, 1997) Christopher Small - Music, Education, Society 1977

Manic Rehearsal Studio Without a space, music scenes remain rootless, moving from one location to another with little time to explore, connect and create. Musicians need a place. Several studies have evidenced the importance of music in giving a sense of place when regenerating our towns and cities. In research conducted in 2011 as part of the Creative Economy Programme it found: "The things that contribute to a vibrant, creative local sector are part of the wider cultural assets of a city – its sense of identity, its record shops, its large and small venues, its libraries and book shops, its museums and galleries, its parks and open spaces, students and cafes" (p.44). A UK Government task force also found the benefits of participation in the arts display similar benefits to those reported in the areas of health, crime reduction, employment and education (p.21-22, PAT10, DCMS, 1999). Music-making as a social activity in all its forms brings benefits to our towns and cities. However, in 2018 the Live Music Exchange survey of UK musicians suggested a third found a lack of an affordable rehearsal space had a negative impact on their career development (p.73/74). So why doesn’t the planning to build music rehearsal spaces feature in regeneration programmes? Against The Fence Place not location Generally, public and commercial organisations take much interest in the physical regeneration of an area as the key to rejuvenating communities rather than social programmes. However, the notion that the future economic success of a city is founded on its creative base is increasingly accepted across the developed world. As a society how much we pay for a particular use of a building reflects the value we as a community place upon the activity taking place there. Musicians have played an important part in establishing the location of music scenes. Seattle had its sub-pop grunge, Chicago has electric blues, and Nashville country. Detroit was the birthplace of both Motown and the hard-edge distorted indie rock of The White Stripes. Austin has Stevie Ray Vaughan, Willie Nelson, and a host of legendary singer-songwriters. Then there's of course New Orleans jazz, brass, and funk; San Francisco’s psychedelic sound; and the reverb-soaked rockabilly that is inextricably associated with Memphis’s Sun Records. Punk emerged in late 1970's London. The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays came along in Manchester in the 1990s. Going back further, cabaret-style jazz in 1920s Paris and symphonic classical music in 18th century Vienna helped to create vibrant urban cultures. As well as the talent making a scene, buildings create the conditions in which it is fostered. Music scenes are places. Richard Florida in his paper Music for the Masses (2009) wrote how musicians cluster more in some places than others. Musicians are mobile, and do not require a lot of capital, access to raw materials, or even proximity to anchor institutions like universities. They come to some places because there are lots of venues, clubs, conservatories and recording studios, and they can make a living and stake out a career. Musicians create places. Guitar World If towns and cities increasingly look the same, offering similar experiences and similar world-wide brands, the quest for wider recognition will hot up. Increasingly city authorities are recognising their unique culture is a major asset to project their distinctiveness and specialness: “Culture plays the central role in establishing the identity of a place and that having a distinctive identity is crucial in a world in danger of becoming homogenous” (p.15, Landry, 2003). Cultural resources such as music rehearsal spaces are the raw materials, and the act of music-making the mechanism which bring places to life. Cultural opportunities such as easy access to a music rehearsal space can be an effective way of providing a spurt to wider regeneration of a neighbourhood or an estate (p.8-9, Smith, 1997). Alabama Shakes The Creative Economy Programme research concluded: "Place differs from location because it encapsulates a set of social, environmental and cultural factors in addition to locational factors such as distance to market and the availability of appropriate labour" (p.7). Although musicians can record and distribute their music from anywhere, they continue to cluster in city centre's to be closer to live music venues and alternative employment opportunities for additional income. Many studies have emphasised locational difficulties for visual artists, whereas the exploration of rehearsal space for independent musicians has yet to be investigated. It may therefore be problematic to suggest musicians experience the same challenges as visual artists, dancers or actors when assessing issues of displacement and affordability. Even though independent musicians face comparable struggles, they also face new and unique challenges when acquiring space. Earcandy These particular space requirements are not appropriate for residential and most commercial spaces. Although there may be plenty of commercial space available, sound proofing and acoustic treatment can be costly, requiring technical know-how often beyond the capabilities of the average person. Musicians may not necessarily rehearse and prepare for shows in their home. This is due to a sonic requirement for space and working with others. Loud volume will need to be tolerated by landlords, tenants and the building’s physical structure. Musicians accessing the space by car also means parking and traffic noise is a consideration. Access to good public transport aids musicians in getting to their rehearsals faster and cheaper from home. These particular space requirements have left a specialised niche market which has been filled by rehearsal space businesses. Given that live music now makes up the majority of income for independent musicians, having a centrally located rehearsal space comes at a great economic advantage for musicians. Of course, the downside to improving the quality of life in an area where the music scene becomes popular, attracts property developers, forcing up the cost for space, gentrifying the redundant buildings often used as rehearsal spaces, to convert in to homes and offices. Rehearsal Factory Case Study: Toronto (Money For Nothing) Independent musicians in Toronto are forced to continually negotiate between affordable space and separation from the central city’s employment opportunities and amenities. Research in to the cost of monthly rehearsal spaces for musicians in the City of Toronto, Canada in 2010 highlighted easily accessible rehearsal spaces in the central area of the city were the most costly, posing a serious concern in retaining emerging musical talent, forcing many to relocate to other affordable cities or suburban areas. They found centrally located rehearsal spaces were closest to the largest number of music venues in the city, best served by public transport, and the most costly to rent.  Musicians' finances Independent musicians face challenges that burden them financially adding to their difficulty in paying for their use of a rehearsal space. Since the advent of music streaming, the value of recorded music has plummeted. Although musicians can now distribute their music independently over the internet and record professionally for much less money than ever before, the combination of these factors has resulted in lower entry barriers into the music economy. This has led to an increase in the number of independent musicians competing for sources of income for their work. Other factors, such as the rise in divorce rates, an increase in the number of people living alone and lower incomes during a recession, have driven more people to downsize or live in flats and apartments – which in turn means increasingly musicians are looking for places outside the home to make music. Add to this the cost in soundproofing a room in your home and still the likelihood of the lower frequencies annoying your neighbours at unsociable hours, means many musicians resort to looking for a rehearsal space. Band room layout An international Statista survey in 2020 of the average size of homes in selected countries found Australia had the largest, closely followed by the U.S. and Canada. Houses in Europe, Mexico and Brazil were significantly smaller. This suggests the demand and use of homes for music rehearsals may differ from country to country depending on available space. For example, it may be more common in the US and Canada for musicians with larger houses to use their garage or basement to rehearse rather than hire a practice room. Music rehearsal spaces are reliant on the limited finances of musicians. For many musicians, hiring a professional rehearsal space is a direct cost to themselves. Those workers in the music industry who do not perform and whose focus is on maximising concert income, merchandise sales and streaming may not appreciate the value music rehearsal spaces play in supporting music artists. Space Rehearsal & Recording Scale and size The scale and purpose of music rehearsal spaces vary according to the size of the community they serve. Some must necessarily be for general purposes, whereas others may specialise. The cost of running music rehearsal spaces is such that their number can be supported by any given population is limited. With a smaller population it may be difficult to sustain this number: there may be only two practice rooms or even one, jeopardising its very survival (p.34, adapted from Alec Nisbett’s Sound Studios, 1995). In an evaluation of a new arts centre involving young people in Gateshead in the UK, the consultants found the benefits of having 26 practice rooms in one music rehearsal facility. They suggested how the scale of a music rehearsal facility might look: “Scale is important in two ways. First, scale involves the notion of critical mass. Only by being on a large scale, with the involvement of large numbers of schools and young people can some of the beneficial features of the whole system emerge. For example, scale enables progression, where talent can be taken to its limits. Scale offers variety, so that if a young person is not drawn to one genre, they can still flourish in another. Then there is the scale of the building itself and the facilities that come with an investment of that size – opportunities to perform, chances to listen to the world’s best musicians, rehearsal spaces of differing sizes and formats” (p.23, Hitting The Right Note, 2005). Richard Florida found the size of a town or city is not everything, as Nashville's dominance and the performance of other smaller cities show. Smaller places can develop significant clusters of musicians and the music industry: "Talented musicians are drawn to and cluster around other talented musicians. Doing so, they generate a human capital — competing against each other for new sounds and audiences, combining and recombining with each other into new bands — a Darwinian process out of which successful acts rise to the top and achieve broad success." In this way, through the clustering of talent and combination and recombination, cities with vibrant music scenes mimic the process of innovation more broadly. Helios Studios Engaging with the music scene Local talent once encouraged can promote an area on a worldwide basis. A major task is to engage meaningfully and on a level with the scenes that already exist. Providing a performance venue can help build the local scene, where perhaps bringing only internationally known musicians might be good for prestige, but does little to support what's already happening other than the occasional performance. The challenge is finding ways to play a role in supporting music rehearsal spaces, working with musicians to interweave the changing fabric of their work and influences. Providing space is just the starting point: what matters is what musicians do in a shared space. Not all music genres require the same pattern of organisation. For example, independent music colleges such as the UK's Guildford Academy of Contemporary Music and The Institute of Contemporary Music use their rehearsal spaces to host showcase evenings for students to perform in front of invited record label staff, artist managers and publishers. The rehearsal space is a route to being “signed”. Due to their size and production needs, orchestras and opera companies often need larger spaces and performance venues to rehearse. Paul Willis, in his book Common Culture, based on research into the cultural life of young people makes an important point about the demographic of musicians accessing popular music activity: "Even rock music, which was expected to be associated with working-class cultural creativity, was often found to be more accessible to those who had benefited from middle-class upbringings which offered the resources and positive attitudes to encourage musical and artistic involvement from an early age" (p. 50-51, Common Culture, 1990). New spaces can’t simply be built and then ignore what’s happening around them. As the monetary value of land and buildings grow, music rehearsal spaces can be increasingly scarce and expensive. Policies of access to facilities are of great importance in terms of cultural production, representation and identity. Performance spaces as a rehearsal space New venue initiatives will be more effective if they take on board the idea of developing a sense of local ownership from the beginning. Supporting low-rent music rehearsal spaces to encourage the involvement of the indigenous population can lead to the first glimmerings of a creative music scene. Widening engagement is about ensuring musicians have the opportunity to participate and create their own music. This becomes particularly important for musicians who see the social experience as of equal importance to the event. They may want to enjoy their time outside the performance venue in a rehearsal space collaborating with other musicians. The book A Creative Future argued: "It is clearly misguided to provide poor facilities for community-based work on the assumption that users do not expect high quality surroundings" (p.118, ACGB, 1993). Valuing Live Music When studies have looked at the use of performance spaces as music practice rooms, they found over three-quarters (77%) of venues have never used any part of their spaces for bands or musicians to rehearse. Church halls, community centres and student unions are more likely to have held rehearsals (p.34, A Survey of Live Music Staged in England & Wales in 2003/4, 2004). In 2018, the UK-based Live Music Exchange survey findings of UK musicians, venues, promoters and audiences also suggested only a quarter of performance venues offered tools and space for musicians to rehearse and record (p.32). Strong spaces of cultural consumption connecting spaces of production breed innovation and in turn lead to competitive creative businesses capable of attracting the highest quality creative knowledge workers (p.10, The Creative Economy Programme, 2011). iIlustration by Michael Hambouz Public funding There is little direct investment from the public sector in the building infrastructure for rehearsal spaces. There is no one policy, but various strategies, programmes and publications have stressed the importance of space for rehearsing as part of other activity. The writer Charles Landry has suggested government and local authority structures supporting culture should be rethought: "Cultural thinking needs to move away from an exclusive focus on art forms to an emphasis on culture as the lived experience or complex reality of a place. This has a significant implication in that ministries of culture or divisions in cities responsible for it should see themselves as ministries advocating for culture right across other ministries and departments rather than being the ministry or department of culture" (p.5, Landry, 2003). Local government authorities can play an important role in the provision of music rehearsal facilities. From the local parks to leisure centres, town and city councils enable a huge range of recreational activities to happen. They have an important leadership role to play, bringing schools, voluntary clubs, National Governing Bodies, health and the private sector together to forge partnerships, unblock barriers to participation and improve the local music scene. Yet despite local authorities duty to promote healthy lifestyles and economic development, there is no statutory or legal requirement for them to provide facilities for leisure, let alone music. With no statutory duty, it allows for an incentive to sell or close facilities. The challenge is finding appropriate ways to support music spaces. If more rehearsal spaces are to be developed and accessed by musicians, with the consequent benefits to the economy, new ways of financing development must be considered. The Live Music Exchange (2018) survey suggested local and national administrations [should] encourage more extensive funding for music rehearsal spaces (p.68). Printworks Diversifying revenue streams amongst a mix of public grants and earned income would suggest a route to consider when drawing up a sustainable business plan. Consideration needs to be given to placing new spaces in deprived areas only when consistent and long-term support from a public authority is guaranteed. London's Mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone in his 2011 manifesto Protecting London’s Live Music asserted: “The preservation of particular venues alone will not secure the future of live music in London - it is just as important to ensure that support for venues is coupled with a strategy that supports the provision of rehearsal space and places for making and performing and studying music”. The Live Music Exchange argued for future live music censuses, other components of the ecology should also be mapped such as rehearsal spaces (p.10). If agencies are ignorant of how rehearsal spaces can connect musicians to their audiences, regenerating our towns and cities using music will be limited. References Alec Nisbett - Sound Studios, 1995, p. 34, Focal Press Paul Willis, Common Culture: Symbolic Work at Play in the Everyday Cultures of the Young 1990 Chris Smith - Creative Futures: Culture, Identity and National Renewal, Introduction, Fabian Society, 1997 Charles Landry - Imagination & Regeneration: Cultural policy and the future of cities, 2003 Council of Europe