Where do you rehearse?

jonnygreentrees

For years my current band and my old band used to rehearse at rehearsal rooms on an industrial estate where we paid £10 a week for a lockup cupboard and about £35 a pop for a 3 hour rehearsal.

About a year ago we started renting an old farm shop on a farm which we have converted into a rehearsal space/studio and it's the best thing we ever did!

How about you guys?

viz

Rehearse?

breadfan

I don't even play guitar! :P

digitalscream

Moved out of the FX section

We used to rehearse at a village hall for £5/hr, but carting the PA around was a massive pain in the ass. Also, the singer decided to set the PA up one day, plugged a 150W cab into the 1500W bridged output of the PA amp (apparently "there wasn't room to plug any of the other speakers in, so I left them) and turned it right up because she figured it'd sound better. Bye-bye speaker.

We now rehearse here:

http://www.rocketpark.co.uk/

£36 for 3 hours, always someone there with spares if you need them, refreshments behind the counter, decent sound treatment and 6 or 7 rooms so you can always get a space.

not_the_dj

Village hall type place. We have to take all our kit, but it costs us £12 for all evening for the room hire. We can finish up whenever we like as we just lock up and drop the key in a box.

We did once upset a yoga class that were in the next room, and the panto rehearsals weren't keen on us but apart from that it's great.

Previous band used Robannas studios in Birmingham, not sure what their room rates are these days, haven't been there for a while.

RedRabbit

We're currently using a room in a converted mill.  It's £25 for 4 hours if you block book 4 sessions at a time.  There's enough equipment provided that we could get away with turning up with just guitars, bass and drum sticks.  We tried it that way for a while and have each slowly gone back to bringing our own amps etc.  

We are thinking of moving elsewhere though as it's just four bare walls with no acoustic treatment and we struggle to make the PA heard over the amps and drums without ear-splitting feedback.  Before this place we used a much smaller room where things could get deafeningly loud but the PA could still cope.  

Jalapeno

Here --> http://sanctuaryartofsound.com/recording/ expensive but clean, good PA and amps.

Tried the village hall etc, and as mentioned ^^^^^^ too much hassle.

Used to reherse in another place in Watford that was dire, really smelled bad, underground and had the fire exits nailed shut ! :-O

jonnygreentrees

RedRabbit said:

We're currently using a room in a converted mill.  It's £25 for 4 hours if you block book 4 sessions at a time.  There's enough equipment provided that we could get away with turning up with just guitars, bass and drum sticks.  We tried it that way for a while and have each slowly gone back to bringing our own amps etc.  

We are thinking of moving elsewhere though as it's just four bare walls with no acoustic treatment and we struggle to make the PA heard over the amps and drums without ear-splitting feedback.  Before this place we used a much smaller room where things could get deafeningly loud but the PA could still cope.  

We were having issues with feedback but fortunately I acquired one of these from work

http://www.ipswichpa.co.uk/peavey-feedback-ferret-d-1u-rackmount-feedback-suppressor-986-p.asp

Works a treat

jonnygreentrees

The mighty barn/farm shop studio

Rowby1

Currently the bass players garage but he's moving so it'll be rented rehearsal studio soon

bluechargeboy

Bass player's terrace house. Acoustic band with no drum kit!

RedRabbit

jonnygreentrees said:

RedRabbit said:

We're currently using a room in a converted mill.  It's £25 for 4 hours if you block book 4 sessions at a time.  There's enough equipment provided that we could get away with turning up with just guitars, bass and drum sticks.  We tried it that way for a while and have each slowly gone back to bringing our own amps etc.  

We are thinking of moving elsewhere though as it's just four bare walls with no acoustic treatment and we struggle to make the PA heard over the amps and drums without ear-splitting feedback.  Before this place we used a much smaller room where things could get deafeningly loud but the PA could still cope.  

We were having issues with feedback but fortunately I acquired one of these from work

http://www.ipswichpa.co.uk/peavey-feedback-ferret-d-1u-rackmount-feedback-suppressor-986-p.asp

Works a treat

There's a Behringer feedback destroyer in the rehearsal room but it's more trouble than it's worth but then it would have been a fraction of the price of the peavey.

If we decide to stay there it might be worth considering but we've also got to take into consideration the fact that it's on the top floor of the mill (there's a cargo lift but we are reliant on other people remembering to close the door - I've walked up the stairs more than once with arms full of gear only to find the lift door left open), it's cold and there's no additional facilities.  

When we started going there we were told that it was a work in progress and that the rooms would be getting acoustic treatments and that there would be a communal area with drinks and snacks etc.  It's been eight months and the only improvement has been a little fan heater that just about gets the room warm as we're packing up to leave.

EricTheWeary

Don't rehearse often or long enough to justify a lock up or, TBH, the hassle of taking all PA ,etc. So, rehearsal rooms with their amps,etc. The one we like is roughly equidistant from our houses and is pretty good. Price depends on the room but about £12 p/h. I think the general guidance is the further away from Birmingham city centre it is the less shit it is.

bigjon

viz;949414" said:

Rehearse?

Must be a Cambridge thing, we don't rehearse, I just send round a spreadsheet with song structures, chord sequences and YouTube links a week or two before the gig and the band members practise off that as much as they feel the need.

ElectroDan

We are lucky to have the use of a purpose built rehearsal room.

It's all soundproofed, has a windowless storage area at the back and a big roller-shutter door to keep the tea-leaves out.

When you get to that age where there are more constraints on your time, being able to rely on your band mates to already know their parts is great. Then you can just walk in, switch on and put that final polish on it.

Sure I had fun when I was young, carting loads of cheap gear to rehearsal in the rain, only to find we'd been double booked with a Belly Dancing class (yes it did happen). But approaching middle agedness has it's comforts.

viz

bigjon said:

viz;949414" said:

Rehearse?

Must be a Cambridge thing, we don't rehearse, I just send round a spreadsheet with song structures, chord sequences and YouTube links a week or two before the gig and the band members practise off that as much as they feel the need.

yes @bigjon I remember

Deijavoo

320 capacity venue, through an unreal size of speakers, (no idea on height) and it's fooking deafening. Unlimited time there for a great price. Unfortunately we seem to jam like once a fortnight.

p90fool

We rehearse in the living room of my semi-detached. No vocal mics, a Yamaha electronic kit, a 15w bass practice amp and a couple of Princetons.

We rehearse on sofas drinking tea and/or wine, and spend most of the time laughing. I don't lug gear anymore unless I'm being paid.

richardhomer

You know where my house is? Go to the end of the road, turn left and then left again at the cross roads. Carry on past the shops and turn sharp right before the park. Carry on to the bottom of the road and turn left into the car park. I'll be there about 8.00pm

koneguitarist

In the drummers living room, don't have to worry too much about his neighbours as its only once a year, but we all play quietly I even take a Peavey practice amp as that's loud enough.

Roland

Our drummer has a spare room at his factory. Reading this thread I've only just realised how lucky we are. In the past I've used village halls and pub back rooms.