This is a guest post written by Tyler Faison, Co-Owner of The Music Box of Dallas, TX, a band rehearsal facility providing space for bands and musicians to practice. For more information about Tyler and The Music Box, visit The Music Box website here.
Using a professional rehearsal facility can be quite the luxury for many musicians. Depending on where you live, you might not even need one. For those musicians that are just getting started or haven’t used a legit rehearsal space, we’ll walk through some of the things that you should expect of the facility and what they expect of you. You’ll find some of these tips helpful to have a successful practice session, but also to keep the place in good running order for other musicians. Professional rehearsal facilities can sometimes have a less than desirable reputation. This is usually because of how it is managed, but you should always do your part so that it can remain as an option for years to come. While you can also apply these etiquettes to your private rehearsal space as well, I’m really focusing on renting a space on an hourly basis, like our Hourly Studio at The Music Box.
Wrap Cables
If you’re looking to play at ear-bleeding levels on stage, there’s one crucial item that you need to do that; cables. Whether you bring your own cables or use the studio’s, one of the best ways to keep them in performance-ready condition is to simply keep them organized and off the floor. Keep them hung in their designated racks after you use them. This will prevent them from turning into a rat’s nest, getting stepped on unnecessarily, and any indentations or accidental slices. Keep your audio feeds clean and cables tidy!
Respect Everyone
“The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.” -Ron Ayers
To me, famed musician and songwriter Ron Ayers perfectly summarizes what music is and who we are, as musicians. Music is a passionate expression of the soul, and it is important to not only respect your music, but respect the music that everyone around you makes. You absolutely have songs or genres that you don’t like, or maybe even you hate. Remember that someone else will think the exact same thing about your music, no matter how good you might be. Respect the music and the artist that is performing it. It’s one thing to offer constructive criticism to another artist, but there’s no need to walk around like your roses don’t smell like poo-poo and talking bad about another artist. Music is made by people and we are all humans in this precious world of ours. Respect your neighbors and communicate with each other. They might be working on some experimental styles that sound like crap on its own, but when played in proper context they’re the next Thom York. Put simply, be cool.
Schedule In Advance
To get the most out of your practice, one of the tips I recommend is to find a regular time to rehearse so that your bandmates can easily say “No” to other late-notice invitations. To take this one step further, it’s considered good etiquette to book your rehearsal as early as possible with the rehearsal facility. This gives not only your bandmates some peace of mind, but it also gives the rehearsal facility ample time to accommodate any special requests you might have. This is actually even more important in our post-pandemic world because most rehearsal studios have intentionally limited their availability.
B.Y.O.S.
Bring Your Own Sticks. Drum sticks can easily be forgotten, but you shouldn’t expect the rehearsal facility to provide you with any. Sticks are such a personal preference, much like guitar picks, that it’s nearly impossible to make sure each drummer has the sticks of their choice. Like a used rental car, they don’t have a very long life expectancy in the rental world. They’ll get dented, cracked, broken or simply turn into 1,000 little toothpicks! You might luck out if the facility sells them in the event you forget yours. We have a 24/7 Expendables Kiosk at The Music Box for just this reason.
Clean Up After Yourself
Most rehearsal facilities don’t mind if you bring some food or drinks for your session. But just like a public park, you are expected to clean up after yourself. I’ve seen some Hourly Studio sessions the next morning that were absolutely trashed; beer spilled on the rugs, cases of bottles overflowing in the trash can and empty boxes of pizza left to dissolve into thin air. We don’t charge extra cleaning fees or anything like that (though it’s crossed our minds!), but we do ask that if you bring an excessive amount of stuff in to simply put it in the dumpster outside. That seems like a fair agreement that accommodates the needs of both the musicians and the rehearsal facility. It’s a common courtesy that should extend to all parts of your life.
Mingle & Connect
Be prepared to socialize. One of my favorite aspects of a professional rehearsal studio is the people you get to meet. I hope that all musicians take advantage of the opportunity to talk shop with their peers. Creativity flows through the halls of rehearsal facilities like a chocolate river at Willy Wonka’s factory. Absorb the vibe by talking to other musicians. You never know where your next hit comes from.
Don’t Prop Doors Open
As tempting as it may be, don’t prop doors open for any length of time where you aren’t actually walking through the doorway. Many musicians have invested a lot into their equipment, and subsequently their careers, so it’s very disrespectful to leave a door propped open and all of their valuables vulnerable to an easy theft opportunity. Instead of loading your gear one piece at a time all the way into the studio, consider loading it to the door and then prop the door open while you load everything into the inside of the building. Once all your gear is inside the building then you can take it down the hall to your rehearsal room. Better yet, use a studio-provided cart to make it easier to load-in or out. Just remember, the gate to a castle is useless if it’s left open.
Don’t Share Your Code Or Key
In the security realm again, keep in mind that your key or access code is only for you. If you share it, be sure it’s within the guidelines of the rehearsal facility. When you book and pay for a rehearsal room, you are on the hook for any potential damages or theft caused by you or your guests. This makes you the de facto responsible one in the group. If you keep that in mind when distributing your key or access code and you’ll be just fine. Common sense works well here.
Break It Down, Build It Back
It is perfectly acceptable to move some gear around or customize a drum kit, but do your best to put the kit back as you found it so that the next musician has a good working kit or amp just like you did. Sometimes a particular setup can be complex, but you don’t have to get it perfect. It will probably be adjusted by the next artist anyways, so don’t stress it. The same goes for a PA system. Try to set the PA board to a standardized default setting, especially if you muted any primary inputs, have a PFL up, or have changed over any mic/line settings. Some artists can sing like an angel, but that doesn’t mean they can troubleshoot an Allen + Heath SQ-5.
Live & Breathe Music
If you have a monthly room or book a lot of sessions, remember that a professional rehearsal facility is a working professional space where working musicians are there to…well…work. It’s one thing to work a lot, but it’s another thing to fall asleep after a long session, or no session at all. You can live and breathe music, but don’t actually live there. Most rehearsal spaces have language in their lease that define what living on site is. Most will not allow a mattress, oversized couch or futon, for example. It puts a commercial establishment in a bad position if someone is using the space as a residence and can cause many legal issues with zoning and in other areas. Plan your sessions to allow for breaks and rest. You most definitely should NOT fall asleep in common areas or couches. I’ve seen this many times and it’s just not the professional thing to do.
Don’t Party
In what is likely the most predictable recommendation here, a professional rehearsal facility is much different than a bar or concert venue. Don’t expect to invite a ton of friends and fans to watch you practice or have over for a release party. At The Music Box, we make sure everyone knows that our facility is for essential musician personnel only. It’s ok to have one or two guests, but don’t send out invitations or have an unnecessarily large posse. Besides, it will get very crowded and uncomfortable very quickly. With all that said, it’s entirely possible that your facility would allow you to host a function of some kind. Just simply get permission so they can arrange proper staff presence and other details you might not be thinking about.
These basic rehearsal facility etiquette guidelines should get you up to speed on what to expect while you’re there. At the end of the day it’s important to know the rules of a professional rehearsal facility, but more so just use common sense and that should guide you to a successful session. Is there anything you try to do (or not do) at your rehearsal space? Let us know in the comments below.
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