New Band Rehearsal Studios

Teddyhandsome

Hi Guys!

I am looking to get some feedback based on the threads I have just been reading.

I currently have a Planning Permission Application in for a Six Room Rehearsal Studio to be located near Woodies on the Naas Road ie. not far from the Red Cow (near the LUAS stop). I am an Acoustic Consultant (working as same) who has specialised for the last twelve years in Soundproofing and am also a guitarist playing with a Rock Covers band presently.

The six rooms will be at least 10 x 20 feet each. Each room will have its reverberation time measured and calculated into the design to provide maximum absorption - reducing feedback (this will be done by me personally while designing the rooms for soundproofing).
Each room will have at least one wall mirrored so that some stage presence can be practiced and each room will be airconditioned, carpeted and heated.

I am presently looking at the types of PA, amps and kits for the rooms and have not made any decisions on specifics. As a musician I believe this is a very important decison for the studios - performance, quality and robustness etc...

But I also am thinking of this - As I am a guitar collector with a very substantial collection of guitars and amps, that I might bring a selection of same down particularly for people to be able to try out ie. Mesa Boogie Mk1 or Marshall JCM 2000 TSL 100 or Vetta Combo II? Try out different sounds etc...What do you think is it a good idea?

Carparking will be free and plentiful, with availability off street.

If I was to build it? Do you think that you might come? Let me know as I am gonna stick quite a few bob into it if I proceed.

I would like it to be a cut above everyting else I have just read in reviews on boards!!!

Thanks for your comments!!!!!!!!!!

Teddyhandsome

Biotech

Sounds like a cracking idea and Dublin really needs a few more decent rehearsal studios, I have no doubt if you get this up and running you'll be racking it in.

I for one would drive out that way to use a high quality rehearsal room.

Go for it man ya got my vote

unclebill98

Regardless of the gear you put into the room, it will be trashed over a few months.

I know your intentions is to provide very good gear, but if you aiming to steal some business of the studios in town then the client's are not going to respect high end gear.

Its just the way. I've been using studios in Dublin for over 10 years.

Dynacord/Studiomaster desks with EV plastic tops. SM58 if your lucky and decent mic stands. Trace Elliot combos and Marshall combos. Pearl Kits.

After 6 months..... Bass amps are busted when hired cause someone simple pushed them to hard. I ain't a guitarist but I seen many a cry trying to get anything out of the cabs. Desk have stuff stolen off them and most channels don't work. Mic stands, well they fail to stand and the mics smell of smoke/beer/sweet. The drums, are not longer drums. With year old heads and stands missing parts etc.

No piece of gear is "robust" enough to survive in this situation.

You business head will take over your musician's heart!!

Letting people try out your stuff is one thing. Thats nice and will always add a personal touch to your service.

But, what gear are you spec'in to the rooms in backline?

Are you going to provide snacks/drinks?

I would like to use a non Dublin city centre space, but there tend to be all the same in the end.... well after a while?

Lastly, whats the charge per session? Break down of room plus gear etc? Not sure if you can post that here due to charter rules. PM me.

feylya

Unclebill, I take it you haven't checked out Monster Music in Clonsilla. They're open about a year, each room has Marshall AVT amps, Line 6 bass amps and decent drum kits (can't remember the manufacturer) and the rooms are still immaculete.

Another place like Monster would be fantastic - show the other places what a studio should be like!

unclebill98

feylya wrote: »

Unclebill, I take it you haven't checked out Monster Music in Clonsilla. They're open about a year, each room has Marshall AVT amps, Line 6 bass amps and decent drum kits (can't remember the manufacturer) and the rooms are still immaculete.

Another place like Monster would be fantastic - show the other places what a studio should be like!

Your right, I've not

TBH with my current band, I don't use them that much. Maybe around 10 times a year. I just hate going into a stinky room with ****e gear.

Teddyhandsome

Thanks for the imput Guys. I will check out Monster Studios. In terms of backline I am not sure what types of amps etc...AVT would be good but Valves might give more trouble? Listened to a guy playing through a Marshall MG recently and it was great!!!

Obviously playing in the band I am going to take a lot of feedback from the other guys. But would be hoping to keep the place attened permanently, actually I have a pal who wants to do it (acomplised guitarist and bass player just started studying Sound Eng. too) so I think he might be just the man.

I think things like tea and coffee, vending machines etc... are great but how do you keep these kinds of things from crappying up the rooms? What would you prefer?? Spotless rooms with no eating areas or dirty rehearsal rooms with Mars bar remnants on the walls? Maybe I could try yo encorporate a chill out area / social area for eats and drinks etc?


Anyway let me know what your opinions are? Thanks!!!!

Teddyhandsome

Biotech

I'd have to agree with feylya Monster Music is really nice set-up alright .

The rooms are in perfect condition and the gear is in good nick the only problem is they don't do mid-week sessions anymore as it is used for their music school.
The problem with most of the well known studios in the city centre is they are old and people dont give a fuk goin into them because the gear is so rubbish.

I think if your having a sound engineer working for you it might be an idea to have the option where he could go in and set the levels of the Amps and P.A.
Could be an idea for younger bands or people who might not know how to get the best out of the gear.
Could work to keep the gear in good order.
I know from my experience when I first started in bands that you just went in cranked it up to 11 till your ears bled and blew the hell out of everything.

Having a seperate area for tea etc would be the best idea, they have one up in Rebel and its cool simple ideal just two big couches and vat of hot water all ya need is to bring your own biscuits and your sorted.

WetDaddy

Sounds like a great idea, good on you for having a crack at it.

I think one of the best things you could do for yourself would be to:

1. Take a credit card deposit off bands intending to us it. Or else just take the number down. This will at least deter some of the scroungers out there.
2. After each band finishes, allocate 15 mins between the next band starting. In this 15 mins, have a staff member run through a checklist on the room (check for pots missing off amps / desk, bad damage to the room, gear, furniture, etc.).
3. Finally, tell all bands that when they go in, if they find something wrong / damage, come down and tell you immediately.

I know that all sounds like obvious / naive advice, but I think it makes good sense. It's not going to save all of your equipment all the time, but it will certainly help. If you can enforce that kind of setup and still have friendly staff members and a nice environment, people won't mind helping you out.

Other suggestions I'd make would be:

1. Allow people to leave their gear set up and the room locked, for a different (lower) fee. For example, if a group want to practice on Monday and Wednesday, maybe charge them a lower rate for the Tuesday just to let their room be setup the way they left it.
2. Make sure there's some kind of halfway decent ventilation in the rooms. Your customers will thank you for it after 4 hours of jamming
3. It's probably impossible to do, but if there was any way you could get natural light into the room whilst keeping the soundproofing in tact, that too would be a big plus for the people stuck in the room for hours on end.
4. Again, this is another long shot, but if you decided to go for an online presence, you could incorporate the booking schedule onto your website. This would be easier for both you and the bands. No more repeated phone calls 5 minutes apart: "Do you have Monday free? No? Ok, hang on I'll check with the others and call back..."

Hope that's some help. Good luck!

Teddyhandsome

I have to say that I really like some of those ideas! I have had my own place to rehearse for the last six years so I haven't been into that many studios.

There are some real contradictions there though! Soundproofing and windows don't go together for the main, so natural light will be at a premium.

However; I think I have the ventilation system nailed.

Like the idea of credit cards or something for damage! I am afraid to make the place overly regimental but, I think if its friendly and keeps the place well? that the right sort of people will want to come there anyway.

A chill out area with Tea / Coffee and video games or something like that would be great, maybe then have a no food and drink policy in the rooms????

Please keep the ideas coming. If I get the planning permission it looks as though I will proceed. Of course, in the early stages I will probably be working there myself (as wel as doing the day job). But I think it could be worth it.

Have checked to see if the other rehearsal studios have planning permission and haven,t been able to find one that has yet. Maybe I should have just went ahead and built!!!

Anyway like I said keep the ideas coming!!! they are really useful!!!!!

Thanks.

Teddyhandsome

Rockshandy

Chill out area would be graet, and you really need to be on the ball with keeping the gear in line.

Rebel is the newest in dublin if i'm not mistaken, might be worth taking a trip down to have a look at the state of the gear, would give you an indication of how long it takes for gear to deteriate.

i'd reccomand sonor or mapex kits as an alternative to the pearl export standard as you can get some quality kits from sonor and mapex for a cheaper price.

word of warning, carry LOADS of replacement felts/wingnuts for drums, or make sure the drummers bring their own and charge for rental of the felts. i hate going into rehersals and putting my 200 euro crash onto a stand that has sticky 6 month old gaffa tape and no felt!!
retal of felts would solve this for ya.

checklists for the rooms and a stock list for what mic ect have gone in would be good. get those laminated cards and just have 1 for each room on the door that can be filled in over and over again (Save the tree's man!!)

for young bands get staff to go though how a PA works, take 30 mins for their first session to explain how everything works and how to treat amps with respect!!!

other than that i think you've the idea nailed man. best of luck with the venture, if i can think of anything else i'll post!!

Savman

Dublin needs more rehearsal facilities. It doesn't need more crap rehearsal facilities though. All points so far will help you not going down the typical dingy route, but ultimately it will be your management of the premises that decides the level of your clientele.

Forget the Credit Card booking, I wouldn't go near that in a million years. Cancellations are par for the course unfortunately.

Interested to see/hear how the plans progress.

WetDaddy

Savman wrote: »

Dublin needs more rehearsal facilities. It doesn't need more crap rehearsal facilities though. All points so far will help you not going down the typical dingy route, but ultimately it will be your management of the premises that decides the level of your clientele.

Couldn't agree with this more. If you look after the place, keep it a pleasant place to rehearse with good, working facilities and approachable staff, then your customers (who can) will make the extra effort to practice in your rehearsal studio above anywhere else.*

Savman wrote: »

Forget the Credit Card booking, I wouldn't go near that in a million years.

I don't see why you should be against this as long as you don't do ONLY credit card bookings. However, for the record, I was only referring to taking a credit card number... Just as a security deterrant of "We can't break all his stuff and then f**k off and not come back, cos he has our / my / my parents' credit card number".





* = That's a really, really disgusting sentence. My apologies!

unclebill98

Having a CC number is one thing. Using it without the signature of the cardholder is another. Means nothing in the way of security.

Teddyhandsome

Ok Guys!

I am seeing one major concern here so and that is how to protect the gear?

Credit card would certainly help! Maybe there would have to be terms and conditions for use of the rooms????? inspections before and after each session???

Definitely I didn't know about drum parts going missing. I think I have to go and rehearse in a few of these places quickly to see whats really going on!!

Colour coded rooms with colour coded equipment, mics etc...? Handed out and received back at the end of each session?


You guys area wealth of knowledge so keep the thoughts coming!

I really want to do this but don't want the place to end up a ****hole and lose interest because its being disrespected. So have to find ways to protect my investment and yet keep it pleasant.


Thanks

Teddyhandsome

Savman

In fairness, if you weren't aware of things like drum bits being pilfered, then you really haven't done the necessary homework to justify launching into this as a serious business. Unless you have a truck load of money to throw at it, you should re-think your strategy. There are 2 possible outcomes here, a) your venture is a success and displaces the competition by stealing clients or b) your business falls flat on its face

Odds are you will end up in the latter category. However you should visit the Business Management forum and post up your plans and be prepared to answer some difficult non-music related questions. One thing I hear often is that the three main factors in a successful business is location, location, location. Planting yourself up out on the Naas Road means you wont get the kids using your facility because frankly you are off the beaten track.

The city could do with more rehearsal options, but not more of the same please. Just my 2c.

PaulBrewer

Best of Luck, Chap!

I think your unique selling point is going to be the fact your rooms should sound good.

A lot of gigging only Musos may have never rehearsed in a good sounding room. It really makes a difference to the enjoyability of the process.

If there's anything I can do to help let me know.

Teddyhandsome

Thanks for that advice Savman, I appreciate your opinion and concern!

I have run / own successful companies for the last 15 years, built with my own money from the ground up. I am very quick to commercially adapt to situations and I am specifically on this forum to obtain the best and the worst of what I might get into with regard to rehearsal rooms. In other words to hear what real musicians might want from a place and what they might put up with in order to get it!

I have thought quite a bit about the location aspect. The property in question is 5 mins walk from the LUAS line and 10 mins walk from Ballyfermot college Rockschool. The location has easy access off the M50 and Naas Road, being near Red Cow etc... so I believe it to be a good spot. Infact I was thinking that the location might put off the type of Clientele you mention who like to pilfer etc...

Room acoustics in the place will be second to none guaranteeably! I believe that this along with other provisons as discussed previously will bring the right type of Musos! However, you can never protect against theft completely! But surely it can be minimised?

Thanks again!

Teddyhandsome

crosstownk

Sounds like a great idea! So many rehearsal studios are so dilapidated and have only basic equipment. It would be nice to see a 'quality' version more available at an affordable, value for money price.

Teddyhandsome

Nice name Crosstown K dude, Hows it going???

marktaaffe

Hi was just wondering about this new studio, I am a sound engineer and live local to your proposed site. Would be be looking for an engineer or is it just rehearsal space? email me n we can have a chat,

Mark

WetDaddy

I just thought of one more aspect you might want to consider (if you haven't done so already!)... Would you be adverse to selling the likes of strings, plecs, sticks, felts / wingnuts (if necessary), guitar straps (arriving at rehearsal for 5 hours with no strap can be a real pain!), leads / patch leads, etc.?

The rehearsal rooms in town often have the benefit of "Oh, I'll just pop up to Music Maker / over to Waltons and grab some strings", but given your location that mightn't be an option.

Just an(other!) idea