Where to rehearse?!?

[Aqualung60]

Does Ottowa have a mill district? Like, an old, not fully operational mill district? Around here, a lot of the older mills & warehouses have become "studio spaces" for various artistic endeavors, sliced up and rented out not too dear. Make sure that the one you select is not going to renege if you go play music there. On the other hand, do select something slightly above the "and homeless folks are breaking in and living down the hall" level of cheap and decaying. You want a dry roof and reasonably secure.

Or, if there's an excess of office space, sometimes that can be had at reasonable cost, and if your hours and the office hours of the places around you don't overlap...or you go with the headphone/IEM practice setup...no problem.

In a market where all space is tight, it's just plain expensive, no two ways about it.

+This. Sometimes you have to think out of the box when it comes to finding rehearsal space. There is a small airport not too far from me that shut down but leases out storage buildings and small hangars for rehearsal spaces.

 

[fnp5150]

I live in Georgia so I admit that rent is cheap, but I'm going a different direction. A couple guys and myself are looking at renting an older, smaller single family home. We would have a large living room, bathroom, and kitchen for rehearsel, super convenient. We then have 2 bedrooms that we can use for storage, instead of renting a storage unit. Bonus: we have a front porch for drinks and smokes plus parking!

 

[Frank77]

IME rent-by-the-hour studios with a full backline is the absolute best way to go. You optimize your rehearsal time by not having to spend forever taking countless trips to your cars, then setting up the drum kit (drummer typically only has to bring his cymbals and snare) / Mixer / PA / Mics. You just show up, tune, plug in, play, pay, leave. Makes rehearsal easily doable even on a weeknight (which frees up your weekend for other things), and it's not that expensive. Plus, when compared to a "permanent" space you typically only visit once a week, you never have to worry about having your sh!t stolen. Nothing but win.

There's several places like this in Montréal, it can't be much different in Ottawa.

 

[Luciferiad]

I'd rent you my basement, but you're north of the 49th, and that's a bit of a commute.

+1 on the drummer's place. His neighbors probably already hate him.

 

[FenderB]

Get a drummer that can rehearse at his place. The rest of us have amps with volume knobs but if one wishes to stay fresh with the drums.... they need a home that allows for it... or a rehearsal space. Either way.. follow the drummer.

Finally, a need for a drummer.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

So, I've got a band, but no place to rehearse. I won't go into details.

We've contacted a guy on kijiji who had a small studio. We asked him if we can rehearse in his place (for a fee obviously).

He raised the price and told us no.

So, we don't know what to do. There aren't any jam rooms nearby.

Sorry of this is badly written, I'm multitasking as I'm writing this.

I’ve known several band that rehearse in storage lockers. Although it’s somewhat loud, and could be cramped, the good new is gear is secure when you leave, and no steps to climb or halls to negotiate.

 

[pbassjbass]

That's why we play bar gigs. Share the tunes, rehearse acoustically, if you must, play the gig.

 

[Member8675309]

I live in Georgia so I admit that rent is cheap, but I'm going a different direction. A couple guys and myself are looking at renting an older, smaller single family home. We would have a large living room, bathroom, and kitchen for rehearsel, super convenient. We then have 2 bedrooms that we can use for storage, instead of renting a storage unit. Bonus: we have a front porch for drinks and smokes plus parking!

The Band did something very similar. Another bonus is you can keep some gear there, and you can maybe get a few pallets together for the drummer to sleep on.

 

[five7]

Time to move to somewhere you can rehearse if there is no other way around it. I have lived in many a warehouse and practiced in tiny rooms in a house that we insulated to keep the neighbors off our backs. Or try a jamhub with an electronic kit.

 

[LowActionHero]

I let a friend's band use my basement, where my band used to practice. It cost em 2 t-shirts, (they were awesome, my wife was also a fan). If you know any other musicians, ask em, maybe they have a spot you can use, maybe split their rent with them, or at least some leads on where else to check.

 

[mongo2]

Early on we did the classic garages/basements at the homes of band members and friends. One band I was in rehearsed in a defunct chicken coop. Another in a room up a very long flight of stairs at the back of a hanger at a small local airport. Getting gear up that flight of stairs was a challenge. Yet another band rehearsed in a mostly empty storeroom above an office at a small strip mall. For the last 35+ years we've used our own homes and occasionally rent time at local studios.

My sons' various bands have rehearsed at our house and the homes of band members and friends...and the cycle repeats.

 

[SteveHeissner]

A garage or a basement, eh?

 

[Oleg BassPlayer]

So, I've got a band, but no place to rehearse. I won't go into details.

We've contacted a guy on kijiji who had a small studio. We asked him if we can rehearse in his place (for a fee obviously).

He raised the price and told us no.

So, we don't know what to do. There aren't any jam rooms nearby.

Sorry of this is badly written, I'm multitasking as I'm writing this.

I'm pretty sure there must be rehearsal spaces for hourly rental.
Google Maps

 

[bassliner50]

Local "pay by the hour" rehearsal studios stink (literally of beer, mold and urine). Cramped, loud (you can hear Led Zep coming from the adjacent room.) Expensive. Literally pay to play. Better to devote space from someones household. Bring the wife flowers to help her comply.

 

[eriky4003]

Felken,
Please PM me. We rent a spot around Steve's Music. Through the drummer in my band I can put you in contact with our landlord. If not, there's a place on Colonnade Rd., another on Canotek Rd. and one at Carling & the Queensway (by the Cdn Tire).

 

[JRA]

He raised the price and told us no.

 

[MD]

Finally, a need for a drummer.

Nah... fire the drummer, rehearse in the living room.

 

[AcridSaint]

For less than two months rent on a place like that you could get a full headphone practice setup.
Electronic kit, jamhub, amp sims, headphones. Silent full band practice anywhere.

Otherwise, Mordbass has it right. Go where the drummer is already practicing. If he or she isn't practicing, get a different drummer.

I basically agree with this, but I'd amend it to say "nearly silent". We did this before in a drummer's apartment and he still got complaints hitting the electronic kit too hard.

 

[Sixgunn]

So, I've got a band, but no place to rehearse. I won't go into details.

We've contacted a guy on kijiji who had a small studio. We asked him if we can rehearse in his place (for a fee obviously).

He raised the price and told us no.

So, we don't know what to do. There aren't any jam rooms nearby.

Sorry of this is badly written, I'm multitasking as I'm writing this.

He raised the price on a place you can't practice in? ......scratches head......

 

[jaymelewis]

Go ask at the local music stores - they should know who's renting rehearsal space .

+1 for this. Or music schools.