Survey 2022 - UK Music Rehearsal Spaces

Bandspace carried out a survey of music rehearsal spaces in early 2022. The questions were based on a similar survey undertaken in 2016. We were able to make comparisons between the two surveys and reveal any trends. The 2016 survey results can be found here.

We suggest our findings should be seen in the context of a local ecology determining the nature of a music rehearsal space. That is to say, each space is unique, often determined by its users, available buildings, income streams and other variables. Therefore, drawing comparisons between individual music rehearsal spaces should be carefully considered. The findings offer a generalised overview of the UK’s independent music rehearsal space sector.

Apollo Audio Hertford

Results

We asked two questions receiving 50 responses from music rehearsal spaces, representing around 12.5% of the UK’s network of independent music rehearsal spaces. Although we urge caution in drawing too firm a conclusion from our findings, they nonetheless provide a starting point for further research.

1. Roughly, what is the end purpose of musicians using your music rehearsal space?

end purpose of musicians using a music rehearsal space

The results suggest half the groups were using an hourly/session practice room in preparation to perform local gigs. One fifth were making music for ‘fun’ with friends. A smaller number were rehearsing prior to recording and touring.

Of course, there are exceptions where perhaps a small number of spaces may specialise in professional tour pre-production, residencies and lockouts. There was little change in the response to the same question given by music rehearsal spaces in 2016.

We conclude the findings suggest most musicians using music rehearsal spaces in the UK are likely to be semi-professional or amateur. If this is indeed the case, it is likely the existence of the adhoc and independent network of music rehearsal spaces in the UK is dependent on the personal incomes of musicians.

Income derived from professional music touring or recording plays a small part in their ecology.

Preparing to play local gigs	​Bunch of mates doing it for fun	​Rehearsal prior to recording	​Pre-production prior to touring	​Other purpose
50%	20%	14%	12%	4%

2. Generally speaking, how do musicians book your music practice room?

how musicians book a music practice room

Over two fifths of music rehearsal spaces reported they received bookings to their practice rooms using online sources. One third of respondents said musicians used a phone to book a room. A quarter of musicians booked a room using email, visiting and other ways.

We predicted in 2016 those using online booking would increase. The results of this survey confirm this has been the case. The increase in online booking suggests musicians welcome the ease by which they can book a practice room and managing room bookings.

Along with these questions, and new to our survey, we asked what music rehearsal spaces would like to see in future questionnaires. There was much interest amongst respondents to this question.

Online	Phone	Email	Visit	Other booking
42%	33%	14%	6%	5%

We thank those spaces who offered a range of useful suggestions which will be considered for inclusion in a subsequent survey. They can be summarised in the following way:

• On average how many cancellations or no shows do you receive per week?

• Estimate how many bands rehearse per room each week and what percentage are block bookings?

• How do you think users find out about your rehearsal space?

• In your opinion what are the biggest challenges in running a music rehearsal space?

New Cut Studios

Conclusion

Lifestyles have become more online, perhaps hastened by the recent global pandemic and greater availability of fast internet. This suggests the growing importance music rehearsal spaces maintain an interactive website for enquiries and the regular use of social media to attract new users.

Those participating directly in music-making draw inspiration by creating and rehearsing in a music ensemble. This can be taken further. Our findings suggest a music rehearsal space provides an accessible means to create leisure opportunities for its local community through the supply and marketing of music performances in local venues.

Further work is needed to explore how these findings can be developed to promote the use of music rehearsal spaces benefiting local communities through music participation, mental well-being and community cohesion. This line of investigation would also suggest a re-evaluation of how local and national tax regimes to do with music rehearsal spaces could fall in line with similar leisure facilities such as sport centres.

Methodology

We announced the survey on the Bandspace website on 27 January 2022. The survey lasted one month, closing on 25 February.

One bulk email was dropped to 556 email addresses on the Bandspace database, including 404 known music rehearsal spaces in the UK. 280 of these emails were opened representing an open rate of 50%. Online sources suggest a good email open rate should be between 17-28%. We therefore conclude the email open rate to the survey was very good.

We made a number of posts on the Bandspace social media pages to promote the survey to music rehearsal spaces. We made 11 Facebook post adverts (27, 28 & 29 Jan & 1, 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 18, 20 Feb) on the Bandspace Facebook page, and a smaller number of similar posts on the Facebook AIRRS group page and the Bandspace Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Dog House Music Studios

Respondents were asked to estimate the percentage proportions in their answer to each question. The percentage results were aggregated and divided by the number of respondents for each question to give a mean average. Answers to these questions were reliant on estimates given by the music rehearsal spaces, rather than directly canvassing musicians using or intending to use a practice room.

Respondents

We appreciate the contributions to help us complete the 2022 Bandspace Survey from the following 50 music rehearsal spaces.

13 Sound Studios	Hot Jam Studios	Sound Gallery Studios
Africa Studios	Jam on Top	Sound Inc
Apollo Audio Hertford	K Town Studios	Soundspace Studios
Aspect Studios	KJM Studios	Stage 2 Studios
Bad Habit Rehearsal Rooms	Maple Studios	Stalkers Studio
Bally Studios	Mill Hill Music Complex	Supanova Studios
Base Studios	Milltown Studios	Swervjam
Brick Lane Studios	New Cut Studios	Terminal Studios
Brixton Hill Studios	One Louder Studios	The Bunker Sunderland
Brunswick Mill Studios	Practice Sheffield	The Cabin Rehearsal Rooms
Cherry Tree Rehearsal Studios	Pure Rehearsal Studios	The Music Shed
Dog House Music Studios	Purple Pro Audio	The Rehearsal Rooms
DS Studios Whitburn	Rewind Rehearsal Rooms	Uprawr Studios
Elements Studios	Robanna Studios	Venombase
Farm Factory Studios	RPM Studios	​Vibrations Studios
Good Vibrations	Silent Hill Studios	Zebra Express Studios
Greenbank Music Village	Sort Rehearsal Rooms