Ten reasons for using a music rehearsal space

Roger Tichborne recalls the beginning of Mill Hill Music Complex in London.

Mill Hill Studios started in 1979 as a musicians collective. At the time there was nowhere to rehearse in our area of north London. We were all still at school so didn’t own cars. Having somewhere we could rent and leave our gear was a major benefit.

Dav Davies in the derelict cottage

Our first rehearsal room was a derelict caretaker's cottage, the plaster was falling off the walls and we hung up old curtains to deaden the room a bit. Our band shared our gear with two other bands so we could leave it set up at the studios. We didn’t own a PA system and the drum kit was constantly falling apart. Often rehearsals would end early when a string, drumstick or drum head broke.

I recall one rehearsal before an important gig when our vocalist knocked over the mic stand breaking the mic. It meant we couldn’t rehearse properly for the gig. It was a great time and part of the journey, but in truth it wasn’t productive. We spent more time chatting than playing because there was no incentive to get on with it.

As the studio evolved, we began stockpiling spare equipment. We realised if equipment failed before a key gig, it meant we could continue our rehearsal session. So we set up our studios to be as robust and resilient as possible.

Director, Clare Harrison, who has worked at the studio since 1994, said: "We began charging customers in 1979, more or less as soon as the studio started. We rented sessions to bands when members of the collective were not using it to cover costs. We calculated our prices based on covering our running costs and paying someone to open and close up."

One Saturday night, our band was booked for a local club. The support band was also a studio customer. Members made a passing comment that since they had used the studios, rehearsals had become productive and opportunities had come their way. They had previously been ‘jamming' in a mate’s garage until the noise complaints became a problem. This got me thinking. Could I run a professional rehearsal space?

Peachstone

Bingo! Ten reasons for using a music rehearsal space:

1. No noise complaints from the neighbours, just as your band is getting going

   
   

2. No need to lug your gear to the studio or worry about gear failure - a PA system and backline is available

   
   

3. Break a string, drumstick or lose your plectrum. No problem, you can get another one

   
   

4. Rooms should have some sort of acoustic treatment to get a good sound

   
   

5. Good studios should have spare equipment, so if something fails it can be swapped out immediately

   
   

6. Good studios have a noticeboard, so if a band member quits, a replacement is easily found

   
   

7. Good studios have cafe/reception areas to allow musicians to network and exchange information

   
   

8. Paying for a rehearsal session shows commitment to the project and an intention to be productive

   
   

9. A good studio can offer help and advice on the local music scene, gigs and places to avoid

   
   

10. Good studios have a history. When you use them, you become part of the story.
    

Mill Hill Music Complex

Since then, the studio complex has grown to house 17 multi-purpose studios, including a long-term rehearsal residency with The Damned who have been there since the mid 1990s. Clare continued: "Rooms now have different lighting, different levels and types of sound insulation. Some have minimal sound deadening, some are very dry, because different artists prefer different sounds."

If you use a professional studio, you will be productive from the moment you walk in the door until you walk out. Equipment will work, you’ll be able to hear each other and you will feel inspired by being part of the story!

Not bad for a studio with humble beginnings. Clare finished: "Amy Winehouse started with us a year or two before she was signed and we recorded early demos with her. She had booked time to record with us in the September of the year she passed away."

This article is an abridged version of a blog written by Roger Tichborne which can be found here. To find out more about the illustrious history of London's Mill Hill Music Complex go here.