The economic significance of music rehearsal spaces goes unnoticed, but they offer useful meeting places with far reaching benefits.
Day in, day out musicians meet in practice rooms to hone their group music-making. It is only when musicians join together and book a rehearsal space does it become a social act and does it have wider economic and social implications.
A space where amateurs and professionals can exchange ideas and practice potentially has far reaching social, economic and artistic benefits.
The Creative Economy Programme Working Group found: "Key is the facilitation of ownership for these workers – allowing them to imprint their identity on the space so they can inhabit it on their own terms. The most successful spaces of convergence and connectivity successfully broker new business relationships through the informal and exploratory ambiance they allow to flourish" (p.9).
Trends are already showing that in the coming decades more money will be spent by those over 40 on leisure and recreation where music-making will come to play a huge role: "Successful creative individuals never stop learning and learn informally: the cultural and creative infrastructure needs to reflect this. Much of the knowledge and skills required by creative individuals is best delivered informally or non-formally. This is as true of individuals at the start of their careers as it is of somebody seeking to set up their own business" (p.29, Creative Economy Programme, 2011).
How Popular Musicians Learn
Lucy Green's study of popular musicians in her book How Popular Musicians Learn found none of the eleven professional and semi-professional popular musicians she questioned in her research had gained a single qualification in music before they became professionals (Green, p. 145). Green elaborates on the cultural values and practices of the fledgling popular musicians wrapped up in the term 'informal music education'.
In 2005, a UK government initiative came to define informal music as that which "happens when... people organise and lead themselves" (Rogers, p.7). There exists little data as to where such informal music happens.
Access to space
As we seen the decline in the role of the record company and the rise in value of intellectual property, the premium for physical spaces where music-makers bring music to life, whether it be a rehearsal before a live performance, professional recording or for pleasure, will increase.
Artists will increasingly need access to high quality spaces as the monetary value of land and buildings grow. Such spaces can be anywhere but technologically advanced to enable musicians to trade directly with consumers. However, the financial viability of such spaces will necessitate their proximity to significant population centres with good road/physical access.
There are obviously social and politcial issues to do with access, to be considered by policy makers, public funders and town planners. Policies of access to facilities is of great importance in terms of cultural production, representation and identity.
The music space represents an opportunity to support practical, continued and mass involvement in music-making on terms comfortable to participants of all ages and abilities. Such spaces could potentially make explicit a hub of progression opportunities from grassroots informal music-making, through artist development to international stardom.
Much of this work hinges on leaders with knowledge of the local area who should be engaged at the earliest opportunity.
Venues need people to buy tickets. Audiences won't come unless they get a good rehearsed show. Starting with a high quality rehearsal space should at least give the band a good opportunity to perfect their sound and performance. If the band puts on a good show then they are likely to increase the size of their audiences, therefore impressing the promoter. And the circle continues....
References
Lucy Green - How Popular Musicians Learn (2001, Routledge)
Rick Rogers - Music Manifesto Report No. 1 (2005, Department of Further Education & Skills and Department of Culture, Media & Sport)
Comments