Storage Unit Rehearsal Place
Your daughter and her buddies finally got a band together. Maybe they've even played a few gigs, but they need to rehearse, and you realize that finding a space where countless hours of hard-rocking noise is welcomed is hard to come by. Your neighbors have made it clear, they won't allow it on your block.
Storage units may be an option, but artists need to be aware of the limitations and regulations that define how this space can be used. Not all facilities will allow on-site jam sessions. Check with management first. If they allow it, will neighbors complain, or is the facility private enough to offer creative freedom for your screaming guitar without the nuisance of police intervention? If the facility's management allows you to rehearse there, will your budding songstress be surrounded by a lot of other musicians taking advantage of the policy? Visit the place to see if you want your daughter hanging out with the people who rehearse there. Find out if the building has been coded by the city or county as rehearsal space or if it would be unsafe for anyone to spend extended amounts of time there.
Ideally, look for a professionally run rehearsal facility where management clearly understands the unique needs of musicians. Storage units should be overseen by professionals. Carefully look through the facility. Are alarm systems manned by professionals who will take immediate action? Is the security guard half-asleep, or could he effectively stop a crime in progress. Is the owner a buddy who would rather join the music than stand up to those engaged in inappropriate behavior, or is he absent when he should be on duty?
If you are going to store your musical equipment in the storage unit, here are a few tips:
- Lock the unit securely with a sturdy lock. Check with the experts at your storage facility for the most effective kind.
- Seek out a clean, climate-controlled facility to help keep your equipment in the best working condition. If the band can practice there, you don't want sweltering temperatures.
- Find a facility with the type of on-site security that has a vested interest in keeping looters out. A security camera may help find the thief who stole your equipment in the long run, but that doesn't mean you will get your equipment back, especially in time for the next paying gig.
- Is the space you need for your equipment large enough for rehearsing?
- Limit access. If your band mate can get in, can his brother or cousin?
- Will sound insulation allow you to rehearse while others are in the facility?
- When choosing a location, try to stay close to major highways for quick commutes. Keep away from a locale that requires band members to take a circuitous route through a bad neighborhood.
- Get insurance. Musical equipment is a hot commodity. Losing it can stop your professional career in its tracks. Make sure you can replace it if is damaged or stolen.
