Moving out of house = no more studio?

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stevebozz
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Moving out of house = no more studio?

Post by stevebozz » Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:07 pm

I live with my 2 bandmates, together we've put together a nice home studio that I'm proud to call my own. We live in a 3 story rowhome in Philadelphia, rent is affordable and we've got tolerant neighbords, etc. etc.

Lease is up at the end of May. One guy wants to move out and now the other one is unsure. I'm really concerned about what would happen if I was on my own, in order to keep a studio together. I can't afford to keep a house by myself, but I really want a space I can record full bands, especially a place to play and record drums.

So what's a guy to do? Anyone else met a situation like this? Some obvious answers I've come across seem unlikely.. I couldn't afford to have a seperate space (nevermind the inconvenience of that.. or maybe it's a benefit to have it seperate) and the other is to get new roommates who are hip to having loud music/studio in their house.

Not to mention the impact on the band -- if we all move into apartments, where the hell are we going to play? I don't feel comfortable about everyone chipping in for a space, etc. So it puts the burden back on me to maintain a space so we can practice.

It's been on my mind all week and I needed to vent.. but I'm also looking for answers here too. thanks.
Steve

-- Chief City Recordings | www.chiefcity.com
-- BOZZmedia | www.bozz1.com

thethingwiththestuff
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Post by thethingwiththestuff » Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:29 pm

hey man..i guess we played the khyber together a couple weeks ago. don't freak!

i left a house in south philly in october....needed to get out of debt, sucked it up and moved my shit back to my parents'. i spend most of my time at my girlfriend's new place in south philly. the old house had a finished basement with a second bathroom (reverb chamber!) and i was able to practice alone, with a band, and record full bands in it. it took some manipulation, but it worked. now i trek back to fucking jersey every monday for practice, but i happened to luck out and work on a project with two friends that we've been doing mostly out of one of their houses.

you may not have your own space, but that certainly doesn't mean you can't record. figure out a way to be mobile, or maybe start a relationship with some established studios that you can work out of.

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Brett Siler
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Post by Brett Siler » Wed Apr 12, 2006 6:23 pm

Hey man, i am in a somewhat similar situation where I am moving out and need to find a new place to put all my recording equiptment and have a recording space. Some friends are interested in moving in with me and all that, one even offered a place to stay that is $500 a person, which is a bit out of my range but I don't know if I can't find a place then I might go with that.

No advice, but I can relate. Good luck with everything man.

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Jeff White
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Post by Jeff White » Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:24 pm

I'm in a similar situation as well. Been living in an apartment in Palmyra, NJ with a kick-ass live room for amps, vocals, etc in the attic for the past three years. I lost my job due to a general lay-off back in early March, my roommate is moving out and getting married this summer, and my landlord just informed me that the rent is going up August 1st by $150. I definitely can't swing the full price on my own, and the landlord wants a lease signed for a year (I've been month to month for the past two yrs) in two weeks if I am going to stay. And to top it off, I've decided to go back to school for a second degree in computer science (my first is in Music technology with Emphasis in Recording). I may be moving back home as well. Bye Bye studio space. :(

Hey stevebozz, I'd offer to meet up and see if we gel. Always good to pile gear together. Ashame I don't have a job right now!

Jeff

stevebozz
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Post by stevebozz » Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:07 am

thanks for the advice.. i'm thinking of just getting new roommates and tryin to stick with it.. i've been envisioning craigslist posts in my sleep --

MUSICIAN FRIENDLY HOUSE IN SOUTH PHILLY -- $400/mo 4th and Wharton, Must be down with loud music, playing music, recording music in the house studio, down with cleaning up after yourself, big party once every 2 months, cooks and bicyclists a plus.

Studio: 24x4 Soundcraft 200B / Logic 5 and the funness with that
Control room on second floor, rehearsal/recording space in basement. Neighbors are cool with us playing during the day and we pull off late night jams here and there. Drum set on premises. You can walk to South street, bla bla bla.

If either of you Philly guys are interested I'd be up for getting together to talk about it -- still trying to figure out whether i'm trying to find one roommate or two.
Steve

-- Chief City Recordings | www.chiefcity.com
-- BOZZmedia | www.bozz1.com

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trodden
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Post by trodden » Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:26 pm

I would move into your place. Sounds like a fun house. I'm sure you'll find like minded people to take place of the current roommates.

jhg
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aaaaah, craigslist roomate, losing the studio, et al.

Post by jhg » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:31 pm

Here's my two faced answer: keep the place, just make for ABSOLUTLEY FUCKING SURE the new folks are cool. On one level: not going to steal(or move without thinking of reality of situation) shit, even small stuff- ie in x/six months(for example) down the line when you looking for that 1/4" unbalanced to XLR cable that was hung in the same place, in case in was needed-I swear, this is one of a great deal of circumstances along this line, not: a single I hate this dude kinda thing - Really, I guess what I've learned from this sort of situation, and I'd love for others to not have to encounter the crap I have: Someone quite impressed with studio goings-on is much less likely to mess with gear than someone who like to think they know, but many issues escape them, things like ribbon mics and 48v, etc. It's tough to tell with craigslist roomates, I guess that's all I really have to say. I have some hilarious(in retrospect) tales.

Blah, blah blah.

jhg

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seaneldon
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Post by seaneldon » Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:19 pm

when my last lease was up, i sold all of the gear to the other guys i was with, and now im at another place, and have nothing to do with paying rent. i just record bands there. it's awesome.

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