We're in the process of moving and since I was a kid in my parents home I've always had a basement (todays hip term, "Man Cave") to store my stuff and practice in, either alone or with other musicians. Crank it up sometimes and drive my parents and now my wife a bit to the edge. Seems like the future is going to be vastly different for me. No basement in the new home and lots less square footage. I'm planning on a small climate controlled studio in the garage but thats a long way and $$$ away.
So where do you guys do your practicing/storing stuff?


Bill in NJ

I have my 6 foot Yamaha grand in my living room. All of my electronic stuff is in my studio on the second floor. While I love my grand for just playing and playing, I also love my studio for what I'm able to do with all of the things at my command. It's a best of both worlds scenario.

JOe

In my case I have a walk-out, finished basement, which has 5 rooms. My office, which I guess some folks refer to as a studio, measures about 12' X 15' and I have a 6' X 8' adjoining room which is where I store my spares and entertainment clothing. One day, when I clean the junk out of my office, I'll shoot some photos and post them.

Cheers,

Gary

practice what's that?.. I'm always working... Lol

The backyard patio/pourch has been converted to a room. I have my drum set,congas, bongos, timbales, marimba, a shelf full of smaller percussion, my keyboard and PA. Sometimes we have full band rehersals. It a great room and I'm very thankful I have a great place to practice. I just wish I had more time to enjoy it. Maybe when I retire....

Practice?? I don't need no stinkin' Practice!
Seriously, I have an entire room dedicated to my computers and musical gear. My wife works all day and I work at night, of course, so I don't bother anybody when I crank something up.
I haven't practiced per se in years, but I do learn new songs, so I guess you could call that practice. On slow nights at work I experiment with new styles and licks. Sometimes I play songs in keys that are more difficult than those I generally use, just to get comfortable in those keys in case I ever HAVE to use them. I also will experiment with different styles than I would normally use for a particular song.
Most of the time though, I could sleepwalk through the night, as far as playing the songs. I try not to let the audience see this though. They think that what I do is HARD!
With headphones, all you really need is room to set up the keyboard somewhere.
DonM

My house is quite large, so I only use the downstairs...upstairs rooms are for storage and stuff I rarely use.

My large living room is also my bedroom, with bed in the middle, plus, in one corner I have my custom built desktop computer, and right next to it are the Tyros4 with a Yamaha MS60S powered monitor on either side of it...in another corner is a flat screen TV with a PlayStation 2 (running Gran Turismo 4) and Logitech G-25 wheel and pedals permanently hooked up on a special table in front of it.

So basically, mostly everything happens in this room. There is a large kitchen, and a large bath/shower/wardrobe room that flank the living room.

Because I choose to live alone, I haven't kept regular hours in many years...most times, I'm up all night, either on the Tyros4 practising new tunes, doing new styles and arrangements, or, I'm on-line (or on the phone) helping clients with their various keyboards...or, I'm enjoying the diversion of my Playstation 2 and the GT4 driving sim.

I generally go to bed around 3:00 or 4:00 AM...my sleep habits are not the norm, meaning I sleep for a few hours, then get up and work or practise a few hours...this goes on throughout the day and evening, plus I do some chores, some grocery shopping, and, of course, get my meals.

I'd say, my average practise/work time is at least several hours a day, and the only time that changes, is when I'm on the road doing clinics and demos.

It's a pretty laid back lifestyle, and I like it that way.

Ian

Enjoyed reading your answers and I'm sorry if I scared some of you with the word "practice" HA! I really didn't mean going through the Hanon book but trying new songs, styles, etc, that most of you do like I do. And cranking up the system to see if the "bass is just right"! Then again if I had a Yamaha Baby Grand- wow. Just sold my bueatiful 54" studio upright to a college and it looks like I'll not be getting a real piano again. Still trying to sell the B3-its mint and deserves a good home.
Trying to simplify my setup to three things. A weighted keyboard for real playing, an arranger for solo gigs, and a organ/piano setup for band type stuff. Lots of options but I'm waiting on Fran's report for the BK7M. That would solve a lot.
A walkout basement or attached room sounds great but not part of this new house. And taking one of the small rooms is out of the question, just not enough living space to do that. So it looks like my garage idea is the only way to go.

Damn ,at my age I'm going back to my teen years of being in a "Garage Band" Anyone got the lyrics to Louie Louie !

Bill in NJ

Similar to DNJ and DonM, I don't sit at the keyboard and practice songs I already know, but instead, my spare time at the keyboard in the office is spent learning new songs and making changes to those I already know. Over these many years I've tried to learn at least one new song per week, which I believe is a noteworthy goal. Not only does it help sharpen your skills, it also allows you to broaden your musical horizons. This week is Saint Patrick's Day parties--non-stop! The first one was yesterday and the final one is Friday. It's the highest demand holiday other than the month of December, which is non-stop Christmas parties.

Obviously, you get tired of playing the same dozen or so, traditional Irish tunes, Danny Boy, When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, Irish Lullaby, etc... So when Eddie (btweengigs) Shoemaker sent me a link to a novelty tune called The Drunken Scotsman I decided to learn it. It took a couple hours to get the lyrics down and select the right style, but it's a fun tune to sing. I'm not sure how the audiences will react, though. I tried it last night, but the audience seemed indifferent to it. I'd like to read your opinions.



Cheers,

Gary

I grab a few minutes here and there. I have a guitar, amp and piano in my office. In the back of my warehouse, I have a full set-up: PA, M-3, Clavinova, guitars, drums, etc. The trio practices there, as does a duo my son is part of and the players we use for film scores. Upstairs (the private area where only guys like UD, Rory and Jim (Zuki) have been), there are over 150 instruments, including two necked mandolins, 3 neck guitars, an accordion, lap and pedal steels, banjos and, of course, lots of guitars.

At home, we have antique but quite playable guitars on the walls of three rooms, another Clavinova in the front room, an upright bass in the den, along with a small restored 1832 Edwin W. Powers vaudville piano out of the local Opera House.

Then, I have a B-3 and Rhodes at one job and a Yamaha digital grand at another. I'll stop by and have lunch and "woodshed" for a while.

The secret is to have instruments around at all times. I'll stop when i hear something on the radio and try to learn it in real time.


Man, I love my instruments!


Russ