Having been involved with the underground music scene in London for quite sometime now, there's…read morealways one place I seem to end up: Dropout. This is a little recording / practice studio set up in the basement on an old butter factory just off the side of Camberwell New Road; fully equipped for your band rehearsal needs with three separate studio rooms, Dropout has always had an independent / "up yours, establishment" approach to business, which in turn provides a nice and informal space to practice in, with competitive prices too. The recording equipment, however, is not for public use; so if you do want to record you have to either hire one of the owners to records you, or you are more than welcome to bring in your own equipment and record yourself. It almost goes without saying as well; make sure to tidy up after yourselves for leaving mess is frowned upon. Yes, Dropout (albeit characteristically "a little rough around the edges") is one of the coolest places to hangout this side of the river. NOTE: If you want to get in touch, the best way to contact Dropout is via their Myspace site www.myspace.com/dropoutstudio

While looking for a electronic music production course in London, I did some research on the…read moreschools that I initially found on the web. 90% of them I immediately decided not to give a chance due to the lack of songs produced by their tutors. The other 10% were the expensive ones and after visting them I realised that they weren't worth the hype at all. When I was almost forgetting about the course, I saw Abstract Source's website and I could not believe that the guy that had produced all those amazing songs was giving lessons, specially with that price. I decided to meet him and I saw that I had finally found the place to be. It was definitely the best choice. I learnt so much things about music production in so little time. The classes were so much fun and full of information. It was a great experience learning and sharing the same passion which is electronic music. Now after finishing this course I can say that I made a really good friend and hopefully a future music partner!!

From the owner: Music Production, Recording, Mixing, Mastering & Studio Training. Home tuition in East Sussex…read more Studio based Training in London.

THE MIDI MUSIC COMPANY is a great international company who aim to provide young people with music…read moreprogrammes where it may not always be possible. For great prices too! (Believe me,?) Their name is gradually spreading around London as they are becoming more established as a reliable company with high standards. They offer courses such as music lessons, with numerous instruments, studio engineering/techniques, singing, song writing and much more. The courses usually last around 10 weeks on average, depending on what you course you choose. At the end f the course, you not only come out with knowledge to the brim of the specific subject chosen, but you are also presented a certificate of all your hard word, and it looks good on your CV

From the owner: CICAS® talent development programme providing free support, advice and guidance to young people and…read moreadults aged 16+ who are interested in developing careers within music, film, TV, visual and performing arts and the creative industries. Recording studio and rehearsal rooms hire, live music events and music industry business seminars.

This works.. but could be improved :(read more

Looks like you have a great studio indeed! I would love to test some day in your space,…read more my instagram is www.instagram.com/kellygellardphotography - I would love to know more about your opening times and pricing. Look forward to working together - please feel free to review/compliment my work too - it would mean a lot. Let's stay in touch. All the best, Kelly

From the owner: The Umbrella Rooms offers bright, airy, neutral studios offering space hire for theatre, music…read morerecording, film and photography work. All rooms have wood floors, natural light and are equipped with, air-conditioning, mirrors, piano, sound system and a private kitchen area. If you can think of a use for the space we can probably accommodate it! Rehearsals Studio, Photography Studio, Green Screen, Audition Space, Casting Rooms.

Do you remember that super cold week when the "Beast from the East" brought Siberian snow to…read moreLondon? Well, my central heating broke down just then ... and I ventured out into the cold in the middle of the night to pick up a portable heater I had stored at a nearby 24-hour storage facility. So there I was stomping through the snow down deserted streets just to hear the sound of music getting louder the closer I got to my local Shurgard ... pure winter magic and I was upset to be on a mission (and didn't really want to go exploring with a heater under my arm while the cat was shivering at home). Anyhow, that's the long story of how I discovered that there was a music studio in the backwaters of Latimer Road. This is exciting news, the music's returning to West London, no longer just behind closed doors (there is a well established recording studios on the actual Latimer Road but they don't have parties for the public). That cold night I missed a live gig of new music but I have been following the pirates ever since on social media and loved last night's Pirate Sessions Launch party. Perfectly sized venue under the tube arches, next to what is left of the local industrial estate. Five stars for bringing the cool back to West London, in a perfectly sized venue, with a very affordable bar, good mix of people and, most importantly, great music.

From the owner: The only Tottenham creative studios available 24/7 and bookable by the hour, online via our…read morewebsite. Experience private rehearsal, DJ, music recording and podcast studios in North London, equipped with professional equipment and distraction-proof sound treatment. Just show up, plug in, and play.Supporting the next generation of emerging talent.- 24 hour access to innovative, self-service rehearsal studios- Industry-standard equipment provided for DJs, bands & producers- Stages at Boomtown, Isle of White, Kendal Calling & more UK festivals- Regular live streams, events, exclusive content and more on Youtube & Soundcloud

It always astounds me how rehearsal studios can make so much money and still not manage to keep…read moretheir equipment working well, and though Unit 9 is better than many places I've used, over the years I've spent far too much time fiddling with PAs in that place trying to get a decent sound. Rates per hour are pretty standard and vary according to room size, but while you don't have to completely break the bank you're looking at about £30 upwards for a three hour session. I don't know how bands afford to rehearse twice a week! They do some special offers for solo artists or two people jamming together though, which is quite good of them. The studio is located on an industrial estate in Balham, about a 15 minute walk from the station and with tons of free parking, I found the staff to be pretty helpful and friendly but getting gear in and out down those skinny corridors can be a bit fraught especially at busy times when people from other bands loiter near the front desk. All in all a decent, honest place to make loud noise.

This is a satisfactory rehearsal studio if you're looking for something on the cheap…read more Pros: Relatively cheap. Eight different rooms to choose from. Don't have to book with ridiculous amounts of notice. If the room's empty and you turn up early, they usually let you go straight in. With two guitar amps, a bass amp, a drumkit, PA & multiple mics & mic stands, the backline is generous. Sell a lot of extras so not such a big deal if you forget anything. Cons: The PA sounds horrendous in the pink, white & green rooms at least, virtually no treble. In summer it becomes like an oven. The fan they put in the room is not enough to combat this. The evenings are split into two rigorously timed slots (6-9 & 9-12), one annoyingly early and one annoyingly late if you're coming there from work. The girl who regularly works there looking after the place is rude and aggressive to the point of psychosis unless you're one of her clique. Best keep the conversation to short sentences and don't forget pleases & thank yous or she'll shout at you. Any extras, such as forgetting your guitar pick and you have to buy one from them, there's no option to borrow. The signs around the place take the guilty until proven innocent attitude to their phrasing.

'The Premises' is comprised of two recording studios, a host of rehearsal studios, storage…read morelock-ups, and a cafe out front (a business unto it's own and listed separately in the directories). Putting the recording facilities to one side (we've never used them and so can't really comment) the rehearsal studios are most definitely the key feature of this complex. Varying in size from 'small' rooms easily capable of accommodating a five-piece band and their sound, to gargantuan (by London standards) studios with dance-floor and stage areas, these spaces will set you back £12-£14 per hour (inc. VAT), assuming you've paid the nominal £10 annual membership fee. This does not however include hire of back-line, the costs of which add up remarkably quickly. Regulars will generally be hiring a lock-up for their equipment at a very reasonable monthly charge, but availability at any point in time is far from guaranteed. Organised into three four-hour slots each day, evening slots are hard to come by at short notice, most being taken a month or so in advance (honestly, how many bands can get all their members together on a week day afternoon?). But why are people this eager to part with their hard-earned cash for what is essentially a room without the cranky neighbours? Well, let's start with the impressive Mackie Active PA Speakers and wedge monitors. Add to that a decent stab at sonic damping and sound-proofing, a neat and tidy building with air-conditioning in every studio, a lift (oooh), and helpful staff and you start to see the attraction - the cafe is just a bonus! Some garage band members may also reel at the lack of damp musk, but if you just can't practise without it, they do have one room that'll suit. You might notice the management touting their solar-powered 'green studio' credentials, though I rarely see it generating much more power than is consumed by my bass amp, let alone the whole studio. For those who like to name-drop (like myself), this place does see it's fair share of famous clients. I've seen/heard the likes of The Klaxons, Unkle, James, and even Courtenay Love (ARGH!) rehearse here. Also Cass (former Skunk Anansie bassist) can often be seen in the hallways, though I've never asked him what he's actually doing there; just loitering I suspect.

The Premises also has a cafe/bistro on the Hackney Rd entrance. It features many photos of the…read moregreat recording artists that have worked in the studios, and it has a nice intimate atmosphere as well as an outside seating area. I only got coffees from here but they were well made and the staff were really nice and friendly. The food comprises a meze bar, charcoal grills, fresh fish and vegetarian, which sounds fantastic. I can't wait to go back and eat here - and maybe even run into the next chart topper. You can catch the number 28 or 48 buses from Liverpool St or the 55 from Old St.

Best rehearsal space in London. I've tried them all, and although it's pricier than most, the full…read moreservice they offer makes it well worth it.

Avoid these guys! Twice they've cancelled last minute on us because of power outage, once before a…read moregig. I've yet to see the refund which they've three times lied and said they're sending it. Countless emails and phone calls and still no answer. Completely unreliable.