I have a confession to make:  I travel a lot.  To be clear, I travel an insane amount.  In all my years of travel, I never quite reached the threshold of the uber elite airline private lounges, concierge services, or (laughing) being helicoptered in between destinations.  In fact, if you would have asked me a year ago if I even thought any of this would be real for me right now, I would have laughed at you.  I am not laughing now.

I joined Founders Card last year, and I must say, have used the benefits more than I ever could have possibly imagined.  I have been bumped to the highest tier levels on pretty much EVERY major airline, hotel, and rent car company.  I have received hundreds of dollars in free stuff from companies like Trunk Club.  I have received lifetime discounts on monthly clothing boxes live Five Four Club, etc....................... and I am just getting started.

Disclaimer:  I am getting membership credit for every person that I invite via this blog (that is anyone reading this right now.)  However, you HAVE TO BE INVITED TO JOIN.  Until the end of April, they are offering membership at the DRASTICALLY REDUCED RATE OF $295.  I paid around $500, to be totally upfront.

If you want elite travel access, killer access to very exclusive events and memberships, and exposure to brands and ideas you never knew were before real, just click this link and grab your credit card.  You will be glad you did.



https://founderscard.com/membership?code=FCBRANDON584


Brandon

Building A Band Work Ethic

If you are anything like most successful musicians I know, practice has become just a daily part of our lives.  While that correlates to better personal musicianship, strength is in numbers...my friends.  Few of us will argue that there is a chemistry/electricity/magic that happens when accomplished musicians regularly practice........TOGETHER.

Recently, a very busy "working" band leased a studio from us.  Bravo. We love these guys.  During their move in conversation, a comment was made that really struck me: "Brandon, you know, I don't see us really needing this space for more than a month or so. We are all professionals, so we only have to practice a little bit to really get the parts down."  Granted, I get where they are coming from.  As a former session guitarist, I can tell you personally that one take hero's are worth their weight in gold.  With that being said, the electricity that happens from a COHESIVE BAND UNIT CONSTANTLY PRACTICING CANNOT BE DENIED.

I used to go see this local band years ago: I was friends with all of them, but quietly I hated their music. Fast forward a few months later (they moved away to the country and practiced 8 hours a day for a few months) I am watching them live and MY FACE WAS BEING COMPLETELY MELTED BY THEIR AWESOMENESS.  It was at that moment that I was convinced of the work ethic of rehearsal paying off.

How is your band's work ethic?  Do you want to rehearse more, but the studio you are in just does not have a good vibe?  Does the owner seem more desperate for your cash because this funds his drug habit more than it does his passion for the music?  FEAR NOT: WE HAVE YOU COVERED.  We will not be beat in quality or service.................OR VIBE.  Check us out at bandpracticerooms.com or give us a call at 855.279.6424.

The Writing On The Wall

I used to rent this rehearsal studio in Houston that I swear I could still smell the past 20 years of weed smoke as an amulgumation of sweat and raw tree odor.  It was awful; to make matters worse…..I had the better smelling room in the place.  What is on your walls matters; what happens within those walls is even more important.

At Soundcheck, we use a specially designed carpet that is meant to dampen sound, and it is also allergen free.  Carpeted walls, floor to ceiling, is one of the many amenities you will find at this Houston rehearsal studio.  Give us a call; we will not be beat in quality and service.

What's In Your..........Ceiling?

A lot of rehearsal studios market themselves as “the best”, “the most secure”, the “highest end”, etc…...but have you ever stopped to ask yourself how this is even possible?

A certain competitor of ours a while back started marketing their rooms as “soundproof.”  I have a certificate in Acoustical Engineering from the Berklee College Of Music in Boston, MA……….the most acclaimed music and audio program in the world.  I can FOR SURE tell you that there is NO SUCH THING as a “soundproof” studio of any kind…..much less a rehearsal studio.  Consider this:  How can you have a “soundproof” rehearsal studio when THE ONLY THING ON YOUR CEILING IS A HALF INCH FOAM CEILING TILE?!?  I am not going to name names, but that is certainly not “soundproof” or “safe and secure.” When you can merely hop over a tile to break into someone’s studio, that is bad news.  I hate to tell you that all of my competitors share this same problem….except us.

At Soundcheck, we provide “sound dampened” studios that cater to rehearsal and recording.  One of those perks is a ceiling grid that cannot be “hopped over” into your studio.  We provide an entire host of acoustical features that none of our competitors could even possibly hope to achieve as they do not have the technical knowledge to build our caliber of studios.

If you want the best rehearsal studio in Houston, hourly or monthly, Soundcheck is your only option. Your dreams deserve better than a 2^nd rate chance, or a 2^nd rate rehearsal studio.  Give us a call today.  We will exceed your expectations in quality and service, guaranteed!

Climate-Controlled Rehearsal Studios In Houston

A common issue amongst bands that we have come across is that it gets "too hot" in their studios.  Granted, the average rehearsal studio does not even really use A/C, but at Soundcheck, we have the finest cooling equipment on the planet to keep your gear, and your creative energy, safe.

With that being said, often we get the question of the temperature your gear should be kept to remain safe.  Ironically, keeping a rehearsal studio cold all the time will HARM your gear.  You read that right: HARM.  A proper room temperature could be anywhere from 72 degrees on up to 85 degress Fahrenheit.  During the day, there is no need to store your studio at 70 degrees.

In regard to your rehearsal, even if the thermostat was on 60 degrees, you would still sweat.  Amps put out a ton of heat, along with every additional living, breathing human in that room.

At Soundcheck, we have amazing ductwork to keep the noise minimal, efficient units that are environmentally conscious to our planet, and units that will blow so cold it would freak Santa Claus out.  Give us a try, and visit us on the web, at bandpracticerooms.com!

Getting The Rehearsal Studio Vibe Right

Have you ever tried writing a song/working out an idea with your band in a science lab?  How about defining a great guitar solo in the middle of an arts and crafts store?  These are really crazy ideas, and it it might seem ridiculous that I even pose this question, but the point is this:  If you would not choose to be creative in places such as these, why would you want to be creative in a negative environment?


If you have ever been to Soundcheck, one of the first things you will notice is how clean it is and the extra effort we go through to make the VIBE RIGHT.  Vibe is very important to musical creativity, and it is proven that positive environments are responsible for all kinds of breakthroughs in the world.

I read an article recently on how some of the most productive entrepreneurs/musicians/creatives in the world CONSTANTLY rearrange furniture in their offices to make the VIBE RIGHT for creativity.  Why would you want to suffer a bad vibe for your music?

If you need some good vibes at your rehearsal studio, you should seriously consider renting from us.  Give us a call at (713) 396-2473.  You can also visit us on the web at bandpracticerooms.com! 

Writing Material In Your Rehearsal Space

When I was a kid, my favorite thing to do was "jam."  By that, I mean I would cram myself and a few friends into a bedroom, we would all take turns playing new riffs we came up with, and eventually a rough version of a song would emerge.  It was necessary to our musical development, and was a dang good time.

Skip forward a few years, and I am playing with established recording artists.  This time, I am in a real recording studio.  The creative process went down far different.  The focus was on the arrangement of the song, and not the "riff."

I say all this in the context of a band rehearsal: the creative band rehearsal.  I think it is very important to break up the process BEFORE the entire band shows up for rehearsal.  Pick a producer, or band leader, to come up with an arrangement.  Be careful about where the guitar, keys, or drums do their fills.  Ultimately, it will help you be a better band.

If you want to see what a great rehearsal should feel like, give us a call at 713-396-2473 or visit us on the web at bandpracticerooms.com!