Rehearsal Room Optimization

The ability for musicians to communicate non-verbally is essential in a rehearsal room. All band members should be able to position themselves so they can clearly see each other. It’s also very important that everyone can hear each other well, not just their own instrument. A setup in which the band members form a half circle often makes the most sense.

Depending on the size of the room, there are various possible setups with different focal points. The drum set is always the point of reference. One guitar is placed on the left side of the drums, the other on the right. The loud bass can be placed opposite the drums or next to them. A classic setup looks like this:

The drums and bass are usually the loudest instruments and can be dampened using dividers. The goal is that all instruments are equally loud in the “sweet spot”. Sure, you could just turn up all other instruments to match the volume of the drums, but quieter often sounds better than loud – especially when you’re recording. Electric guitars with amps should have no problem. Other instruments like keyboards and especially vocals must be amplified using a PA system and mixer.

It’s best to position the PA speakers opposite the drums and point them into the room, into the half circle of the band. This way, all band members can hear something – and the stereo image is somewhat consistent.

Rehearsal rooms tend to be cramped. This, in combination with many loud instruments, can become a real problem in terms of room acoustics. Covering the walls with plenty of absorbers and using bass traps in the corner can help to solve the problem. Find the right set for your rehearsal room in our Set finder for rehearsal rooms.