Sometimes you don't have a whole room to devote to your music, and have only a little area to work with. Here are some simple ideas to creating a place to make your music.
START FROM SCRATCH
Sometimes the best thing to do is start with a clean slate. If possible, empty the entire area of everything, and then start putting things back one item at a time, or moving it to its proper home elsewhere. I'm having great fun right now moving to a new apartment-we don't have much space to work with, but it's great to put things in an empty room one item at a time, and making sure each item really belongs where you put it. If an important thing is now found missing, this is a great time to find it or get a new one if needed. You now have a chance to put all those music books and tapes in an easy to find location, too, and organize them so you can find them next time you need them. I even set up some space in one of my organizer drawers for all those music bits that keep being put on shelves and lost-they have a permanent home, now, and are easy to spot in my music/art area, and I probably won't need to buy as many thumb picks now since I won't be stomping on them in the dark anymore.
PLAN FOR NOISE
Since, once again, I'll be using my walk-in closet as a vocal booth, this is a good time to sort the clothes by length and boxes to be stored there so as to provide maximum soundproofing so I can record without disturbing the neighbors, and still get to things if I need them. I found some of those extendable shower/closet rods that I can add to one end of the closet to really stuff shorter clothes there so sound won't carry to the apartment behind us. Placing boxes filled with cloth scraps I use for my artwork are great against those walls, too, to help screen out loud noises. This way, too, there is ample space along both sides of the closet for my amps and other equipment once I move it in, and still a place for me to stand comfortably and belt out vocals and still hold a guitar without knocking it against hanging items.
IDIOTPROOF EVERYTHING
It's always a good idea to plan for brain dead folks to visit your music area. I'm doing this for the area behind my desk where my computer will go-planning what will go on the shelves behind me to help deaden sound and still not be things that could be knocked off if I have a klutzy fellow writer back there looking over my shoulder. Plan where your computer and music cables will go ahead of time-if you stack books on shelves carefully, you won't obscure the electrical, computer or phone outlets or waste time looking for them when you really need to be writing, or risk losing important data because you just jerked your cord out of the back of your equipment and/or computer. Plan also that folks will trip on them if you aren't careful to cover them up or make sure they aren't going to be in traffic areas. I am running my computer cables up along the ceiling to keep my well-meaning but overworked husband from tripping on them while he stumbles into my workspace too tired to notice they exist. If you have small children and or pets to deal with, this is really important, since you know they will find some way to climb up on, hide behind or stick their fingers into every place you would never think of trying. Make sure your precious lead sheets or tapes are away from potential water hazards, small hands and mischievous pets-I lost a corner of a beloved songbook to a bored cockatiel who found a way to stick his head out of his cage just far enough to reach some of my stuff he decided belonged in his nest. Put some screen or plastic on the front of your amps, now, too, or find something to place them up on taller than your pet can reach easily if you have cats and/or dogs to deter them from wanting to use them as scratching posts or a place to mark-a ratty or smelly amp can leave bad impressions, and is easily prevented.
Go To Page: 1 2
