When you meet your bandmates at your Denver music rehearsal studio to practice, you know that the time is enjoyable. But did you know there are other benefits to be had from playing a musical instrument other than fun?

Reduces Stress

The world around us is stressful (especially during these times), and music—whether listening to it or playing an instrument—can help reduce stress levels. When you are playing your own instrument, your mind gets a break from everything that is going on in the world. Playing an instrument requires focus, so you can escape from the world and lose yourself in the music.

Improves Patience

Learning how to play an instrument is not always easy, and it tends to be a process that takes place over an extended amount of time. Slowly, with consistent practice, you’ll find your skills are improving. But it will take a while for you to achieve the desired results, so you’ll have to be patient until you get where you want to be. Learning patience with your instrument can also spill over into other aspects of your life.

Develops Music Appreciation

You don’t have to become a professional to appreciate music. Even just learning the basics will help you develop a taste for different styles of music. This contributes to being well-rounded when it comes to music, but you will also have a better appreciation of the skills required. 

Strengthens the Immune System

Studies have shown that listening to music and playing an instrument contribute to the body creating the antibody immunoglobulin-A. Immunoglobulin-A is a natural killer cell in the body that is responsible for killing viruses. The next time you start to feel under the weather, you might want to pick up your instrument of choice and start playing. You might start to feel better!

Are you interested in learning more? Read this article about the other health benefits of playing a musical instrument.

Improves Time Management Skills

Most of us can use some help with time management, and adding music practice to an already busy schedule can be a challenge. But if you want to improve your musical craft, you’ll have to figure out how to carve out the time to practice. Chances are, you’ll start to use your time more wisely. 

Improves Memory Capability

Studies among students who play a musical instrument and students who don’t have shown that students with musical training had a better verbal memory. The more advanced the musical training, in fact, the more words students were able to remember. It has also been proven that playing an instrument uses every part of the brain. So the next time you forget where you put your keys, you might want to plan a practice session with your instrument of choice!

Has your band outgrown its current rehearsal space? For the best Denver music rehearsal studio, you need look no further than Soundstructure. We also have a location in Kansas City. Give us a call today to find out more about our top-notch music rehearsal spaces that were designed with your needs in mind.

If you are new to recording, you may wonder what the process looks like after you finish recording instruments, vocals, etc. – or maybe you are not wondering, because you actually did not know that mixing and mastering are incredibly important steps to making the final recording sound balanced and complete!

Let’s go over a few basics when it comes to mixing a track after you have recorded it.

Listen to the track, unmixed.

You will want to listen to your track a few times through, unmixed, taking notes as you listen.

Things you can ask yourself or take notes on as you listen to the unmixed track: 
 

What stands out?

What is distracting?

What do you not hear enough of?

How is the EQ?

Is there something on the left side but not the right side?

Is anything clipping?

How does the song make you feel?
 

Consider the story you’re trying to tell with the track.

If you want to get people dancing, it might be a good idea to focus on bringing the rhythm section up over vocals.

If you’re creating a soundscape, or want to move your listener, focusing around the elements that create.

There is no right way to mix a track. Sure, there are things you should do to make the track sound good, like EQ and balancing the master sound, but mixing is part of the creativity that can bring a song to life in different ways.
 

Ask for feedback.

Do you have a few friends you could share your mixed track with? Do that!

Peer feedback is incredibly important, and if you choose friends who don’t have an ear for sound in addition to those who do, you will get varying, valuable feedback.
 

Don’t overthink it!

As artists and creators, we can often overthink things and get stuck in the trap of comparison. You don’t have to do exactly what someone else did, or even listen to someone’s advice for that matter.

Learning your style of mixing is part of the fun and part of the creativity. Having a different mixing style than others can also make you stand apart and get asked to work on projects more often, because of your unique style.

Most successful bands (and not-so-successful) bands have one thing in common: they use a dedicated practice space or studio to rehearse in. Sometimes these spaces are your parents’ garages, an empty building you have access to after-hours, and of course, actual rehearsal studios.

 

Why rent a practice space? Well, we are glad you asked…

Gear storage

One of the greatest things about having a practice space is that you can store your music gear, safely! No more dragging heavy amps back and forth between your home, or leaving something at your drummer’s house.

Minimize distractions

If you have tried to practice at home, you have probably been distracted and quit practicing at some point. When you have a special space to rehearse, however, and perhaps have to drive or take transit to get there, you’re more likely to get more done during that block of time you have set aside.

Get loud

Nobody in your apartment wants to hear your band practicing at 1am. Also, most cities have noise ordinances, and if you don’t have something sound-proof like a basement room, it’s likely you will be heard.

 

Being able to get loud in a practice space helps you not only open up fully during rehearsal, but you can also get a better idea of how your music will sound at shows.

Schedule your rehearsals

How many times have you not planned when to rehearse, tried to organize at the last minute, and then nobody can make it, or someone isn’t home to let everyone into the garage you’re playing in?

 

By having your own space, you can agree on a set time as a band and repeat that time weekly so that everyone knows when practice is, and can make sure to work that into their schedule!

Recording-ready

Since most practice spaces are sound-proof and setup with PA systems and soundboard, you can easily record something like a demo since there are not that many sound-distractions. Although, sometimes the background noise makes for fun layers!

Professionalism

By investing in a practice space, you are investing in your music career. You are leveling-up your professionalism, and intentionally making the time and space to get serious about your music.