Making space for music

Any musician, who looks forward to playing an instrument, has one big problem staring him straight in the face. A space to practice without the worry of irate neighbours and screaming parents.

A vital component of creating music is the rehearsal studio or a ‘jam room’ as it’s called and maybe this is what inspired the Bangalore rock band Thermal And A Quarter (TAAQ), to start TAAQADEMY. This place offers bands and music lovers what they most crave for.
A space. This cosy place, which opened last month, is usually filled with people who want to learn and create music together. Metrolife finds out more about the place and the people here.

A fully equipped, sound-proof rehearsal studio, this space makes it simple for everyone, from start-up school band to seasoned professional musicians to get together and play. “About three bands are using the place right now and one of them is a school band actually,” says Bruce, guitarist from TAAQ.

The people who come here are as young as eight years old who are learning music, to older ones with stable corporate jobs but with a passion for music. “It’s different when people are young and have that kind of enthusiasm to be willing to practice in garages and hot rooms but when you are older, it’s difficult to play in that kind of environment,” says Rajeev, the drummer. And so this place becomes a kind of a home to musicians who want peace to create music.

“Me and my band have played here for a few weeks because my drummer’s neighbour used to scream at us all the time for almost a year when we practiced there,” said Tushar, a student from the band Permafrost. “I find this place quite amazing especially because of the people I meet over here,” he adds.

With music schools mushrooming everywhere, learning music is no longer a challenge for most people. “Here everyone is encouraged to play with other musicians, in a studio setting, something that musicians don’t get to do,” says Rajeev. This not only allows the people to create music together but also helps them learn better. “You can always get knowledge on the Internet or through books,” says Bruce.

“Especially with something like drums, you need someone to play along with to learn,” says Rajeev. But music goes beyond learning just how to master instruments. Maneesh, a student who has been learning guitar here, says, “Though my sessions have been one-on-one, what I love about the place is that everyone has so much experience to share.” And this is something that makes the place unique.The passion for music, which makes you realise how important it is to create space for music in our life.