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I've been doing this temp. office job working for the underwriting dept. of an insurance company. I thought it was going to be a drag of a job after teaching in Thailand but the job has it's perks.

The office is located on the bottom floor of a 6 storey parking garage so a few days into the gig I started bringing my horn to work and practicing for an hour before I go in and during lunch and breaks. It's great!! I get around 2-3 hours of shed time before I get home. At first I thought that I would get some grief from the bosses but I've actually gotten some compliments. (It's crazy how many "Band Moms" work in my office)

I was wondering what are some of the weirdest places you guys have used for practice rooms.

Sorry, I forgot to put that I practice on the top floor of the parking garage. I know it's a given but I wanted to clear that up before the questions came.

Thanks.

I'm renting a 15'x15' storage-locker right now for myself and my jazz project while we search for a new studio space(old one had a ceiling cave-in that the landlord won't fix!).. if it weren't for the harsh winters we get up here I'd consider making it permanent. I put down some carpet and put some acoustic foam on the walls($14 at Target for each queen-sized roll ), have a drumset, PA, and a few amps there, I leave my tuba there but transport the basses as needed. Very secure facility, electricity in the room, razor-wire fence and lots of cameras, entrance requires access code and there's always a security guard on duty.

It's in a commercial area so there are no neighbours to complain about practising or rehearsing at 4am.. the management of the place is very nice, they even made an exception to allow us 24hr access for rehearsals. They have a flea-market there every few weeks or months(they have mostly commercial clients, they get to sell their wares) and we've already been asked to play at it.. we're also getting the facility's truck for our Thursday night gigs for free in exchange for billing ourselves as "Uncle Bob's"(or some variation on that). Sweet deal, too bad we can't get into the 100% climate-controlled buildings!

www.unclebobs.com

One of the loading docks of a research building at the University of South Carolina.

I used to practice after hours at a hair salon my mom used to run.

When my wife and I go on vacation and are staying in motels, I find an empty parking lot somewhere, put a music stand on the ground right behind my pick-up, and practice while sitting on the tailgate. I get lots of curious looks. Even in a big open space like that, the tuba carries pretty clearly for about a block and a half.

Last summer we stayed in a small northern Minnesota town visiting my aunt and uncle. When they heard I'd been practicing at 6AM in a vacant industrial parking lot, their biggest concern was whether or not I had told anybody I was related to them. They were worried something might end up in the local newspaper.

Tom

I have a friend who was a M.S. ( Mess Specialist )
in the Navy and trombone player. For you civilians that means he worked in the ships kitchen. When he was on ship he would take his 'bone with him to work and play in the store rooms and sometimes the dinning hall. He worked long hours but always found free time between meals. His horn has been around the world .

I liked the acoustics of the music building emergency exit stairwell. Of course, it never occured to me that if the building actually caught fire, people might run back inside fleeing for their lives...

During military service I used to practise in my spare time in the barracks all the way down in our dorm´s basement. That was a bunker type facility where the soldiers were supposed to seek refuge during air raids. With sealed doors I sure didn´t get on anybody´s nerves. The officers were cool about it and even provided an extra locker for the horn.

Last year, one day before the Colorado Audition, I drove up Pikes Peak to have a look. I happened to have my horn in the car, and therefore serenaded various guest with CO Audition List Excerpts...quite fun to play Meistersinger at 14,000 Ft. and at 28 degrees. What a memory that will be!

Mike Forbes

I've been in a car a few times with Harvey, who would practice in the back seat on the way to a guest appearance.