The Practice Place

I’ve made several attempts at contacting The Practice Place, to no avail. I called the phone number provided at the website twice, leaving detailed voicemails each time. I emailed the email address provided at the website with my contact info, saying that no one had returned my calls. I visited the building twice during normal business hours to an empty office. I spoke with a couple of folks in the parking lot out back who said it’s a good place to rehearse. But needless to say I’m pretty frustrated and can’t understand why anyone has yet to respond to me in any way.

Welp… we’ve been in the Practice Place for over 6 years. The place is clean and somewhat secure. Never had a problem with security.
BEWARE: They are asking all bands to remove their energy efficient small refrigerators.. What rock band wants to practice without a cold brew available after a long work day? Really pretty pathetic considering the spot we inhabit has been rented by the same person for over ten years in total and we’ve had a fridge for the entirety. Jack the manager is a good guy but get a clue man. We are wannabe rockers! We need a cold beverage. They probably won’t mention this fact until you sign a lease and move in.

There are not many places in the area to rent rehearsal space. I have found that this is the place to go. I don’t know why others are complaining about the smell, it is not that bad. The rooms are good but not nearly sound proof so don’t try recording here. You can hear other groups playing but once you start making some noise, it won’t be an issue.
All in all a good place for band rehearsal. I would recommend it.

Ok… So my band has been rehearsing there for about 2 years and share the space with 2 other bands. I have to admit that it did have a nasty smell. Not sure if I just got used to the smell or they have fixed the issue because I no longer have a problem with it. Overall, I feel this is a good deal because you can just leave your gear there and start jamming right away. The walls are definitely not sound proof and you will hear other bands rocking, thrashing, karaōke, or whatever the night away. Once you start playing though, you won’t notice them at all. I wouldn’t recommend this place if you are looking to record an album but all in all, I think it’s a pretty cool place!

I’ve only had a room for a short period of time here, but I have to say I’m very impressed. It’s the nicest and best maintained of any practice studios I’ve seen in the Bay Area. MUCH nicer than any of the places in San Francisco and it’s CLEAN. I love the fact it doesn’t smell like a pot club inside and there aren’t any drugged out girls wandering from studio to studio looking for their drugged out friends (yes, I’ve rehearsed in spaces where this has happens regularly).
I play mostly wind instruments and sometimes the noise from adjoining studios can be a bit much, but again it’s not as bad as it is in other places where there are no rules regarding noise. No one expects you to be as quiet as you would need to be in an apartment but seriously though, do you really need to practice at full volume?
Rules? Yes, Virginia there are rules. I like the fact there are rules and everyone is required to have some consideration for their neighbors. If you really want to practice in a space where anything goes, I suspect you’re more interested in partying than your music and if so this isn’t the place for you.
Parking can be a bit of a challenge. The lot is small, but perfectly navigable as long as you’re paying attention. You can also park next door in the Hertz Rental lot after hours. Just don’t park in front of the exits in the back because they mean it when they say you’ll be towed.
I suspect the bad reviews are from people who have been kicked out due to rule violations or complaints from other tenants.

When I thought I was a musician, but really was just jamming more or less to some nonsense that came to mind, this was the place where I practiced and housed my equipment.
It is what it is a place to store your equipment and get together and jam out with a couple folks here and there. Meanwhile the sounds of Rick James cover bands and want to be musicians radiates through the walls and you get a good laugh.
Odd though this place has so many rules and regulations for a music studio, including sound warnings if you are to loud. What the fuck … aren’t you supposed to be loud and do your thing as that is what you are paying a monthly rent for.
LAME

This place stinks beyond belief. There is an open sewage leak. I don’t think they ever clean the girls bathroom ever or vacuum. Oh yes, and the locks are horrible. all you need a slight kick and you can knock down the door. Don’t count on that keeping your equipment safe.
The rooms are standard. The only good thing is if you are sharing rent between band members or even bands. it’s really affordable. This place is pretty much the ONLY studio in SJ. which is why it may be popular… too bad they don’t use that money to fix the dump.

This is one of the première places for bands to get a practice studio in San Jose. I do not have a room here anymore, because I have a studio in my home, but when I was living in an apartment, this was a great asset to me. The rooms are varying in size and the prices go by the size too. the biggest room I was in was $ 435 a month and it was decent size. we were able to fit three bands in and with the cost split up between members, it was worth it.
There are a few pluses and cons to this place. First the positives; (semi colon, «Take that Vonnegut») they are open and available 24 hours a day, so you can practice whenever you want to, just do not be caught living there or you will be kicked out. There is a small vending machine area with relatively cheap snack and soda machines, Clean bathrooms and a clean building. There is security that performs routine patrols so you know your stuff is safe.
The minuses are that the management and some of the bands do not like it when you are excessively loud (which is at their discretion) and if you get three citations from the Manager, then you can be kicked out, so you are supposed to play at a lower volume than you would live. One time we were practicing with a drum machine at a very low volume and still received a warning although we were not very loud at all. Other times, we were super loud. I think it all depends of the type of music that you are playing. Some of the Cover and prog rock bands were so loud that I could hear them over the metal bands and they did not get the citations.
Also, to practice there, you must be over 21 years old, so that is something to be taken into consideration when looking for a practice studio.
They offer hourly and monthly studios.
Some bigger names have practiced here, including Insolence and The Bacon Brothers (Kevin Bacons group).
[EDIT: I am less than six degrees from kevin Bacon!!! I knew Jack, who knew kevin Bacon because of the Practice Place, therefore I am only TWO DEGREES from Kevin bacon, as is most the other people at the Practice Place.]
I have been in a few of the other practice places in the area and think that the Practice Place is probably the best bargain around if you are looking for a professional setting to hone your craft.