Magnet Rehearsal Studios are located in North Coburg, Melbourne. Built inside of former cool rooms on a large block that was previously a mushroom farm, the Magnet studios serve local bands by providing them with a convenient and comfortable place to practice.
But what sets Magnet apart is the good will they’ve just extended to the local Melbourne music scene. Magnet Studios will now be offering pay-as-you-feel studio sessions every Friday from 11am – 5pm throughout July.
Considering what a dent renting a rehearsal space can put in the pockets of independent bands, this will be a huge boon for the local live scene. “This is a special offer as we test the sustainability of the p-a-y-f model, cause wouldn’t that be nice?” the Magnet website reads.
To get the skinny on this awesome new initiative, we caught up with Magnet Studios manager Matt Faisandier, who explained what brought about this new model, what they hope to achieve with it, and how the whole thing will work.
If you’re interested in booking a studio session at Magnet, head over to their official website now.
Tone Deaf: Can you tell us a little about the studio?
Matt Faisandier: Located in North Coburg, we are one of the freshest rehearsal joints in Melbourne, being ‘officially’ open for two months… although we’ve had the lease and been working hard for just over two years now.
Our studios are built inside of cool-rooms that were previously used to farm mushrooms, so we joke the space is still used to grow culture!
We have very diverse and loyal clientele with wide sonic spectrum that stretches from extreme stoner/doom and noisecore mayhem to psychedelic pop and your more traditional rock bands.
TD: How did you decide to try our the ‘pay as you feel’ method?
MF: After many positive experiences at Melbourne’s ‘Lentils as Anything’ restaurant chain, we were interested to see how the p-a-y-f model might affect our daytime studio usage numbers and the overall vibe of the space.
TD: How does the whole thing work? Who do you pay? Do you pay at the end of the session?
MF: We take bookings just like we would a typical rehearsal studio session here. We have a simple online booking system with a payment-on-arrival option, which we collect at reception when you turn up.
TD: What do you hope the outcome will be?
MF: Our aim is to create a hub of activity and development in the sonic arts. We are hoping to see an increase in daytime studio usage with a host of new and exciting bands forming and developing rapidly.
