You hear it all the time: “[He/she] is a world-class artist”.  It’s a term that commonly denotes some elusive shining realm where only the coolest and most accomplished of artists dwell.

But what does the phrase “world-class” really mean?

The term certainly has a history of arbitrary assignment. When I was a kid, for example, I knew a guy whom people swore was a world-class pain in the butt. Yet as far as I could tell, he’d never traveled much beyond the borders of his hometown. So technically speaking, he could only be called a local pain in the butt. So, was “world-class” really about reach and numbers, and what were those numbers?

Music journalists tend to use fan numbers and music sales to bestow the mantle of “world-class”. Such measurements don’t truly make sense because numbers do not change the innateness of something.

Here’s what I mean.

After Queen recorded Freddie Mercury’s six-minute song “Bohemian Rhapsody” in 1975, record executives felt it would never be a hit. The song was too long and too weird.  Queen ignored all that, and today “Bohemian Rhapsody remains one of the best-selling singles ever produced.  It was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the #1 song of all time.

Now by the numbers of people who love the song, and by the sheer dollars generated by song sales, there’s little question that “Bohemian Rhapsody” is nothing short of “world-class”. But here’s the important bit.

Queen never listened to the record execs or changed “Bohemian Rhapsody” before releasing it, meaning the song already had the innateness of world-class potential before anyone heard it, and the resulting numbers had nothing to do with creating that world-class-ness.

There are plenty of similar stories in music, but I think you get the point.

If someone tells you that your music is too long or weird, and will never be a hit, ignore them. You know your artistry and value, and you just might be a world-class artist. Because you know the inner voice that speaks to you truthfully. Just like Freddy Mercury and so many other artists who’ve realized success by ignoring opinions and labels.

To hear your inner voice and the musical inspiration that comes from it better, sometimes you need to get away from distractions and annoyances that can obscure your thoughts:

  • Neighbors hammering on walls beside your apartment or home rehearsal space and telling you to keep quiet.
  • The comings and goings of musicians, their friends and maybe even complete strangers in some shared rehearsal space where someone thinks your gear is theirs to use.
  • The depressing din and heat of some small basement space that amounts to little more than a storage locker with outlets (but no amenities).

If this describes your current rehearsal-space situation and you’re looking for a change (even for a few hours), Royal City Studios has you covered.

Royal City Studios provides distraction-free rehearsal spaces for individuals or groups that are meant to inspire:

  • Sound isolation from other rehearsal studios means that neighboring musicians won’t hear your sounds, and you won’t hear theirs. So, your creativity can flow without interference.
  • You access each rehearsal space through a precision-crafted Kinetics Acoustical Door. The only comings and goings into your space will be you and any band mates.
  • Each rehearsal space is clean and well-lit, and each room is sufficient for basic recording.
  • Each space comes with amps, basic PA equipment, and drums tuned by a sound expert.
  • You have access to in-house refreshments—including coffee—to fuel your work
  • If you break a drumstick or snap a guitar string, replacement items (including picks and reeds) are available from the concierge.
  • Royal City Studios has fully accessible washrooms.

In other words, everything’s waiting for you to just walk in, plug in and play, and rooms start at just $5 an hour per person.

No, that’s not a typo. :)

Said another way, if you’re currently rehearsing in less-than optimal conditions, or even if you just need a place away from distraction to hear your creative thoughts more clearly, Royal City Studios has affordable rooms waiting for you. Use the quality space a world-class artist deserves!

See for yourself.

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Know someone who could benefit from time in a rehearsal space? Show them you support their artistry, vision, and overall awesomeness by giving them a Royal City Studios rehearsal space gift certificate.

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by Xristopher Bland