Pump up the volume at 'Play It Loud' studio

One of the biggest problems music groups face in space-starved Mumbai, is finding a safe place to strum the guitar, beat the drums and jam. And as most bands make a lot of (musical) noise while practicing, it is not uncommon for them to face angry neighbours, and sometimes, even stick wielding cops. No wonder they all start as garage bands.

The sound-proof room is fitted with Roger Drego sound equipment

And the few sound-proof practice rooms that do exist are usually too costly to rent for bands just starting out. This is what led Sanjiv Kakar to establish Play it Loud last month -- a new music production space in Oshiwara. "My daughter Akriti is a budding singer and I have seen her and her friends struggle to find well-equipped sound-proof spaces where they could practice. So, I wanted to create a place where musicians could work and practice their art without any hassles," he explains.

The 150 sq ft room that Kakar has sound-proofed has Roger Drego sound equipment. Noted sound engineer Mark Rodrigues has designed the output jam room. "We have all the major equipment such as the drum kit, a studio quality sound system, 12 channel mixer with recording facility and an EP cable. You just have to bring your instruments and stands, your specific cables and, of course, your music," he says.

The walls at the Play It Loud studio are adorned with framed pictures of iconic musicians and bands

The room can accommodate eight people and can be rented on an hourly basis. "We get special requests to rent the room from 7 am to as late as past midnight. We charge R400 per hour and R1,000 for three hours."

Since its launch, the place has been rented out by many young musicians. "The studio is seldom empty. I am happy that it is helping budding musical talent. If this continues to do well, I will need to open a new space, which could help several other musicians," he concludes.

Play it Loud
111, Reliable Business Centre, Oshiwara, Andheri West
Call: 9324506630
Email: sanjivkakar@hotmail.comu00a0