<p>for students NOT in the music school... Are there practice rooms on campus? I have heard that some res colleges and dorms have piano rooms, but what if I want to practice the drums? Does the campus offer anywhere I can play a school instrument without being directly in the schools music program? For free?</p>
<p>I’m going to bump this thread, because I would really like to know as well :)</p>
<p>buuuump. 10char</p>
<p>Shepard (and Jones?) has some practice rooms in the basement. The “Beehive” (located near Shepard) is a building full of rooms and also open to non-majors. Music Administration building also has some. Regenstein is supposed to be for music majors only but sometimes you might be lucky enough to find an open room. </p>
<p>What I usually do is go into Shepard by having someone let me in.</p>
<p>The beehive is locked. You can obtain access by taking a course in music (for example, music composition, which is open to everyone, can get you access to the beehive). You then go to an office, tell them you’re taking this class, and get your ID card activated. So you can get access as a non-major, but you’ll still have to take a class and go through the process of officially registering your card. When the class is over, you lose the access.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the beehive is trash. The pianos in there are terrible; many have keys missing; they’re tuned, but they don’t sound good; there are few benches that actually stand upright; the building is probably a century old, and many of the doors are broken. The beehive is ok for non piano players, but piano players will be disappointed.</p>
<p>The second place that has practice rooms is Regenstein hall. Technically, you need to be a music major to get access, but the doors are open until 6 pm, and no one will stop you if you go in (but after 6 pm, need to swipe your ID, for which you need to be a music major). The pianos are wonderful, even by my standards. However, non piano players will enjoy only some marginal improvement from the beehive – Regenstein is kind of far from most residential halls, and there are less rooms available because so many people are practicing.</p>
<p>The third place is the music administration building. The pianos are top notch, and there are even some Steinway grands. But these practice rooms have even more stringent access requirements, as they’re reserved for (I think) 3rd and 4th year music majors that are working on completing some sort of a performance degree. Many of these rooms are reserved at specific times each day, and there are very, very few available. But again, until 6 pm or so, the building is open and the rooms – if you can find an empty one – are accessible. I would discourage non music majors from using these rooms on a regular basis, but I understand the temptation to go in and play here every once in a while – and all pianists, regardless of skill, should be able to play with the good toys every now and then.</p>
<p>Outside of these, you’re limited to what you have access to in the dorms. Jones has pianos (including some grand pianos, possibly – but I’ve never been there). Shepard has a grand piano, and a couple keyboards. I know Slivka has a piano that’s not too shabby. Many students have electric keyboards in their rooms.</p>
<p>In summary, as a non music major, your real, university-sanctioned opportunities for practicing are very limited. You need to take a music course every quarter, and even then, you only get access to the beehive, which will be disappointing to piano players. However, those desperate for practice rooms can find their way around here (with slight disapproval and much sympathetic understanding from actual music majors).</p>