Buried Treasure: Inside Pirate Studios Glasgow & Edinburgh
With easy to book, 24/7 access rehearsal, DJ and recording studios located all over the world, Pirate Studios are the creative home for musicians in Glasgow and Edinburgh

Bedroom bops have become all the rage in recent years, but they of course come with their limitations, and not everyone in a band has the garage space and access to tech à la excellent fictional teenage band Wyld Stallyns. When you’re starting out on your musical journey, or even if you’re already decades in, you need all the help you can get. Finding the right rehearsal and recording space where you can truly let rip and get creative is key, ideally one that will slot into your schedule and not the other way around. If that sounds all too familiar, Pirate Studios could be exactly what you’re looking for.
“Pirate was the first network of self-service, 24/7 music studios that offered anyone from a curious creative to seasoned professional musicians affordable studios with professional equipment in just a few clicks,” Pirate Studios' Global Events and Community Manager Emmavie Mbongo tells us. “Our studios sprung up quickly across the UK, Ireland, Berlin, New York and Los Angeles, and now we serve over 470k creatives in 37 locations, with more on the way.” Mbongo continues: “I think what makes Pirate different is we’re a part of the routine of a huge segment of the UK’s music scene. Artists in New York make up 10% of our overall customers so we’re becoming a part of the fabric there too.”
Having launched in Bristol in 2013, Pirate Studios are proud to run a network of over 700 recording, rehearsal, and DJ studios all over the world, including right here in Scotland, with studios in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Site Manager for the Scottish locales, Ross Gordon tells us that while “Edinburgh is a calm rehearsal space with a hum of tunes and laughter,” in Glasgow there are “more options for studio types, with five DJ rooms, two recording rooms and a flurry of band rehearsal rooms.”
He continues: “The beauty of Pirate and why I personally love it so dearly. is the continuous flow of anyone and everyone coming through the doors. From drag queens, pipers and percussionists, to locally loved DJs, ravers and those who just enjoy some loud beats with a few cans. There is no shortage of good vibes, networking and most notably talent.”
Some notable talent in Scotland already using Pirate Studios include Aberdeen’s Chef the Rapper, who has been using their studios since 2019 for a mix of rehearsals, recording and writing. Chef says Pirate Studios have “always given me what I needed. It’s a space that you can just walk in, set up quick and get to work.” He also likes the fact “it’s a creative and social space, as well as a workspace,” noting that he’s had conversations with other creatives while there that have been inspiring.
Glasgow outfit Uninvited have been using Pirate Studios since they first formed in 2020. Alex and Gill from the band tell us that they use the studios for weekly rehearsals and to write new songs. They also love the fact that Pirate Studios have sites all over the country. “We’ve used Pirate on the road whenever we feel like we need another practice,” they tell us, “which is really handy.”
When we ask why they choose Pirate Studios over other similar spaces, they say: “We like the fact that there is an online assistant that is always available to help with any questions we [have], or entry to the supply cupboard [for equipment], for example. We feel safe and looked after in Pirate Studios as there are security cameras on at all times and locks on the doors. You never have to feel as though someone will intrude.”
As well as offering a safe and secure space that’s easy to book 24/7, community and artist development are a big part of Pirate Studio’s values. They’ve started to run a number of regular in-person and online events that include everything from DJ open decks nights and live music open mic nights, to music sharing and networking events as well as informative talks on all manner of topics, from music law to how to get a record deal.
Pirate Studios are dedicated to helping artists build sustainable careers in the music industry, and a few years ago they launched their Pirate Residency programme. “In the first year, we launched The Project Fund where we gave three creatives a year’s worth of studio time to fulfil their projects,” Mbongo tells us. “We then did a different offer every month in partnership with different brands such as Mixcloud and Virtuoso, offering packages for DJs and producers etc. In year two we struck up partnerships with many major festivals and radio stations to offer almost 40 artists, bands and DJs the opportunity to perform what would have been most’s first festival performance.” This year alone they were able to select 34 artists to perform at festivals like The Great Escape, Cross The Tracks, Parklife and more.
As you can see, there's so much more to Pirate Studios than just being a space where you can create, record and rehearse – if you dig deep enough you might just find some buried treasure.
For more information about Pirate Studios, or to book one of their spaces, head to pirate.com
pirate.com/en/locations/glasgow
pirate.com/en/locations/edinburgh
The Skinny readers get a 20% discount off their first booking with the code PIR20SKINNY, available Aug-Oct 2024