What Is Backline? Explained + What to Bring Yourself

You’re reading a rehearsal room ad and it says: “full backline available”. Sounds good. But what does that actually mean, and what do you still have to lug along yourself? Before you set off on your bike with your own amp for nothing, here’s the rundown.

What is backline? (the short answer)

Backline is the heavy sound gear set up and ready in a rehearsal room or on a stage: the drum kit, the bass amp, the guitar amps and usually the PA with vocal mics. The term comes from live work, where this gear forms the back line of the stage, behind the musicians.

In short: backline is everything too big or too heavy to drag along to every rehearsal, which is why the studio puts it there for you.

What’s included in the backline?

A complete backline in a band rehearsal room usually comes down to four things.

The drum kit. An acoustic kit with cymbals, sometimes backed up by an electronic kit for quieter sessions. That way the drummer doesn’t have to load a full set in and out every time.

The bass amp. One solid bass amp, often a combo or a head with a cabinet, loud enough to cut through the rest.

The guitar amps. Usually two, so two guitarists can play at the same time without fighting over a single amp.

The PA. The vocal setup with speakers, a mixer and a couple of mics, so the singing rises above the racket. Better rooms also have monitors so everyone can hear themselves.

What’s usually not included: consumables. Drumheads wear out, strings snap, and the studio isn’t footing that bill for you. Sometimes you’ll want your own snare or cymbals too, if you’re picky about your sound.

What do you bring yourself?

The backline covers the heavy lifting. The rest is on you. At a minimum, bring:

• Your instrument: guitar, bass, or whatever you play
• Drumsticks and a set of spare strings
• Your own cables (jacks), because in shared rooms they go missing or break
• Any effect pedals or multi-effects
• Hearing protection, especially with a full band at volume
• A phone or little recorder to capture ideas

The idea is simple: the studio supplies what’s heavy and shared, you supply what’s personal and breakable.

Why included backline matters so much

A room with full backline changes how you rehearse. You walk in with a guitar over your shoulder and you’re playing within two minutes. No hiring a van, no hauling an amp up the stairs, no drummer spending half an hour setting up while the rest twiddle their thumbs.

It saves money too, even if you don’t see it straight away. A room with backline looks pricier than a bare room, until you work out what your own drum kit, two amps and a PA cost to buy, maintain and cart back and forth. In practice, included backline is nearly always the cheaper and easier option. For more on how that feeds into the total price, read what a rehearsal room costs.

Backline included or separate: watch for this

Not every provider charges it the same way. At most band rehearsal rooms the backline is simply part of the hourly price. But rooms that are really concert halls or event spaces sometimes rent the gear out separately. Then there’s a low base price on the site and the equipment turns out to be a separate line item.

So before you book, ask two things: is the backline part of the price, and what gear is actually there? “Full backline” at one place is a Pearl drum kit and two Fender amps; at another it’s a wobbly kit and one hissing combo. That makes quite a difference to your rehearsal.

A rehearsal room with full backline

At AnyTime Music the backline is set up and maintained in every room: acoustic and electronic drum kits, guitar and bass amps, and a complete PA with subwoofer. You bring your instrument and the rest is already there, 24 hours a day. Want to see exactly what’s ready and waiting, have a look at our studio.

In short

Backline is the heavy, shared gear the studio puts there for you: drums, amps and PA. You bring your instrument, sticks, strings, cables and hearing protection. Always check whether the backline is part of the rental and what the quality is like, because that’s the difference between smooth playing and an evening spent messing about.

Want to get deeper into the world of rehearsing: read the complete guide to rehearsing in Rotterdam, or compare hiring by the hour with a membership if you’ll be playing more often.