Tips for playing with neighbors

Tips for playing with neighbors (Full Version)

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Adam -> Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 13:44:27)
So after four years of dorm life in the States with nary a complaint about incessant guitar-playing, here in merry ole England it seems like everything I strum a chord one of the neighbors is at my door a-knockin'. Anyone have tips for getting in practice when there are neighbors who study 24/7 and apparently can't deal with the sultry tones of a Bernal reverberating through their dwelling?

Argaith -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 14:03:54)
Welcome to my world! Mind you I have only once been criticised by a neighbour and that was the only one who does not play music. I am surrounded by neibours who play electric guitars and other instruments. However, I can only practice in the evenings (normally after 10 pm). I am not too bothered about the neibours but I don't want to wake my children up. Its a hell of a lot of work to put them to sleep. I use the good old piece of sponge under the strings and that does the trick. I know it is not ideal and it really pisses me off that I can't hear THE SOUND of my guitar but that's the best I get! I think my little girl can still hear the guitar because she's always humming the songs that I play!

yohan -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 14:13:58)
join the club [&:] best tip is move to a beautiful quite ranch in Andalusia where your neighbours dont mind doing palmas only all day [:)]

Ron.M -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 14:30:37)
quote: but I don't want to wake my children up. Its a hell of a lot of work to put them to sleep. I use the good old piece of sponge HaHa!....I thought you were going to say "in their ears" [:D] Yeah Ramparts...the sponge or cloth under the strings is about the best you can do. Even then, you might still get some fussy folk complaining. I usually put the Radio or TV sound up to a reasonable volume to help mask the guitar sound. cheers, Ron

Florian -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 14:36:28)
you stick a sock under your strings...u can still softly hear yourself and its good for practice anyway...

orsonw -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 15:05:48)
quote: quote: but I don't want to wake my children up. Its a hell of a lot of work to put them to sleep. I use the good old piece of sponge HaHa!....I thought you were going to say "in their ears" Good one Ron! Thanks for making me laugh. On topic- I feel for you Ramparts, I hope you find a solution.

HemeolaMan -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 15:23:15)
no no no, its easier than all that. you can enjoy the full volume of your guitar..... just kill all your neighbors.

XXX -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 15:24:54)
quote: ORIGINAL: HemeolaMan no no no, its easier than all that. you can enjoy the full volume of your guitar..... just kill all your neighbors. better: make them commit suicide because of your playing.

Ron.M -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 15:40:19)
quote: just kill all your neighbors. Unfortunately, that's against the law though.... You could just move to a really rough area where the neighbours can't hear you for watching TV shows at full volume or screaming and fighting and strangling the wife... cheers, Ron

rombsix -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 16:53:44)
Stuff beach towels into the guitar through the soundhole. Better if they're damp. [8D][:D]

HemeolaMan -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 16:58:29)
true, but if all of your neighbors are dead there'll be no one around to tell the police who did it!

n85ae -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 17:03:27)
I never stopped playing when my kids were born, so I can play all night long now since it's part of their usual sleep routine to hear guitar playing. 5 & 7 - no guitar related sleep problems at all. :) Jeff

Richard Jernigan -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 17:03:57)
I'm not sure what the English equivalent would be, but this worked pretty well in Austin, Texas. We had a loud party going. The neighbors upstairs pounded on the floor a couple of times, then shouted. The host of our party disappeared into his bedroom. When the knock on the front door finally occurred, the ex-Marine host appeared in his full dress Sergeant's uniform, complete with gold braid, white hat and sword. He yanked the door open and bellowed, "What the Hell do you want??!!" The upstairs complainer muttered an apology and retreated. RNJ

HemeolaMan -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 17:10:36)
Actually, the best way to get them to shut up is to buy a few cases of beer and have them over for an evening. do that once in a while and i bet they wont complain about your playing any more!

Adam -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 17:13:38)
Eh, I wish. This is pretty much all coming from my college's fairly large contingent of non-drinking Asian students. I have, however, extended a standing offer to anyone in the staircase with a complaint to talk about it over some sherry and a flamenco serenade. No one's taken me up on it yet.

JasonMcGuire -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 17:24:16)
take up the violin or cello for a month or so...... then go back to guitar. they will never complain again

Ron.M -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 17:58:18)
quote: take up the violin or cello for a month or so...... then go back to guitar. they will never complain again Or the Trumpet! Jeez....I feel embarrassed now and really sorry for what I put my neighbours through when I look back at when I was 13. No joking. BTW...There used to be a kid up the road from me who practised the bagpipes on a Sunday afternoon. You could hear it up and down the street. He was really good actually! My Christmas present for people I don't like is to buy their kid a toy metal drum. [:D] (Great for Sunday morning hangovers.) cheers, Ron

Elie -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 18:56:54)
Man you're lucky [:)] at least you can play softly and your neighbors won't be bothered you don't have a room mate like the one I have [&:] who will say "stop playing this **** I wanna sleep" when you start playing[:(]

Mohan -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 20:55:35)
Doesn't Cambridge have a music department with lots of practise rooms? Why not book some practise time there a few times a week and use the sponge/sock/towel trick for the rest of the time? I believe some people have also made use of "silent guitars" from companies like Yamaha, but they don't come cheap. However, you can use them with headphones or just acoustically. I believe one foro member even added a tap plate to his guitar so that he can do golpes... I've had it great for the last year, because both my neighbours passed away about a year ago - no HemelaMan, I had nothing to do with it [:D] Unfortunately, a new neighbour moved in last weekend and I've had to be more "considerate" once again [:(] Good luck! Mohan.

Guest -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 4 2010 21:41:06)
quote: "silent guitars" [8D] would'nt spend the money...well i did but soon came up with plan B spent $60 on an old plywood valencia guitar...bit of shaving at the nut and bridge...etc..a few tweeks to get it to feel right.. jammed a pillow or two in it... thing had no tone or volume to begin with..even less so now also the sock underneath the strings... i live in units but can practice anytime with a sleeping baby in the next room.. [:)]

felipe -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 5 2010 11:18:38)
I use a bit of sponge. And I practise usually early in the morning (not too much time during the day hours), so everybody sleeps, and they don't hear the guitar. I also have some neighbours that play instruments (violin, piano, electric guitar, flute), so even if I do a bit louder during the day, it's no problem. But my brother used to play a drum set (in his own room), and he had lots of visitors every day, so he had made a schedule (discussed with neighbours) of playing hours. Finally, one of them found a place on the backyard of a school to put a the drumset and play.

rombsix -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 5 2010 11:35:37)
quote: jammed a pillow or two in it... thing had no tone or volume to begin with..even less so now also the sock underneath the strings... Damn!!! [:D] You've taken this thing to the next level, mate! [8D]

marrow3 -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 5 2010 11:47:08)
university accommodation usually have a policy for practicing musical instruments, e.g between 10 am and 9 pm, 1 hr. You should be able to claim fair use being a student and not a monk!

Chiste de Gales -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 5 2010 16:03:02)
Not so much a problem for me, but Ill comment anyway. Our downstairs neighbor complained about my wife's bicycle trainer shaking our floor (neighbor's ceiling) and subsequently the neighbor's pictures hanging on the wall. The wife brought up my guitar playing and the neighbor said that it wasn't a problem since she liked hearing my music. The wife is frustrated, but I think it is kind of amusing since it is usually the musician who earns noise complaints.

noemiflamenco -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 5 2010 19:12:31)
When I'm in London I have a neighbour who works from home and complains constantly about my footwork practice (I have a studio in my house) but I tell her that I am also working from home and I make sure I practice during business hours... I have learnt to ignore the bad vibes coming through the walls... Tell them 'si no tienes soniquete..pa que te metes, pa que te metess..'[;)] p.s. Sevillano neighbours are SOOOOO much worse!!!hehe

HemeolaMan -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 9 2010 6:48:32)
http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_410&products_id=5806

chester -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 10 2010 23:05:41)
I dunno the legal situation, but if you're not breaking the law you should tell your neighbors to stuff it. It's your right to practice and if they have a problem they can call the police. If you're not breaking any laws there shouldn't be a problem. I hate anal neighbors. I recently moved and when I started playing someone was knocking on the wall. I tried going there to discuss the situation but no one answered the doorbell. I then proceeded to ignore/play through the knocks until they stopped. Nothing since...

HemeolaMan -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 10 2010 23:35:21)
Chester, in all probability there was a man trapped in the wall and he was trying to get your attention by knocking. every time you played he knew you were nearby and would hear him and come to his rescue. Now you've killed him. Way to go. [:D]

at_leo_87 -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 11 2010 0:05:26)
chester, how could you do that? that's horrible, man. [;)][:D] welcome to the foro, chester!

chester -> RE: Tips for playing with neighbors (Nov. 11 2010 1:21:48)
Ha. So morbid... I probably would of killed him if he opened the door though (like you suggested earlier). Thanks for the welcome Anthony (see, I've been paying attention). When's the next challenge? [sm=Smiley Guitar.gif]

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