Beginner (playing) Inspired by the thread 'Is it a solo or just a racket?'

[cappers]

This thread Playing - Is it a solo or just a racket? resonated with me today but I didn't want to interrupt that philosophical debate so I started this one.

On the suggestion of my teacher I was practicing improvising a simple solo over 'I Wish I Knew How It Feels To Be Free' and was having fun. Then, for the first time since I started learning to play six months ago, my neighbour banged very loudly on the party wall 😳😱

Until today she has been very tolerant of my practicing. Maybe its the heat, all the windows were wide open. It might be that the 'agreed' hourly practice a day has slowly crept up to two hours plus. Also today I started off with long tones and dynamics, concentrating on the palm key notes which need improvement and low Bb B C for fun.

So I stopped playing (in my head I played a loud chorus of Colonel Bogey). A few minutes later I saw her in the garden and apologised and got a grumpy 'It was going on a bit, too loud and quite grating!' 😡

On the other hand, MrsC said I sounded fine, no louder than usual and I heard her singing along whilst playing 'Daisy'

I don't want to be a nuisance or inconsiderate but I need and want to practice, especially now as I've joined a band and an hour a day isn't enough.

 

[mizmar]

Maybe it's the moment to record yourself and listen back? Can you recognize what she may have found grating?

I totally recognize the value of recording and listening to myself - but, often, I hate it because I find it grating!

 

[rhysonsax]

Hot weather does make people less tolerant.

I personally never practice with windows open (in the room where I play and in adjacent rooms) and also always close the curtains and the door to cut down on the sound leaking out.

Quite often I practice with backing tracks or examples of anything I'm working on, and I think that can make me play louder and also make much more sound leak out. If I'm looping something round and round that can certainly get annoying (I've been told by my family).

Rhys

 

[cappers]

Maybe it's the moment to record yourself and listen back? Can you recognize what she may have found grating?

I totally recognize the value of recording and listening to myself - but, often, I hate it because I find it grating!

Without sounding arrogant I've been told by my teacher, family and other band members that my intonation is good and improving and my notes are becoming fluid*. I have been going though exercises in Volume 1 - Tone Without Tears and I think note bending and vibrato work has improved my tone and attack.

I have not yet recorded myself - ironically I was thinking about doing it today before I was interrupted - but have heard a recording of the band, and I didn't seem to stick out as it were from the other tenor and two altos.

* I wrote 'fluid' because I don't know the correct term but I meant that the notes are flowing together with more ? colour ? to them...... da-ada de-doodee do ....rather than da ad a doo dee do if that makes any sense

Edit..MrsC said the notes were 'nuanced' (I hope that doesn't mean all over the place)

 

[cappers]

......... Can you recognize what she may have found grating?

I think it was the long tones, dynamics and the palm key work for over an hour. I accept that may have been too much.

 

[GCinCT]

Long tones, even if your tone is beautiful, can be irritating to a listener. I try to do them and overtone work when my wife isn’t home, even thought she is a fine musician (clarinet) and knows the importance of those exercises.

 

[Pete Thomas]

When I was young and keen, I lived in a loft conversion of my landlady Mrs. Goldberg. Mrs Goldberg got very fed up when I (as a young 19 year old having only been playing 6 months) decided the way forward was to practice 8 hours a day.

I found that if I got in the wardrobe (full of clothes and the door shut) to practice, it solved what I called the Goldberg issue.

 

[cappers]

I'm old and keen but I'm not getting into the wardrobe to play There's no space in mine and MrsC would not take kindly to me rumpling the haute couture in hers

I guess I am going to have to stick to an hour(ish) a day, play melodies and save long tones, dynamics et al for a better place. Only a couple of weeks ago the neighbour said when we met in the street, "Ooh, you were playing Autumn Leaves, I love that".

 

[LostCircuits]

Maybe its the heat, all the windows were wide open. It might be that the 'agreed' hourly practice a day has slowly crept up to two hours plus. Also today I started off with long tones and dynamics, concentrating on the palm key notes which need improvement and low Bb B C for fun.

Learn some cool jazz and everybody will love you on a hot summer day!

 

[PiccoloPirate]

After finishing the hour, that they grant you, have an extra large pizza delivered, to the unappreciative neighbors, with a card that says, mangiare lentamente, and keep playing. 🎶🏴‍☠️🎶
Maybe a single malt?

 

[GCinCT]

After finishing the hour, that they grant you, have an extra large pizza delivered, to the unappreciative neighbors, with a card that says, mangiare lentamente, and keep playing. 🎶🏴‍☠️🎶
Maybe a single malt?

Not a bad idea!

 

[mizmar]

I've been told by my teacher, family and other band members that my intonation is good and improving and my notes are becoming fluid

Excuse No. 232.

 

[Targa]

Anonymous report to the police about suspicious digging and patio relaying in the night.
Then the next time she complains you can say my noise is nothing to the row of those jackhammers you had going for hours round there.

 

[cappers]

It'll blow over I have been very rigorous in my practice and getting bolder in my enthusiasm, and forgot about others.

For anyone interested - loft conversion?

Seriously thinking of converting the loft into a practice space. Looked into it before for a spare room but building regs required an external fire escape (3-storey Victorian terrace), original wooden doors to be replaced with fire doors and raise the roof to give required legal head room. However if it is just a storage/utility space rather than living space then those requirements don't apply. The 'junk' in the loft can be stored on racks against the party walls with a playing space in the middle. Will need stairs in the large upper front room (MrsC's art studio) to access the space. A couple of Velux windows, electrics, soundproofing......Won't be cheap but I'd rather it went on us now than the tax man when I pop it.
Might get some quotes.....Anybody here done this?

 

[wakyct]

I totally understand how an hour a day really isn't enough time if you're practicing fundamentals seriously plus repertoire, but to stay in the good graces of my neighbors I try to limit the really annoying stuff (overtones, bending, etc.) to about 30 minutes max and always with closed windows. I use a fan in the summer months.

@cappers , I've built a sound isolation room before, it's really not that complicated if you have the budget for materials, though I am a carpenter by trade I think it's doable DIY. Even some simple room treatment can go a long way. The trickiest parts probably would be handling air circulation/conditioning if you really are trying for a decent reduction in decibels. I think @mrblackbat built his practice studio in the back garden?

 

[Colin the Bear]

Take your horn for a walk. Park, canal, under a bridge, go annoy someone else's neighbours. Stick it in the car and find an isolated car park.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Buy one of these and wear a yellow suit and hat.
Not a Nicholson,
but might work. 🎶🏴‍☠️🎶

Best tune to learn.
Have a large tip bucket aboard.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAvpOzcpEyU

 

[trimmy]

Stick it in the car and find an isolated car park.

When i was on the cabs i use to take my sax out to work, park up at the docks play for a hour

 

[Ivan]

Will need stairs in the large upper front room (MrsC's art studio) to access the space. A couple of Velux windows, electrics,

That's the sort of loft conversion that Planning and Building Control can still regard as 'accomodation', and insist on all the safety features you mentioned

Just because you haven't installed a decent carpet or a bed doesn't make it utility/storage in their eyes

 

[Targa]

That's the sort of loft conversion that Planning and Building Control can still regard as 'accomodation', and insist on all the safety features you mentioned

Just because you haven't installed a decent carpet or a bed doesn't make it utility/storage in their eyes

I don't see that a staircase to enter the loft safely when old, a window to see what you are doing up there, (next door had one, stored his books there), or electrics I have lighting and power in mine should make it other than storage.
Apart from which don't tell them.