Neighbours stories..

[Sloth]

Threads like this always make an enjoyable read- has anyone had any good or bad neighbour experiences when practising at home?

I'm sort of lucky as I'm end-of-terrace and the couple upstairs haven't made any complaints, nor has anyone else for that matter - but I do like to put a sock in it by about 9 or half past so everyone knows their late evenings will be peaceful.

I was reading a thread on SOTW like this and it was mostly American, I wonder how these things occur in the land of reserve..?

 

[Mamos]

I am very lucky.

I live in a log cabin and our nearest neighbour is about 50 metres away

We have solid wooden log walls and double glazing so I can pretty much play any time of the day and night and nobody can hear me.

mamos

 

[jadoube]

The young lad (10) next door often heard me practicing and asked for saxophone lessons. I think on the basis that he had to be able to do better than me. ;}

Not sure his parents were overjoyed at the expense. as penance I give him a lift home from training band each week.

 

[Chris Jones]

I have many request shouted from the neighbours, Never found the score to fulfil the demands?? :shocked:

 

[Djangette]

Ouch!

Were you playing in the key of D Chris Jones? - Dee Sturb De Neighbours! lol

Actually never had a complaint about playing (except from the cats who hate double-reed instruments and they don't count).

I could hear one of my neighbours kids practising violin which was pretty painful until he discovered girls (thank goodness!) - personally it would have to be very bad to make me complain.

Everyone makes noise - DIY, mowing the grass, babies, domestic abuse, etc. So long as it's relatively peaceful when you want to sleep what's the problem?

Jadoube - sounds like a bad move to me - you're committed now, you could have just recommended a good training CD, etc!

I was once asked by a neighbour to ask another neighbour to turn his music down - it was summer and he was playing his CDs pretty loud, that was a tricky one to slide out of, but by and large we live and let live here.

 

[Andrew Sanders]

Started learning on a Grafton in Stoke in 1975 and after a few weeks the girl from next door called in and said
"I love to hear you play as it reminds me of home"
I thought Chicago or New York
No she was from Hull and she said I reminded her of the tankers and fishing boats honking as they left harbour.
Still no better but now play tenor.... super tanker. That could be my new forum name....perhaps not!

 

[Pee Dee]

On one side brilliant! They even said they enjoy listening to me, and the kids, their kids, not mine. I don't have kids, he's grown up and left home.
Very suspicious, what do they want. Whatever it is, they can have it!
But, on the other side, well...
I practice about an hour a day sometimes hour and a half. Short while back I practiced in our bedroom, which is adjacent to the neighbour, a lady on her own. (Probably the 'root' of her problem) Well, up came the radio, full blast. Didn't mind though, it was radio 2 what I listen to anyway. In fact it was on downstairs already. Banging of doors. Childish tantrums. Shouted at wife in garden. "how long is this going on for, it's awful". I explain - it's only for an hour a day. Ok I'll move to other side of the house, in the spare bedroom. (Bit, of hassle, had to clear space) Banging of doors again, loud radio, snubbed in the street. Wife sits in front room below, watching the box, and says she can hardly hear me, and there's two more walls between me the neighbour. Experiment: played Pie Jesu as quiet as I could, and bingo, she must have ears like a hawk, or is that eyes? Anyway, banging of doors again, up with radio. Quite funny really, I guess she knows, if she got the noise police in from the rathouse the decibels would be in limit.
Mamos you given me an idea, if I build a log cabin in the spare bedroom, would that work))

 

[Semiquaver]

Yes I had a complaint about two weeks ago. I answered a knock on the door to met with the comment' How much longer have we got to put up with that racket!!!!

Thing is he was right I had been playing for two hours on a sunday afternoon and I was happy to stop. Also I did not know a window in the next room was open.

I just got into a groove and did not realise how long I had been playing for.

The side effect of this is that I am now so self-conscious when I practise that I am holding back on my blowing.

wish i had a log cabin.

 

[Djangette]

Yes I had a complaint about two weeks ago. I answered a knock on the door to met with the comment' How much longer have we got to put up with that racket!!!!

Thing is he was right I had been playing for two hours on a sunday afternoon and I was happy to stop. Also I did not know a window in the next room was open.

I just got into a groove and did not realise how long I had been playing for.

The side effect of this is that I am now so self-conscious when I practise that I am holding back on my blowing.

wish i had a log cabin.

Did you ask your neighbour when it would be convenient for him for you to practice?

He sounds very rude - Sunday afternoon isn't the middle of the night is it and two hours isn't a long time - what was he planning to do that your playing disturbed?

Personally I would have told him to take a walk and get a life! ... 'rearrange this well known phrase or saying ...'

Do I complain when people mow their lawns @ 8am on a Sunday morning when I've had less than 5 hours sleep or start bashing and grinding their cars or let their babies cry? Of course I don't it's live and let live.

Some people are bullies and you shouldn't let them get away with that attitude - write a note with your proposed practice times, ask if they have a particular objection to those times and the reasons, adjust it if reasonable and doable, but explain that you must practice - if you can't compromise then practice anytime they're being rowdy - Eastenders on full blast, when they're having a barbecue in the summer, etc

Alternatively if you can't face a showdown - do as they do in Cuba, etc (where lots of families are living one on another), and practice in open air ... you might scare a few dog-walkers, but you don't have to live next door to them do you? lol - also it might be inspirational to play near nature - or get an allotment, put up a shed and play there @ night?

 

[Nick Cook]

I haven't had any complaints from neighbours. Although a couple of them have said they've heard me. They both recognised the tunes too, so I must be doing something right!!!

I get most of the complaints from my wife on the neghbours behalf!!!

I mainly practice between 7 and 8 in the evening, and make sure all the windows are shut!!!

 

[Lloyd]

Reading these posts make me realise how lucky I am. Nearest neighbour is quite a long way away and I have a double glazed room that muffles most of the sound. Just as well, really given my present ability. I sympathise with anyone who has 'dodgy' neighbours. I have found out that it is possible to upset some people just by exisiting and no amont of compromise will make any difference. We once lived next door to the world's most miserable couple, who would complain about anything at anytime. They were the sort of people who would mow 1 foot of the 2 foot patch of grass that seperated our front gardens.

 

[daveysaxboy]

Open the door,GLARE,Close the door,Get back on your horn and blow harder.

 

[Pauline]

I'm very lucky.
The woman next door has only commented twice on my playing (to my husband) but both times it was to say how much I'm improving. She also said that she was amazed when she heard me play a new piece all the way through without a mistake.
I've no idea what she was referring to as I've never managed that ever!

My son though, (aged 30 and living at home) has only made one comment. When I upgraded my tenor last year and proudly showed it to him, all he said was "Is it as loud as the other one?" !!! ))

Well I do like to give it a bit of wellie!

 

[Chris Jones]

Joking aside. My neighbour across the road often stands by his gate and listens whilst drawing on his cigarette. During fine weather my next door but one neighbour will sit in his garden and listen.

Thank fully both enjoy Jazz and swing, and often refer to certain pieces they enjoy. I will often play these if I know there loitering.

 

[Lloyd]

Joking aside. My neighbour across the road often stands by his gate and listens whilst drawing on his cigarette. During fine weather my next door but one neighbour will sit in his garden and listen.

Thank fully both enjoy Jazz and swing, and often refer to certain pieces they enjoy. I will often play these if I know there loitering.

My neighbours run away screaming with their hands in the air.

 

[Chris Jones]

My neighbours run away screaming with their hands in the air.

:shocked: Maybe my neighbours have poor earring. ;}

 

[TomMapfumo]

Generally I'm the only one around when I am practising; quiet street, most people at work from 8am - 6pm, music room in rear of house, neighbours a young solicitor one side, group of young professional/students on other - several of whom play music semi professionally. All comments positive, and do bit of a gig when people are in their back gardens with friends - often with applause!

Don't ever play before 10am or after 10pm.
So very happy all round

Kind regards
Tom

 

[Luluna]

hmmm -

growing up in a residential neighborhood - my brothers thought someone was wrestling a goose....no neighborhood complaints.

living in a 1920s Chicago high rise (built by gangsters so the walls were extra thick) - I never heard a thing - they never heard me as far as I can tell....

living in Vermont on 100 acres....my schnauzer "sings" along - I can't tell if she likes it or not - am going to experiment with using the tenor and bari to see if I can get a moose to show up if I play on the deck outside....

...will keep you posted.....

;}

 

[tengu01]

Neighbours

I have had a variety of encounters with the neighbours when it comes to playing so far. I lived in Geneva for a few years and my first flat was in a block where there were many many older residents who seemed to have been living there since the year dot.

On a saturday late afternoon I decided to try some playalong and had got approximately 8 mins into my playing when there was a hammering at the door. I opened it and was treated to a barrage of french to the effect that "It is absolutely forbidden to play a musical instrument in this building and could I please stop immediately". The venom in her voice really stunned me into silence for while, then I checked my contract and realised that she was completely out of line.

Some weeks later, an older swiss-german couple informed me that they were organising a petition to the estate agency to force me to stop playing. I invited him to do so, as I was within my rights to play at a reasonable time and at a reasonable volume. All very polite. They went, spoke to the estate agents and in a display of real manners and character, came back to me and told me that I was indeed within my rights. Although they didn't really like it, I was indeed correct. That they came back to tell me this surprised me enough that I found somewhere outside to practice to reduce the amount of time I was playing in the flat and disturbing everyone.

A different flat, a different experience: Met my new neighbours after a couple of weeks who were very very complementary about my playing. They didn't mind me practicing and very much enjoyed listening to me. To be fair, I was working on Bach's Solo Cello Suites at the time. It really made me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside

However, whenever possible, I try to find places outside where I can really go for it. It has done wonders for my tone and projection

 

[MarathonMum]

This has been an interesting read. I'm really lucky I suppose. My joined on neighbours are fairly tolerant and are often out. They have two teenage sons (who thankfully don't play loud music or have wild parties) and are a really busy family so don't seem to notice. We don't complain when they're noisy and they don't complain to us. Seems that's how it should be.

My other neighbours are a lovely elderly couple and they enjoy it - "Uncle" Reg used to play piano in a dance band and I think they like to listen to all the old songs, which is what I mostly play.

All my complaints come from the family - Typical!

Sharon