What to do when you got mardy neighbours?

[Spike Vincent]

[quote name='Adrenochrome' timestamp='1383640075' post='2266779']
When I owned a flat I found that even my small practice combo, on low volumes, sent bass frequencies through the entire building. Even mounting it on foam on a board on top of more foam and layers of carpet made little difference. I bought my acoustic and a Marshall MS4 microamp to practice with after that. If I use my electric bass it's with headphones thru the MS4or my Zoom multi jobby.
[/quote]


I think this is the key to the issue here. Bass frequencies travel a long way. I actually now live in a detached house with no near neighbours, and I wouldn't dream of cranking up the SVT when rehearsing.

[Toasted]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1383594951' post='2266424']It's not about rules, it's about basic consideration for others.[/quote]

Exactly. Compassion, empathy, understanding.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='Toasted' timestamp='1383648067' post='2266906']
Exactly. Compassion, empathy, understanding.
[/quote]

A rare thing nowadays.

[discreet]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1383613980' post='2266695']
...I have great taste in music...
[/quote]

...in your opinion.

[size=4]It makes me laugh when people have their car stereos way too loud. Their attitude is, 'check out what I'm into, isn't it great?'[/size]
[size=4]But it's never Mozart, is it?? [/size]

[ambient]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1383651701' post='2266963']


...in your opinion.

[size=4]It makes me laugh when people have their car stereos way too loud. Their attitude is, 'check out what I'm into, isn't it great?'[/size]
[size=4]But it's never Mozart, is it?? [/size]
[/quote]

There should be a 'like' button on this site, like on Facebook

[discreet]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1383651965' post='2266967']
There should be a 'like' button on this site, like on Facebook
[/quote]

We tried that, but nobody liked it.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1383652025' post='2266968']

We tried that, but nobody liked it.
[/quote]

I did...

[discreet]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1383652233' post='2266970']
I did...
[/quote]

Well... I actually did like the 'like' button, but I didn't like the 'dislike' button that came with it!

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1383652629' post='2266976']
Well... I actually did like the 'like' button, but I didn't like the 'dislike' button that came with it!
[/quote]

Exactly what I thought, too. Maybe we should ask for it again... (On a separate thread. I'll derail no more!)

[Jonnyboy Rotten]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1383651701' post='2266963']
...in your opinion.

[size=4]It makes me laugh when people have their car stereos way too loud. Their attitude is, 'check out what I'm into, isn't it great?'[/size]
[size=4]But it's never Mozart, is it?? [/size]
[/quote]

As a bit of a laff, me and some mates put on some big band music (similar in style to the Coronation Street music but a full brass band) and stuck that on the car stereo full blast and wound down all the windows. We did our hair and wore cool shades to complete the look.

Driving through King's Lynn in the middle of the day we got some funny looks and made some people laugh!

Edited November 5, 2013 by Jonnyboy Rotten

[ambient]

Yeah bring back the like button

Back on topic. Sometimes you do get people, neighbours or whatever who'll moan just for the sake of it.
Where we used to live, our neighbours were really nice people, but soooooo noisy ! They'd have the radio on in the garden on a sunny summer afternoon, listening to the local awful radio station. No big deal but annoying if you didn't want to listen to it on a sunny summer afternoon. The guy played darts in a local pub, and would practice with his dart board on a joining wall, you'd hear thunk, thunk thunk, followed by a slight pause as he retrieved his darts, then the same again for maybe an hour or 2.
Anyway when I was about 14 I started playing guitar, just a classical acoustic, you've never heard moaning like it from her when I'd be practicing. Despite my room not adjoining their house, quite often she'd complain about my playing even when I hadn't been. She just knew I'd got a guitar so blamed that if she'd maybe been woken at night by something, or had heard music.

But to the guy who started this post, right now I'm listening to dream theater quite loudly through my studio monitors, my parents are both out at work and I know the neighbours are out, so I can do so without disturbing anyone. You just need to consider the appropriateness of playing your bass loudly in a multi occupancy dwelling for any length of time, it just isn't right dude.
Blaming soundproofing or lack of doesn't come into it, it's not there so you need to be hyper careful.

I doubt you'd get much sympathy from your landlord, especially if you make a fuss about the lack of soundproofing. I should imagine it'd be expensive to lift all the floor boards and get soundproofing put in. Plus it'd be your neighbours who suffer the hassle of getting the floorboards up, if they're above you.

Edited November 5, 2013 by ambient

[gjones]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1383651701' post='2266963']
...in your opinion.

It makes me laugh when people have their car stereos way too loud. Their attitude is, 'check out what I'm into, isn't it great?'
But it's never Mozart, is it??
[/quote]

But I do! I feel I'm educating them. I used to have Nepalese student neighbours. Have you ever heard Nepalese disco?

Edited November 5, 2013 by gjones

[cheddatom]

I've been rehearsing in a room at the back of where I work for well over 3 years. A few different bands practise there and we were always very loud until we received our first ever complaint a few months back. The guy said that his kid goes to bed at 6:30pm so when we turn up at 7:30 and play loud it wakes him up and stops him getting back to sleep. I highly doubt this as his house is a good 200 yards away from the room we're using, but either way he was clearly pissed off. Even though it seemed a bit unreasonable, we decided to turn down, and I gave him a card so he can call me if he has a problem in future. No more complaints since. It's just easier to get along sometimes!

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='Jonnyboy Rotten' timestamp='1383653103' post='2266987']
As a bit of a laff, me and some mates put on some big band music (similar in style to the Coronation Street music but a full brass band) and stuck that on the car stereo full blast and wound down all the windows. We did our hair and wore cool shades to complete the look.

Driving through King's Lynn in the middle of the day we got some funny looks and made some people laugh!
[/quote]
Yes, but it was Kings Lynn.

[Dingus]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1383658218' post='2267127']
Yes, but it was Kings Lynn.
[/quote]

True .

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='nottswarwick' timestamp='1383644910' post='2266849']


Not trying to be funny or provocative here, but what exactly is there to resolve? I think we can all see that it's too loud, so accept it and move on with a quieter or silent solution. Sorry.
[/quote]

I meant as in, hopefully come to an agreemenaggressivethe neighbours.
I only realistically want to have it on a little maybe one day a week, so I don't think I'm being unreasonable.

I only looked up building regulations or whatever they are as I don't think this building meets any standard there may be, just from past experience, and how much 'ambient' noise from them we hear too.

I'm not out looking to justify having it on loud (which it isnt at all) and I also don't want to be breaking any laws unknowingly either. I've had the surround sound on louder and for longer periods so I'm a little perplexed at the complaint. Which was just for loud guitar.

A few of the comments here feel as though they are in the vein of 'put and shut up'. Which is fair enough. I am not able to hear myself from their perspective, but it's far more annoying that I have to listen to music through headphones to block out the snoring at night than it is to listen to someone play guitar once in a blue moon.

I was hoping for advice and I got some. Not what I was expecting but thanks all the same.

[Dingus]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1383660705' post='2267203']
I meant as in, hopefully come to an agreemenaggressivethe neighbours.
I only realistically want to have it on a little maybe one day a week, so I don't think I'm being unreasonable.

I only looked up building regulations or whatever they are as I don't think this building meets any standard there may be, just from past experience, and how much 'ambient' noise from them we hear too.

I'm not out looking to justify having it on loud (which it isnt at all) and I also don't want to be breaking any laws unknowingly either. I've had the surround sound on louder and for longer periods so I'm a little perplexed at the complaint. Which was just for loud guitar.

A few of the comments here feel as though they are in the vein of 'put and shut up'. Which is fair enough. I am not able to hear myself from their perspective, but it's far more annoying that I have to listen to music through headphones to block out the snoring at night than it is to listen to someone play guitar once in a blue moon.

I was hoping for advice and I got some. Not what I was expecting but thanks all the same.
[/quote]

I don't think you are being unreasonable, my friend , but I and many others are just trying to make the point that in the real world , it can be more about perception than reality . In the minds of most non-musiciuans , guitar + amp equals loud and annoying , regardless of the actual volume level . What this neighbour is complaining about is not that you are playing too loud , but rather [u][i]he is complaining about the fact that he can hear you at all [/i][/u]. It may well be that this chap is being obnoxious in the manner that he is complaining , but the hard fact is that if it comes down to a dispute that a third party has to get involved in then in all likelihood he will be the winner , not you .

The suggestion that you approach this fella in a friendly manner and try to explain your point of view and ask his permission to have some limited playing time which he can veto by knocking on the wall or phoning you if he is too put out by it at any particular time is a very good idea , and probably your best chance of getting what you want . In terms of manipulating this bloke to your own ends , there is a huge psychological difference between being subjected to something you are in control of ( noise from your bass in this instance) and being forced to endure something you have no power to stop.

Edited November 5, 2013 by Dingus

[flyfisher]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1383668841' post='2267355']
. . . . there is a huge psychological difference between being subjected to something you are in control of ( noise from your bass in this instance) and being forced to endure something you have no power to stop.
[/quote]

On the other hand, having no control over things can sometimes be less stressful:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulcers_in_Executive_Monkeys

But I digress . . .

[Dingus]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1383669600' post='2267378']
On the other hand, having no control over things can sometimes be less stressful:
[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulcers_in_Executive_Monkeys"]http://en.wikipedia....ecutive_Monkeys[/url]

But I digress . . .
[/quote]

I am that monkey.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1383668841' post='2267355']


I don't think you are being unreasonable, my friend , but I and many others are just trying to make the point that in the real world , it can be more about perception than reality . In the minds of most non-musiciuans , guitar + amp equals loud and annoying , regardless of the actual volume level . What this neighbour is complaining about is not that you are playing too loud , but rather [u][i]he is complaining about the fact that he can hear you at all [/i][/u]. It may well be that this chap is being obnoxious in the manner that he is complaining , but the hard fact is that if it comes down to a dispute that a third party has to get involved in then in all likelihood he will be the winner , not you .

The suggestion that you approach this fella in a friendly manner and try to explain your point of view and ask his permission to have some limited playing time which he can veto by knocking on the wall or phoning you if he is too put out by it at any particular time is a very good idea , and probably your best chance of getting what you want . In terms of manipulating this bloke to your own ends , there is a huge psychological difference between being subjected to something you are in control of ( noise from your bass in this instance) and being forced to endure something you have no power to stop.
[/quote]

You seemed to have hit the nail on the head. So thanks for that.

[xgsjx]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1383651701' post='2266963']
[size=4]It makes me laugh when people have their car stereos way too loud. Their attitude is, 'check out what I'm into, isn't it great?'[/size]
[size=4]But it's never Mozart, is it?? [/size]
[/quote]

Mozart? Pah!!!

Everyone knows that the classical bassist was Bach!

I have neighbours up & down from me. I play in the day & get no complaints. I don't play in the evening unless arranging it with them. The first thing I did when I moved here was to say hello to the neighbours & when the upstairs family moved in, I took a cake up & welcomed them.

Downstairs have complained a couple of times in the past, but only because it was 9:30pm & the whole band was playing (happened more than once too, but I did let him know & to tell me if it got too late).

Talk to your neebs. Apologise for the noise & empathise with them. They may well return the empathy & you could arrange to play during the day.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1383668841' post='2267355']
I don't think you are being unreasonable, my friend , but I and many others are just trying to make the point that in the real world , it can be more about perception than reality . In the minds of most non-musiciuans , guitar + amp equals loud and annoying , regardless of the actual volume level . What this neighbour is complaining about is not that you are playing too loud , but rather [u][i]he is complaining about the fact that he can hear you at all [/i][/u]. It may well be that this chap is being obnoxious in the manner that he is complaining , but the hard fact is that if it comes down to a dispute that a third party has to get involved in then in all likelihood he will be the winner , not you .

The suggestion that you approach this fella in a friendly manner and try to explain your point of view and ask his permission to have some limited playing time which he can veto by knocking on the wall or phoning you if he is too put out by it at any particular time is a very good idea , and probably your best chance of getting what you want . In terms of manipulating this bloke to your own ends , there is a huge psychological difference between being subjected to something you are in control of ( noise from your bass in this instance) and being forced to endure something you have no power to stop.
[/quote]

Absolutely spot on.

[xilddx]

One night, just one night before Christmas a few years ago, me and lady xilddx were blasting some Deftones on the hifi. We thought the woman upstairs was out and we were on holiday. She rang the bell about 9pm, her lip was bleeding, she looked distressed. She asked us very politely to turn it down as her floor was vibrating. I was immensely apologetic and turned it off. I pointed out her lip and asked if she was ok. She explained she'd been biting it for an hour because she was so worried about asking us to turn it down. That's the sort of distress loud noise can cause a neighbour, even for one night. I still feel guilty about it, but we got on very well, even after that incident.

[RhysP]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1383668841' post='2267355']
What this neighbour is complaining about is not that you are playing too loud , but rather [u][i]he is complaining about the fact that he can hear you at all [/i][/u].
[/quote]

In my experience musicians tend to think things that other people find unbearably loud are not very loud at all.

There is every chance the neighbour does indeed think the OP was playing too loud.

[Dr.Dave]

Sorry to be a petty pooper but I'm with the complainant on this one. Peace and quiet at home is something I value highly. It really is no effort to use headphones.

I had to go and face off my work shy neversweat of a noisy neighbour at 2 in the morning a few days ago - pissed up and rowing with the fat nightmare he lives with. Not being one to mince words he's been quiet as a mouse since. I expect being told by a bloke in a monkey onsie that he's going to tear your head off and sh*t down your neck is a pretty scary thing !