apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Sorry, but said musician needs to consider others and find an isolated or sound-proofed facility to do their rehearsing.

please don't move in above me!

Do unto others...

I admit, I play my music loud once in a great while...usually around 1 or 2 in the afternoon, and not very regularly.

I lived above a guy who blasted the same four Red Hot Chili Peppers songs on a loop, over and over and over again. He ruined many an afternoon nap as well as my enjoyment of the Chili Peppers.

So word to those who love to blast music and think others will be impressed by their taste... NO ONE will be. Even those who have similar taste in music. I actually wish he'd played stuff I DIDN'T like!

I don't think I ever "blast" my music - LOL - I tend to listen to music with headphones on or on where I can barely hear it for background noise.

I like to listen to music pretty loud on occasion, but have never had complaints from my neighbors. I made sure to have all the speakers either on stands or on a piece of furniture so the sound doesn't transfer directly to the floor. I have a subwoofer that this on a rubber mat as well.

I have asked the guy who lives below me if he's ever heard us and he said no. Also, we made sure to have the speakers in a room not directly above his living room or bedroom - this seems to help as well. He has done the same thing and I have never heard his music either.

I lived next to somebody that played experimental electronic Phillip Glass type music with a world beat for almost 2 years and hated it. Now I live in a building with a guy that will sing and play acoustic guitar for 6 hours straight and I hate it too.

Both of them would leave their front doors open and the entire building could hear them.

It's rude and inconsiderate. The guy composing electronic music could have used headphones, but wouldn't and the guy with the guitar could walk 2 blocks to the beach to play his guitar and he won't do that either.

I am of the opinion that if you live in an apartment, you need to make certain concessions, and one of them is loud music. You don't get to blast your music loudly, and I won't do it either. If I really really feel the need to play music loudly, I'll save up and buy a house.

You wanna hear loud? I live upstairs from an opera singer and a trumpet player, but since they're concert-hall quality performers, I actually enjoy it. They only perform during reasonable hours, and when they have fellow musicians over to jam, they always invite us downstairs for the show.

My husband and son plays electric guitar, but since neither is exactly Eric Clapton-level, they plugs headphones into the amp connector; they can hear the music, but for everyone else, it's no louder than an acoustic guitar.

If this guy is a musician, isn't there a practice space he can rent instead of doing it at home? I know people who have definitely not hit it big who just find cheap places to practice.

But I guess for the purposes of this particular question, I'd probably try to check with my neighbors to see if they'd be okay with my practicing and try to get a feel for people's schedules. Then I'd practice when the majority of the people aren't home. I have a guy in a bungalow next to me who blasts OK Computer like it's the first time he's heard of it. I actually like Radiohead but it just left me like, really? You're listening to that now? It's 2009.

As electronic musicians living in a large apartment complex, we have recorded 4 albums there over the course of 8 years and have never had one complaint. We are extremely respectful and WAY quieter than our neighbors. We generally (as much as possible) mix with headphones, and keep our monitors facing in to the room. We record most instruments directly, and only record vocals during day or very early evening hours.

Honestly, our neighbors who blast their televisions and stereos are way louder than we are.

I absolutely never blast music. I keep that for the car, where I won't hassle my neighbors.

I also hate. No, wait, that word isn't strong enough. Let's try LOATHE people that blast their music. It's so rude and inconsiderate.

I think apartment give and take goes for everyone--noise makers AND noise hearers. If I'm playing loud music or you're using your super loud sander or Apt 5 is blasting the big game it's fine--as long as it isn't a regular occurence and it's during reasonable hours. But plugged in, amplified band practice should generally be conducted at a rehearsal studio intended for such things.

Thanks to everyone who makes an effort to contain their sounds - speakers on stands, away from walls, using headphones on the amp, etc. Speakers away from the walls makes such a big difference. Suggested this to my Kelley Clarkson at wall shaking decible neighbors - move the speaker to the exterior wall and they can play it louder and not disturb me.

I don't understand the justification of 'I only do it during reasonable hours'. I hate being disturbed as much during the day as at night.... even if I'm just sitting on my couch drinking tea, I don't want to hear you or your choice in music, tv, etc. I want to hear my own music, tv, radio.

And ppl keep different schedules -- they may be napping during what you consider 'reasonable hours', or it may be their regular sleep schedule. I know I work very late, and so frequently am still sleeping during 'reasonable hours'.

I had a neighbor who played his electric guitar, with an amp, at 3am. How I hated him. Glad his band never made it. Ha! Rent practice space if you are a musician (I hate the neighbor who plays drums in his garage next door for same reason, it may be reasonable hours, but A) you woke me up and B) you suck, so even if I wanted to hear someone playing drums, it wouldn't be you.)

SanDiegoAT -- I have to admit I agree. People don't realize how different people's hours are or that some just might be sick in bed and not wanting to hear just how loud your stereo system is on full blast.

I am a little more accepting if I can slightly hear the neighbors' music during the day, but I don't like it so where I might as well be hanging out over there because I can hear it so well. If it's at night, if I hear it in my bedroom, you better guess you're fun is going to get broken up.

Sometimes I sing in my apartment, but I don't think it bothers anyone...then again all of my neighbors have epic relationship-related arguments every single day, usually after 11 pm.

It's not people playing loud music (although my upstairs neighbor, now evicted, played "Bossy" by Kelis everysinglemorning at 7am before heading off to school) that makes me feel awkward running into my neighbors in the hallway.