Practicing music in an apartment

Redser87

Hi all, just looking for opinions. I live in an apartment with fairly thin walls. I play the flute, not professionally or anything but I enjoy it and I'm not bad! I have set up a corner to practise in a room that does not adjoin another apartment . My practice session would be half an hour or so. What time do you think is acceptable to practise like this on a weekday evening and at weekends? Thanks

dori_dormer

If there are kids in the nearby apartments I would say not after 7pm anyway as that's usually bedtime.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

You could ask your neighbours if there's a good time for them? Or if you don't want to do that it might say it in your lease. Ours says no audible noise before 9 or after 11 so between then we'd be grand.

Once it's not crazy loud and before 11pm it's fair game imo. It's your home you should be allowed to enjoy it.

MarkAnthony

As above, frankly just by putting as much thought into it as you have I'd say you're doing more than 99% of people that live in apartments.

When I live in an apartment I lived next door to an opera singer for years, other than the occasional competition when I'd had one or two too many sherries we never bothered each other.

Mrs OBumble

I'd say 11am to 10pm is fine, depending on what your lease says.

Put on background noise in (TV or radio) in another room, and open doors of wardrobes etc with soft stuff like clothing in them as this soaks up sound

Arbiter of Good Taste

dori_dormer wrote: »

If there are kids in the nearby apartments I would say not after 7pm anyway as that's usually bedtime.

As long as it is not an unreasonable time - ie after 10:30/11 - then it really is not the OP's problem whether or not there are children next door.

OP, in the interest of being neighbourly, I would say up to 9:30/10 is fine

mordeith

As long as you're not playing Pachelbel's 'Canon' on repeat there'll be no problem ;-)

Toots

I practiced clarinet in my apartment and like you I made sure to do it in an area without any adjoining walls. I never had any complaints.

Zenify

As a previous posted commented, I think it would be best to ask your neighbour. They will also put up with the noise more if you consult them (it will show you care).

I don't fully agree with the above comment that it's your home and you can do what you like - your neighbours should also be able to enjoy their home without any significant disturbance. I can't see a small instrument causing a problem though, drums might be another story.

athtrasna

What does the head lease say? Our development rules state no noise audible from other units between midnight and 8am whereas our leases state 10pm to 8am

Mrs OBumble

mordeith wrote: »

As long as you're not playing Pachelbel's 'Canon' on repeat there'll be no problem ;-)

It's likely that the OP will spend a good bit of time practicing the difficult parts of whatever they're learning over and over and over and over and over and over and over ... and then some more.

This could make an entire work, yes even Pachelbel's Canon seem like a dream to an irritated neighbour

Redser87

Thanks everyone, will check the lease, no children nearby but one neighbour does shift work!

legin500

Are you Ron Burgundy?

endacl

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

open doors of wardrobes etc with soft stuff like clothing in them as this soaks up sound

Also good for your flute practise, OP. You want the room to be as acoustically dead as possible.

I've a much trickier problem, regarding flute playing in the house. A 14 year old lurcher who insists on 'singing along'. Ever tried playing the flute while trying not to laugh? It ain't easy...

MarkAnthony

Who's better? :pac:

seamus

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I'd say 11am to 10pm is fine, depending on what your lease says.

11am is very late. I'd say 9am to 9pm. You are then in most cases not going to be disturbing anyone's sleep, children or adults.

esforum

what a nice nieghbour you are OP.

Why not call in, introduce yourself if you havent already and just mention that you practice and is there any time that suits them? They Should be very happy that you took the time to ask. Other than that, 30 minutes a day is hardly anything.

I never understand people that point out theres kids next door etc, kids make far more noice than most adults would dream off and while they go to bed early, they also get up early when you are hungover on Saturday and Sunday

seamus

esforum wrote: »

I never understand people that point out theres kids next door etc, kids make far more noice than most adults would dream off and while they go to bed early, they also get up early when you are hungover on Saturday and Sunday

Cos they go to bed early. So making a lot of noise after 8pm can disturb them.

And in reality if the kids next door are loud enough for you to hear, then it's in your own best interests to not wake them up

That's always something I would broach with the neighbour. In my case I would ask the person to stay quiet between 8pm and 9pm, but after 9pm they can practice if they like. This is mainly because noise will stop my daughter from getting to sleep, but once she's asleep you'd need to make serious amounts of noise to wake her.

Oink

seamus wrote: »

11am is very late. I'd say 9am to 9pm. You are then in most cases not going to be disturbing anyone's sleep, children or adults.

Agreed. It may be allowed after 9 but I think it's bad manners. And 11 is definitely taking the piss. And I'm a musician. Unless your neighbours say they dont care, obviously.

Mrs OBumble

Oink wrote: »

Agreed. It may be allowed after 9 but I think it's bad manners. And 11 is definitely taking the piss. And I'm a musician. Unless your neighbours say they dont care, obviously.

Ahh, that's AM referred to, not pm.

9am would be fine on a weekday. But it would be gratingly annoying on the weekend. IMHO.

endacl

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Who's better? :pac:

He's certainly more enthusiastic!

Arbiter of Good Taste

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Ahh, that's AM referred to, not pm.

9am would be fine on a weekday. But it would be gratingly annoying on the weekend. IMHO.

Tell that to my neighbour's builders who like to start at 8am on a Saturday morning :mad:

esforum

seamus wrote: »

Cos they go to bed early. So making a lot of noise after 8pm can disturb them.

send them to bed late and in turn they get up later. Everyones happy

sillysmiles

I would say week days 9am until 10 pm is fine, weekends 10/11am until 10pm.

Though you say your neighbour works shift - any idea if it is a regular shift or a changing shift pattern?