to think electric guitars aren't acceptable at any time of day in a house with shared walls

[tyler80]

One of our next door neighbours (semi) seems to have recently acquired an electric guitar & amp.

It's loud enough in our house that we cannot say watch a dvd whilst they're playing. I've been round a couple of times and to be fair they've always immediately turned it off/right down. But would I be unreasonable to tell them it's not acceptable to us at any time to play it that loudly and I shouldn't have to go round each time to tell them this?

I play guitar (very badly) and sometimes very loudly with plenty of gain and reverb to cover my shit playing but only during the day and only loud for short periods (loud is how a guitar should be played).

If anyone complained then I would stop at once BUT dont then let me hear your kids screeching, your baby crying, your dog barking, your DIY noise because it is a two way street.

My neighbour is a DIY fanatic and from 8-30am weekends the noise normally begins but I grit my teeth and bear it.

I think maybe he could let rip a bit during the day, but not in the evening when neighbours might be expected to be watching tv or settling kids...

Dh is in a band - they used to rent a rehearsal space; now we have room, we've soundproofed the basement as a studio. Not expensive or difficult to do.

I'm inclined to feel that if you're going to play amplified electric guitar when the neighbours are in, headphones or soundproofing a room are the way to go.

Rehearsal spaces are usually cheap. We shared with another band, & split the access via a rota. I paid around £20 per month. Most rehearsal spaces regularly have noticeboards with ads from artists looking for new people to split rooms with. It's not hard or ££ to sort out...

Coalition, did you know, if you want to play a church organ in a residential street, you're meant to clear it first? It's nothing to do with snobby prejudice against amped music: it's to do the right to quiet enjoyment.

Legally, if someone is causing so much noise, at antisocial hours, that you're disturbed, then you have every right to complain. That's true whether it's an amped guitar, or a church organ, or a bulldozer.

Really, "AIBU to think electric guitars aren't acceptable at any time of day in a house with shared walls"
is the same as
"AIBU to expect to be completly unaware of the existence of my neighbours."

The answer to both is "Yes, YABU". In both cases their are boundries to be negotiated and compromises to be reached, but if you live near other people you have to be prepared to deal with other people.

This doesn't mean that you should be expected to put up with loud noise at 3am every night or that everyone you come in contact with will be reasonable - those are really shitty situations that we don't seem to have good systems to handle. But most people seem to be able to get along.

But a blanket, "If the neighbours can hear you, then you are in the wrong" is unreasonable.

We have the neighbours children constantly playing football outside our house with the banging of the ball, if anyone complained to me about the loudness of the guitar playing, they would get what for >

'Someone who only ever plays their guitar through headphones or without an amp is going to end up losing interest in loud rock music if they never get a chance to actually play it.'

Now there's a real fucking loss to the world.

Smelly candles, cats, nope, can't say I've ever not been able to hear someone in my home speak because of the neigbhours' cats or candles.

LittleRedDragon - "if someone is causing so much noise, at antisocial hours, that you're disturbed, then you have every right to complain. "

Absolutly. That's also not what the OP said. They said "electric guitars aren't acceptable at any time of day in a house with shared walls"

That is a much stronger statement.

As you yourself said, electric guitars are made to be played loud, so I don't see how saying that I don't think they should be played in residential attached houses in anyway equates to I don't think I should hear any noise from my neighbours at all.

Reading around a bit, it actually seems that amplified music can be considered a nuisance at any time of day, not just between 11pm and 7am, when played at a level that is regarded as a nuisance.

expat - And someone elses loud music never made my house smell of piss. Or left shit in my garden.

You may not appreciate the noise being made, but the person making it does.

It is an issue of compromise and tolerance. Like everything else involving neighbours.

ravenAK, I have a friend who is in a band and is thinking of soundproofing a room. How do you go about it? How do you cover windows and doors etc.? How effective is it?

tyler80 - If it's do loud you can't hear the tv that's a problem. If it's keeping you awake that's a problem. If you can hear it, but you can still hear The Archers while doing the washing up with the radio at a reasonable volume is that a problem? If it's shatteringly loud when your not in is that a problem?

I think you OP is to broad and absolute and as it's written does amount to "I don't expect to ever hear my neighbours"

Coalition - yes, I agree. I meant to show that using an amped guitar is the same as other loud noises: there are laws about when you can and can't complain, and about what you can and can't complain.

LRD - Yes the reason for the noise is not actually important.

See on the one hand you're saying electric guitars need to be played loudly and then on the other saying that they're fine if played considerately i.e. not loudly.

My blanket ban is on the assumption that if they're plugged into an amp they're going to be loud relative to anything else in a domestic house and therefore a nuisance.

And having being subjected to years of torture the Archers growing up, anything that drowned it out could only be a blessing

'And having being subjected to years of torture the Archers growing up, anything that drowned it out could only be a blessing'

agree entirely, unless the neighbour plays the Archer's theme tune on guitar. There is little worse than that, even if played quietly. I doubt there is a court in the land that wouldn't convict for that.

tyler80 - So what you wanted to say was "AIBU to expect my neighbours to be considerate". In that case YANBU. But that isn't what you said...

Claig - you probably can't soundproof at home 100% effectively, but you can deaden it to not-nuisance levels - eg. I can tell what song's being played when I'm in the living room & the band are in the basement beneath, but it doesn't distract me if I'm reading or stop me watching TV.

Basically: carpet on inside of doors, padded boards (chipboard with an old duvet stapled to it, whole thing covered in an old blanket stapled over the edges) to fit any windows.

Several 'baffles' - more padded boards fixed to large expanses of wall which otherwise 'bounce' sound harshly.

Egg boxes are also good for ceiling & internal walls.

& thoroughly lag pipes - they are buggers for conducting sound!

We spent a weekend just adding more soundproofing until it was quiet enough - we could add more, but it's a big house, only one party wall & the neighbours are happy - mind you, their teenage ds is a (bloody awful) drummer...

No, what I am saying is I don't believe an electric guitar plugged into an amplifier can be played considerately.

Numerous posters here have stated that it's not the same if you play quietly.

thanks RavenAK, that's good to know. Sounds like it can be done yourself without needing to buy many special products from shops.

Can I complain about a loudly crying baby or kids screeching in a garden. If i cant then put up with my guitar for an hour or two at the weekend.

I'll put up with your guitar, if you promise to start having lessons

claig, I already have, it's the two left hands and ten thumbs which are the problem

tell that to the judge

I will play my guitar that will convince him/her to let me off out of pity :)