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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Piano playing

106 replies

CruCru · 11/10/2012 19:51

How late is too late to play your piano? I ask because my new neighbour is getting on my nerves a bit. He plays beautifully - concert pianist stuff - but sometimes on and off from 6pm until after 11.

We can't hear it in the bedrooms. But when I'm pottering about its starting to grate. Not because it's bad - its great - but because it's there.

We live in a terraced house but usually can hear very little. The people before him had a daughter who would scream. They were very apologetic but there was no need because we could barely hear her.

I'm a bit reluctant to whinge at him partly because another neighbour has just had a go at him about some scaffolding which encroaches a bit onto our properties. This other guy was trying to get me to say that I was upset about it but I said as long as it doesn't cause damage and doesn't block access I'm not that bothered. It's only for a fortnight. Basically I now don't want to speak with him about the piano because I don't want him to think we're ganging up on him.

The piano neighbour is a very young guy (early twenties) whose granny has bought him a house. I think the scaffolding was just him not realising that it would be a nuisance to the neighbours. But the piano is pissing me off.

At what point would you pop round?

OP posts:
phantomnamechanger · 11/10/2012 19:56

not before 9am and not after 9pm is the rule in our house, for my 3 budding pianists. Same as with any loud noise really

do you have DC you can use as an exucse, that they are in bed and being disturbed?

a young single bloke probably doesn't think of things like that!

ThalianotFailure · 11/10/2012 19:57

now. 11pm is too late. A friend of a friend had a piano and when she first moved in she went to see her neighbours to reassure them she wouldn't play for (I think) more than 4 hours a day (which I though quite a lot) and not after 10pm.

Just be nice and friendly, say that you're not bothered about the scaffolding, but it does need pointing out. He may have no idea at all how audible it is.

Original poster
CruCru · 11/10/2012 20:02

Well I asked him who the pianist was and he said "me" and his girlfriend said that it was wonderful that they had a concert pianist in the house (he shares with three people; he is actually a lawyer not a professional pianist).

I think it doesn't occur to them that others find even good music irritating.

I haven't heard it yet today. Maybe he's still at work.

OP posts:
Anonymumous · 11/10/2012 20:16

Even if it's not his main job, if he's that good he could be playing in concerts or with orchestras as a hobby - therefore he will need to practise a lot, and will also have to do it in the evenings since he's at work all day. If you can't hear it in the bedrooms, only when you're pottering about, can't you just put on some of your own music to drown his out?

Our ex-neighbours' son used to play the trumpet and we could hear him practising. My friend and I joined in very loudly by singing along with 'God Save The Queen' once - the trumpeting stopped abruptly and we never heard him practising again! Grin Is it possible that your neighbour's piano is up against an adjoining wall? If so, could you ask him nicely if it's possible to move it elsewhere?

Schlock · 11/10/2012 20:19

Is the piano up against a wall between the two properties? Could you ask him to move it to a non-party wall maybe?

My neighbour sometimes plays up until about 10, she's awful! But I grew up with two musicians for parents so it really doesn't register, I got so used to ignoring the sounds of pupils in the house a child.

NathanDetroit · 11/10/2012 20:31

Do you live next door to me? No scaffolding here though.

11pm is WAY too late. Our elderly next door neighbours have made it very clear they go to bed at 9.30pm so we don't make noise after then. No piano, no music, quiet telly. I think 11pm is way too late to be playing, they can be very loud and I get pissed off my with DP playing it at any point in the day as I hear it anywhere in the house. He is very good, I just don't want to hear it!

Just ask him if he'd mind not playing after 9pm as it's too late after then. People have to learn!

Notcontent · 11/10/2012 21:16

Pianos are loud. I agree that 11 pm is too late.

Original poster
CruCru · 16/10/2012 08:40

Well I went round last night at 11.15 and said it I was sorry but it was doing my head in. He was a bit surprised and said he'd stop. I thanked him and asked if he could move it to an internal wall - turns out it is against an internal wall so nothing can be done there.

OP posts:
valiumredhead · 16/10/2012 08:45

This is exactly why as I don't live in a detached house I felt it was only fair to buy a digital piano so I can use the volume control or ear phones - so unfair to subject my lovely neighbours to my playing Grin

No playing after 7 definitely!

Original poster
CruCru · 16/10/2012 08:47

Ideally I'd like it to stop at 9 then we'd get some evening without it. I think it's probably okay to go round after 10.

OP posts:
EdgarAllanPond · 16/10/2012 08:54

he needs a digital piano and headphones.

after 9 is too late

claraschu · 16/10/2012 09:03

To a pianist, a digital piano would be like colour magic to Picasso.

When you talk to him, can you also tell him how beautiful his music is (just going on s bit too late)? It is really hard being a classical musician; the world is against you. Also, he sounds like a nice guy who will probably worry that you hate hearing him, which might make it hard for him to keep playing.

samandi · 16/10/2012 09:04

I agree with others that 11 is too late. It's not your problem if he needs to practice a lot because he plays in concerts.

Katisha · 16/10/2012 09:04

Maybe he'll get the message now you have been round. Hope so. Why are people so unimaginative about how their actions might impact on others...

valiumredhead · 16/10/2012 09:06

To a pianist, a digital piano would be like colour magic to Picasso

Hmm

Well, in an ideal world we would all be playing on our very own grand pianos but seeing as a lot of people live in terraced houses, sometimes a compromise is necessary.

Original poster
CruCru · 16/10/2012 09:11

Well he isn't actually a musician - he's a trainee lawyer. I was hoping he'd be like the lawyers I know and be at work quite late but so far he's been getting home before 6.

OP posts:
valiumredhead · 16/10/2012 09:12

Plus he is not a concert pianist, he is a lawyer and sometimes even concert pianist have to practise on digital pianos in hotel rooms late at night so as not to disturb others!

valiumredhead · 16/10/2012 09:13

Sorry x posted with you OP.

Katisha · 16/10/2012 09:17

I used to be a decent pianist. When I bought a terraced house I also bought a digital piano - didnt play with headphones, just turned the volume down. You just cant carry on like that in a terraced house, you really can't. I doubt he is on a grand piano anyway in a terrace - it would havetaken up an entire room in mine.

Digital pianos are pretty good these days and he could certainly switch to it after a certain time of night without doing too much damage to his art...

I just hope he gets the message now you have been round and thinks ooh yes maybe the neighbours can hear me. Amazing that it hasnt occurred before.

Original poster
CruCru · 16/10/2012 10:08

Hopefully he'll stop after 10 (may take a couple of times more of going round) but I'll be amazed if he buys a digital piano as I should think the one he has is expensive.

OP posts:
Original poster
CruCru · 16/10/2012 10:10

Up thread I said you couldn't hear it in the bedrooms. Now I can, maybe because I'm tuned in to it and it's pissing me off.

OP posts:
imperialstateknickers · 16/10/2012 10:17

DD prefers to practice on her Yamaha digital with sound audible, but knows the headphones have to go on if the rest of us want to do anything else in the room. When choosing a piano for her, advice from three different tutors/musicians was that a £400-ish digital will sound and feel like a £5000 traditional.

dysfunctionalme · 16/10/2012 10:17

Nonsense about the digital piano snobbery. Digital pianos have come a long way.

MyBoysHaveDogsNames · 16/10/2012 10:18

Can he put the practise pedal on after 9pm? Our piano has a pedal in the middle which my son's piano teacher pointed out to me. Once pressed down, it clicks into place and halves the sound of the piano.

Prarieflower · 16/10/2012 10:42

My dc's amazing piano teacher teaches on a digital piano-it's gorgeous!!!

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