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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbours playing the piano...

25 replies

Toomanygerbils · 19/02/2020 04:25

I’m sure it’s a lovely creative outlet to their children. But the same 10-15 notes over and over again for 12 hours I’m going insane. I can cope with just weekends but it’s half term now so it’s daytime too. To be clear it’s not playing a full song, it’s playing a verse of one badly and in repeat over and over for hours. I don’t get why they aren’t bored of it!! AIBU

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boredboredboredboredbored · 19/02/2020 04:28

No mine do it too. It's like living next door to the Von Trapps but we also have one on a flute - badly played over & over & over. The walls are so thin!

Monty27 · 19/02/2020 04:28

Turn your tunes up and drown out their 'music' Smile

Original poster
Toomanygerbils · 19/02/2020 04:31

Sometime when it’s too much I do bang on on the wall, it may give me 15 mins peace

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Original poster
Toomanygerbils · 19/02/2020 04:33

I feel for you @boredboredboredboredbored :(

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Original poster
Toomanygerbils · 19/02/2020 04:34

I’ve thought of turning the tv up bit at 9am do you really think this would be better?

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Original poster
Toomanygerbils · 19/02/2020 04:50

How do you cope @boredboredboredboredbored?

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Monty27 · 19/02/2020 04:56

Talk to your neighbours? I still say turn some tunes on to drown it out.
Mine did violin lessons, the noise (and I mean noise) didn't bother anyone. The next door neighbour was hard of hearing though Grin

JolieOBrien · 19/02/2020 05:04

I would get a cheap keyboard and do the same to them perhaps in the evening.

Original poster
Toomanygerbils · 19/02/2020 05:12

I wouldn’t mind but it’s really the start of some classics song, but l over and over for twelve hours straight...and played badly, then repeat! Normally I’d love children being creative but god, this is turning me psycho!

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IvinghoeBeacon · 19/02/2020 05:16

Banging on the wall might make you feel better but it won’t actually solve anything, it’s a silly way to convey your feelings. Have you spoken to them? I would ask if “practice” can be restricted to a certain couple of hours or something like that (when you can make sure you are out of the house)

PrincessSarene · 19/02/2020 05:19

Perhaps you could pop round and politely ask them to restrict piano practice to no more than half an hour per child as the noise is quite intrusive? Unless you’ve said something to them before they may not have realised it’s causing an issue.

Lindy2 · 19/02/2020 05:26

At my parents' house the (adult) next door neighbours used to practice their piano on Sunday mornings. For over 40 years they practiced weekly and I swear, they never ever improved. Not even a little bit.

40 years of dodgy chopsticks.

Sorry OP that doesn't really help does it. 😂

IvinghoeBeacon · 19/02/2020 05:28

How long has this been going on? Because the other thing to remember is that because they are children they will eventually move on to something else. Unless one actually starts to learn seriously and then you’ll have the joy of scales, arpeggios and the same tricky bar played hand apart, hands together, over and over...
but in the meantime it’s not unreasonable to discuss with them

HeronLanyon · 19/02/2020 05:43

I have a piano and play. I also have an electric keyboard with headphones. I only ‘let rip’ when I know my one neighbour who would be disturbed is not in.
Good luck op. Sounds excessive. There has to be give and take between neighbours. Are you able to talk to them ? They may have no idea how loud it is for you.

boredboredboredboredbored · 19/02/2020 15:57

Well I have 2 teens and one loves music, anything from led Zeplin to Nirvana to Fleetwood Mac. Usually I'd be telling her to turn it down but now I don't bother. It's pay back for that effing piano 🤣🤣

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 19/02/2020 15:59

You need to talk to them. Banging on the wall is just rude.

Explain that you understand they want to play the piano but it's the constant repetition of the same notes over and over is hard to take. Could they move the piano to a different room/wall? Is it right next to your adjoining wall?

FairfaxAikman · 19/02/2020 16:05

We have a drummer on one side and "pianists" on the other. The drummer is very talented and an absolute delight to listen to. The pianists not so much. Problem is their parents are highly-educated snobs who are convinced their kids are the next Mozart.

Original poster
Toomanygerbils · 20/02/2020 04:15

I do fully accept I do need to speak to the parent, banging on the wall wasn’t mature but at 9am after a late shift I was not at my best. I did knock today after 6 hours of the same 15 seconds of notes over and over again but mum was at work. Thought it inappropriate to ask the children to stop with the piano so have had it all afternoon until about 7pm. I seriously could cope if it was different music each time, but it really is 15 seconds of notes and then repeat. I think I need to move!

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HeronLanyon · 20/02/2020 04:18

This sounds ‘compulsive’ in some way rather than practicing (where obviously you can quite happily practice the Same phrase over and over). Tread carefully if you talk rather than move. Good luck.

LolaSmiles · 20/02/2020 04:29

When people complain about hearing bad music making and things on repeat do they not realise that the good musicians that they don't mind hearing don't happen overnight? They get good by doing the same thing over and over.

OP have a chat with the parents and ask if the children could avoid the morning as you've been on late shifts. I'm not sure you can start asking for limits per day like others have suggested.

JosephineTheFlip · 20/02/2020 04:32

You need to go round and talk politely to them about it. They probably don’t realise how clearly you can hear it or how annoying or it is. Moving the piano to the outside wall might help.

My dd plays the piano to a high standard and I must admit we bought her a really good electric piano because listening to the same grade pieces again and again and again was driving me a bit mad. Now she can play for hours with headphones on and everyone is happy. The only problem now is I miss hearing her play! She responds well to shouts of ‘play for me’ though and unplugs herself Grin. Maybe your neighbours might invest in an electric piano, I should imagine they are pretty sick of hearing the same phrase repeated ad nauseam too. Your request might tip them over to a decision, we bought ours on interest free credit as a good one is quite expensive.

HeronLanyon · 20/02/2020 04:35

I went to music college and never ever played the same 15 second passage for hours on end as described here ! Maybe half an hour on something really tricky but it becomes counter productive after a time without a change of focus. I do think this sounds like something else is involved.

LolaSmiles · 20/02/2020 04:43

HeronLanyon
I agree that repeatedly doing such a short bit that long is probably reinforcing the incorrect way of doing things/poor technique.
Though I remember being stumped on an orchestral piece when I was around grade 5/6 and did have to spend a fortnight breaking the whole piece down. My poor parents must have been fed up. Grin

Original poster
Toomanygerbils · 20/02/2020 04:50

I should say this 15 minute repeat of music normally ends in a few wrong few notes every time. I’m not a music expert but this isn’t a musical prodigy and this has been going on for nearly a year now. Different 15 second songs at times, each one lasts months, none are good. I will try neighbour again tomorrow. I suppose I’m worried as it’s a small neighbourhood and I don’t really like conflict

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Original poster
Toomanygerbils · 20/02/2020 04:52

15 second that should have said...

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