Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Music in the Garden

165 replies

Gruffalomom · 15/04/2020 17:40

We live in on a relatively modern estate so we all have small gardens backing on to each other.

My DH likes to play music from a speaker when using our garden.

He doesn't have it booming but enough that it is definately audible to the neighbours.

It really bugs me as I feel like we are forcing our music taste on everyone and spoiling their enjoyment of our gardens.

We have several neighbours who play music in the garden and I find it annoying (but not enough that I would ever raise it with them!)

Aibu to think he's not being as considerate as he could be?

OP posts:
LakieLady · 15/04/2020 19:11

I do think these threads attract the people who are at the extreme end of hating any noise that’s not birds

I hate music in the garden, but I don't have any problem with mowers, power tools, children playing, dogs barking, the sheep in the nearby field and a whole host of other everyday noise.

I will confess that there was a time when next door's chickens really got on my tits though. They were a particularly raucous bunch and clucked non-stop, bloody loud, from dawn to dusk.

They only have 2 now, and I rather like hearing them clucking about. They're nowhere near as loud.

izzywizzygood · 15/04/2020 19:12

How does your husband think this is acceptable? I'm genuinely curious as to how these type of people think.

DaphneFanshaw · 15/04/2020 19:12

Because most of the people I know in RL are a bit more robust than that.

NiteFlights · 15/04/2020 19:14

I'm genuinely curious as to how these type of people think.

Me too. I suspect a lot of people are just pretty thoughtless and assume if nobody’s complained, they’re not bothered.

EveryLifeHasASoundtrack · 15/04/2020 19:17

Me too. I suspect a lot of people are just pretty thoughtless and assume if nobody’s complained, they’re not bothered

I don’t think I’m a thoughtless person. I play music, no louder than the volume people are talking at in their garden. It’s really not loud. But I suppose if people have an issue with that then I think they’re the unreasonable ones. Luckily my neighbours are all great, most play music. We’re a tolerant bunch.

BootShakin · 15/04/2020 19:19

This has been done. Majority thinks you are a cunt if you subject people to your taste of music. A selfish minority who needs slapping thinks I will do what I want.

amazedmummy · 15/04/2020 19:23

3 gardens border mine. On a nice day I can hear different music coming from each of them. It doesn't sound great...

EveryLifeHasASoundtrack · 15/04/2020 19:24

A selfish minority who needs slapping thinks I will do what I want.

Lovely. 🙄

Katjolo · 15/04/2020 19:26

The replies here are hilarious.

mumof2exhausted · 15/04/2020 19:26

My husband did this yesterday (quite hard dance music) and I told him to turn it off as was annoying me never mind the neighbours. I think it’s really inconsiderate

BackforGood · 15/04/2020 19:32

I do think these threads attract the people who are at the extreme end of hating any noise that’s not birds

Nope. I don't fall into that category. I always find myself smiling when I hear children laughing and squealing with excitement in their gardens. I also quite like the sound of lawnmowers.

However I was brought up to understand that it is selfish and inconsiderate to impose yourself on to other people - be that shouting, swearing, beeping your horn on your car, playing music loud enough to be heard in another place or anything else.
You can listen to music by having it playing (thorough your phone or radio) next to where you are sitting, or you can play it though headphones - there is just no need to be pumping it through a speaker, and thereby inflicting it upon other people.

AvonCallingBarksdale · 15/04/2020 19:33

It’s completely inconsiderate - if everyone played their music, then imagine the noise. No one would be banging on about being #blessed #gratitude, connecting with nature during lockdown. They’d all be stressed to the hilt having shite music foisted on them. So people fall into two categories - “normal”, considerate or “I’ll do what the fuck I like in my garden”. We live in a detached house but in a cul de sac, quite tightly packed garden-wise. We really should have bought somewhere more rural - lockdown is teaching me that 😂

blue25 · 15/04/2020 19:33

Playing music in your garden is so rude and ignorant. I’d be saying something I’m afraid.

FrippEnos · 15/04/2020 19:42

EveryLifeHasASoundtrack

I do think these threads attract the people who are at the extreme end ....

I suspect that it is the same with attracting those that must must inflict their choice of music on others.

EveryLifeHasASoundtrack · 15/04/2020 19:46

I suspect that it is the same with attracting those that must must inflict their choice of music on others.

Possibly, I can only go on my experience. I don’t play my music loud. Neighbours also play their music. We all get on.

Original poster
Gruffalomom · 15/04/2020 19:52

I'm with those of you who wonder how anyone thinks this is ok.

My DH is the kindest person I've ever met, he will quite literally do anything for anyone and contributes a lot to our community.

He is genuinely unphased when people do the things that drive me nuts (music in the garden, cutting in front of someone in a queue, loud parties etc etc) so I think he really thinks it doesn't bother other people to have music on at a not too loud volume!

These replies are helping shape his view that I'm not a lone spoilsport though so thank you!

OP posts:
RoLaren · 15/04/2020 20:16

I ended up reporting my neighbour to Environmental Health due to his habit of putting his loudspeakers on the window ledge and blasting out Mariah Carey. Turned out he was a drug dealer and it was his way of announcing to the neighbourhood that he had had a delivery. He worked out it was me and I had to move house sharpish. Fun times.

MsTSwift · 15/04/2020 20:30

Absolutely Ro. We lived next to drug dealers in London - delightful! Special moments included their half feral staffy leaping our fence and shitting in our garden. The gangsta rap is lovely too. And the undesirables hanging about and your washing smelling of weed. Plus loud sweary grin thick conversations in the garden.

Any left wing sentiments Dh and I had drained away after spending 2 years living next door to them - we had our first baby there too so that was nice. We moved out if London to the poshest most middle class neighbourhood we could possibly afford. Bliss.

MsTSwift · 15/04/2020 20:34

Our neighbours now are retired doctors and keen gardeners. They would no more play music in their garden then fly to the moon

BovaryX · 15/04/2020 20:40

My DH likes to play music from a speaker when using our garden

I wonder how many of your neighbours are surfing Rightmove during lockdown?

Tattoocrazymum · 15/04/2020 20:44

My neighbour 4 doors down has had his music blaring every day and its so irritating, i hate confrontation so i havent/wont say anything but one of the downfalls of him being furlough is i have this for the next 9 weeks

Aloe6 · 15/04/2020 20:47

If it’s at normal conversation volume I don’t mind it. Booming music not ok.

MaudesMum · 15/04/2020 20:56

We're also all at home a lot more at the moment and all a bit stressed, so even if your DH's music was previously acceptable usually it might be a bit much now? Why don't you suggest he stops it until lockdown is over as a contribution to community togetherness??

Fuchsake · 15/04/2020 21:01

It’s very selfish. Unfortunately moving to a nice neighbourhood doesn’t protect you. I still have one inconsiderate chavvy twat neighbour who plays music. I have to play my own music even louder to drown it out. Then before you know it everyone is doing the same and you can’t hear the birds and bees over ten lots of music.

Worriedmum54321 · 15/04/2020 21:04

He shouldn't play music in the garden. It's rude and inconsiderate.
Children playing is fine during the day time.
Power tools fair enough for a short time.
Don't mind the occasional dog bark. But music definitely not.