To expect my neighbour to stop her son playing the recorder in the garden?

[Alonero]

Not sure if I’m being precious but I need a sanity check.

Next door’s little boy (8ish?) has taken up the recorder and every single evening he’s out in the garden squeaking away. He’s clearly just learning – bless him – but it’s the same few notes over and over, really loud and really shrill. It’s been going on for a couple of weeks now and honestly it’s starting to drive me up the wall.

We’ve had all the windows open with the heat and it’s impossible to relax. You can’t have a conversation in the kitchen without it sounding like you’re being heckled by a flock of geese. I tried to hint to his mum the other day – said something like “ooh, we’ve been treated to quite the performance lately” – and she just laughed and said he’s a musical genius in the making. Right.

I don’t want to be the grumpy neighbour who ruins a kid’s joy but surely there’s a time and a place? Or at least… maybe indoors with the windows shut?

AIBU to think a bit of peace in your own garden isn’t too much to ask?

30-40 mins if that is awful. He wants to be keen, he can be keen inside.

You have to say something blunt to his mum.

Wait until he starts playing the drums.
You're a bit cranky, move to the front of the house, get some headphones or move to a field with no neighbours.

Why should she? She’s not torturing the neighbours. His family can do that.

The fact that my son missed this merry hell is one of the few bright spots of Covid.

Sounds like parents have had enough...i bet he forget about it soon....age and stage..yabu but totally understand why you finding it hard ..a recorder played wrong is vvvv painful 😖

So much hate for the recorder. It can be a beautiful instrument when played well, which takes practice. And yes, there are recorder super stars but they are admittedly quite niche. See Sarah Jeffrey or Miguel plays recorder on YouTube etc.

He is hardly torturing the neighbours.
You must live a very quiet life to think this is torturing the neighbours.
Cranky.

I can’t believe any parent would think it appropriate to send their child to practice the recorder in the garden no matter what time of year but especially in a heatwave with everyone’s windows open!! Your post made me laugh though!

I'd say it'll be a short lived love affair with his recorder.

They tend to go hard at it at first and burn out pretty quickly.

Cross your fingers they don't buy him a saxophone.

So do I. But we don't live next door! 😆

Nothing for it: time to break out the Best of thr Bagpipes album and leave it playing loudly when you go out of the house.

That'll give you the ammo you need when she eventually runs over begging for an amnesty.

Yanbu, there’s a good reason he’s sent outside.

Yes, it is. Clearly you’re immune because you’re surrounded by even more inconsiderate twats.

So often on MN it’s not the inconsiderate twats who clearly don’t have the skills to live considerately among others who are told to bugger off to the far end of nowhere.

Untrue. It is the most beautiful instrument when played skilfully, and has an incredibly pure sound.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DXs2q9_PMfA&dp_isNewTab=1&dp_referrer=serp&dp_allowFirstVideo=1

Next year he might learn violin

Sorry Op but that's hilarious 😂
You have to admire his enthusiasm.

I am certain his Mum tells him to go outside as she can't stand the noice inside.

Bless his heart, I'm sure he'll get fed up and move on to something else soon enough. Or Mum will be trying to channel his enthusiasm for music to something else.

Not at all. Everyone has to learn somewhere, he might play beautiful music one day. Some tolerance in society goes a long way.

Yes, he might. That’s zero reason why he should impose his practicing on the neighbourhood.

How many top flight professional recorder players do you know of, though? Ones who release solo albums?

At least something like an ocarina would be much kinder for a starter instrument.

Has he progressed to London’s Burning yet?

They make an awful sound, I think the mum is being unfair.

How is he meant to improve if he can’t practise?

I’d much rather listen to a small child trying to play the recorder than loud adults at a BBQ or someone jet washing their patio.

Don't be a grumpy neighbour, just play it back at them when it goes quiet?

Im sure it's a phase that will soon pass and hopefully it will not outlive the nice weather!!

I can’t help. But the recorder is truly the devils instrument

I bought my three nieces recorders for Christmas, it is the best gift I have ever given my brother.

He can practise. Inside.