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?

How sad. I was at a social for my concert band last night. We got talking about instruments we could okay apart from our band one, and what we played first. Almost without exception these musicians (some where music has been part of their professional life, all who have gained immense pleasure and social connection from it) started on recorder in primary school. It would probably be even better if it could be taught by musicians who actively valued it instead of people who appear to resent it though.

Why does he have to become professional to make beautiful music? Isn’t it enough without monetising it?

While I agree the child should practise indoors if at all possible, the level of distaste for music and the arts on this thread (and in society in general - so many philistines) is really sad. Think about the significant moments of your life - music almost certainly played a part. It’s on all tv and film. Where do you think that comes from if not small children playing a small instrument badly for a while?

I know a lot of adults who routinely play the recorder in their spare time. Look up the Society of Recorder Players. How many do you know who regularly play the flute (me and several people I know, but I bet you don’t know many) or the tuba, or the oboe, or any instrument other than guitar.
Level of popularity means little anyway. Not sure what point you’re trying to make.

Which is probably the reason his parents sent him out into the garden practice in the first place.

Thats awful. Are you a teacher? (I am - retired). For a teacher to be so anti music and discouraging is appalling.

Hating the sound of a recorder does not make you anti-music.

Telling children not to bother practising because it will never get better does though. It’s appalling on many levels.

Such hate towards the recorder! I do think it’s a little antisocial, but I think music should absolutely be encouraged.

my son is a violinist, he’s not great but improving. I remember as a child feeling shame and embarrassment about my developing skills and I stopped. I’m determined my son won’t feel the same. We have to go through being rubbish to get better, it’s simply how it works.

I wouldn’t be so sure about that. My school friend did precisely that, became a recorder prodigy. At the advanced levels you get into what they call “tonguing” (shudder)

That’s not advanced. It’s a basic wind or brass instrument necessity. Not quite sure why the shudder either. Words have more than one meaning shocker.

It is perhaps a shame that schools so often introduce small children to wind instruments via the recorder - which is quite a technically demanding instrument - instead of the tin or penny whistle, which is easier to learn and has an engagingly sweet sound even when played badly.

The recorder, when played well, is a versatile instrument with a fluid bird-like quality of tone, and recorder virtuosos are always in demand on the early music scene.

I sometimes play baroque recorder music in my study and the birds nesting in the roof join in.

Tonguing is something you should be doing from day 1 as a wind or brass player.

And if you think that’s shudder-worthy, wait until you hear about flutter-tonguing…

Oh well done. I hesitated to mention it…
Or double tonguing.
Or circular breathing.

you beat me to it 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

No one can convince me that practising a recorder will help it sound any better sorrynotsorry

Very experienced primary music teacher and professional wind player once stood up in a school assembly and explained to the watching parents that next term the pupils would be starting recorder. Her advice was that when practising at home it should be played into a cushion against the wall to deaden the sound. Works well.

"You can’t have a conversation in the kitchen without it sounding like you’re being heckled by a flock of geese."
😂

But YANBU, I'm amazed that the mother would let her son practice the recorder outside. If he was a concert violinist then that's different, but an 8 year old with a recorder...

Even though people have posted actual recordings of it sounding lovely? Do you think any instrument sounds good in the first few months? Especially if played by a very small person and without expert teaching?

"heckled by a flock of geese" 😂😂

Put some music on to drown out his noise

In my experience only the harp manages to sound good in the hands of a beginner and only if someone else has tuned it.

Agree with the harp! Piano can ok with a beginner too, I think.

Previous neighbours kid used to sing the same song over and over and over. In the shower with the windows open.
F'kin annoying.

Classic, the parent can't stand the noise but it is perfectly ok to inflict it on other people. Get lost, if you buy your kid a recorder you can deal with the consequences.

Until they learn “Chopsticks”

Leave the kid alone. It will last a few days at most.