How irritating would it be to play string instruments on a campsite?

[Cappster]

Just thinking about weekends camping and the fact I'm learning to play the mandolin and dh has a ukelele. Wouldn't it be lovely to sit and doodle on them in the sun....

Would we really, really hack people off? Would we be pleasant background noise or annoying folksy hippies?

I think it would be ok for an hour or so and not after say 8pm

I'd say bloody annoying

Especially if you are learning and not very good

I would have to be restrained to stop me from killing you.

Oh, bless you RainbowFlutterby. I knew if I asked on Mumsnet, I'd get a proper answer and no-one would f*ck about trying to be polite

Annoying. A new business idea for you though!: You could offer your services to poor mners who's neighbours disturb them late at night. Call around early the next morning and 'practice'

It would annoy me beyond belief. Please don't do it.

it would be really fucking annoying....
go to the woods with your ukey and you will be fine.

It would drive me up the wall, but my dcs would love it, and probably want to come and join you - dd2 plays the ukelele and does a mean Elvis on it.

Oh god. One year a couple near us had a guitar. Which was fine except they only knew one goddamned song and only knew the words to one verse of that. So they played and sang that. Repeatedly. For. Fucking. Hours. Unless you are very good then people will want to kill you. I can never hear Green Day without wanting to rip someone's head of, even now.

Agree - bloody annoying. Maybe for an hour early evening, when no-one is trying to have an afternoon siesta, it's before the kids go to bed, and it's before the adult drinking time starts. But no longer, and definitely not first thing in the morning.

Years ago we camped most years at the same campsite in France which was frequented by a professional guitarist. He used to sit under a tree playing beautiful music every afternoon. It was splendid.

However, I would not let dc1, a budding 13yo guitarist do the same as she is not yet especially tuneful and if it gets on my tits, it sure as hell will wind everyone else up.

So really, where do you fall in the crap/great spectrum?

Absolutely do not do it.
Your gentle playing will make other people want to die.

I think campsites should be music free.

But go to a festival and everyone's noodling away happily, goes with the territory.

I'd find the jolly hippies amusing for a few minutes, then I'd pray for you to shut up. Your twiddling about on an instrument you haven't yet mastered would be like fingernails down a blackboard for everyone around you.

I would say that it depends on the campsite. We go to wild sorts of places generally and if it is quiet and you would be fine.

We take instruments and play them if appropriate. i.e. if there isn't anyone/few people around - I have played all my life (music teacher for a mother) but DH is only a couple of years into his flute journey (takes a Dixon flute camping), DD takes a treble recorder and a lyre just for fun.

We have had music sessions with people on campsites who we have never met before - great fun, just people who have heard me playing in the distance have come over and joined in ... let to a shared fire/evening/drinking.

I couldn't imagine doing it on a structured/organised campsite though.

Have you seen Mike Leigh's 'Nuts In May'?

You can bring your mandolin and ukelele if my youngest son can bring his drums!!

I thought of 'Nuts in May' too!

Annoying OP, don't do it.

Iklboo

All right. No instruments. I was wondering where in hell they would go in the car anyway with all the other gubbins. But I'm happy to provide early morning wake-up services for anyone for a price. I'm already thinking of starting a bit of a summer sideline - based on my experiences last year - by charging people to put their Quechuas and other pop-up tents back in their bags. I reckon I will make a million.

Hmm, I don't think I would mind particularly if it wasn't too loud. Some campsites actively promote musicians and let them camp for free if they agree to play - Wowo I think, there may be others.

I would far prefer to hear someone strumming on a mandolin/uke than someone playing their car stereo at top volume as often happens.

SalomeD, drums you say? Great, I am sure DS1 could also jam along with his bagpipes

Where is this campsite?

It would definitely hack me off, just as much as recorded music. Camping is for listening to the sounds of nature and children playing.

I am so relieved that other people feel the same as me about music on campsites. We positively avoid any sites that "welcome acoustic instruments" and the day I plucked up the courage to ask a seven foot tall, four foot wide bloke with a massive stereo to turn it down is still one of my finest moments (he did! to my surprise)

m.youtube.com/watch?v=1tqxzWdKKu8

Am I the only one who thought of this?!

I think if the campsite was quiet enough and not after a certain time why not?

DS has been known to take his euphonium camping.

no, we don't have many friends