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Music

From classical to pop, join the discussion on our Music forum.

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Original poster

Playing an instrument in a terraced house

64 replies

ColouringPencils · 30/06/2022 13:43

DD is currently practising for an exam, so she's playing more than normal. Also, it's hot and the windows are open... What do you think is a reasonable amount of time to play and between what hours in a terrace house? She does play very nicely but I am aware it is still annoying 😬

OP posts:

Albgo · 30/06/2022 20:05

I lived below musicians in a block of flats for a year. It was the worst year I had living there. One was a singer, the other was a drummer. Both practiced for hours each day.
Please don't let her practise past 6pm. You don't want to let this interfere with other peoples evenings or young Children’s bedtimes.
And please - at least get her to close the window in the room she's playing in.

greenacrylicpaint · 30/06/2022 20:11

what instrument?

some carry more than others (for some weird reason the cello is one of the louder ones in my neighbourhood)
for brass instruments you can get really good mutes.

tbh I think half an hour a day is reasonable.

I love hearing the music whilst having a cuppa on the balcony.

UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 30/06/2022 20:22

ColouringPencils · 30/06/2022 18:50

Those who have done exams, how many hours would you expect to practise in the lead-up to an exam? She is about to do grade 5. She does 3 hours a week across wind band, jazz band and orchestra, but that's obviously not playing her exam pieces. 30 min lesson a week.

When I was practicing for grade 10, I did 1-3 hours per day. 😬 For grade 5, 30 min seems about right though.

UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 30/06/2022 20:23

(I will add that I lived in a detached house in the middle of the woods… just as well, because my usual practice time was 5:30-7am before school. I don’t know how my parents put up with it!)

Original poster

ColouringPencils · 30/06/2022 20:32

Wow @UpToMyElbowsInDiapers your parents must be saints. I am sure they were very proud of your musical talent though.
DD is practising at the moment but I will make sure she stops by 9. Neither neighbour has children and I think they are unlikely to be upstairs at this time.

OP posts:

EverySporkIsSacred · 30/06/2022 20:47

I hate neighbour noise. I live in a terraced house, I don't have a choice in that one, and I'm sound sensitive, meaning noise is a migraine trigger.

Yes, I suck, I'm awful blah blah blah. But, if you were my neighbour I would just appreciate if you knocked on my door, explained the situation a bit (as you have on here) and asked if it's okay what your daughter's doing at the moment. If it's not, ask them when IS an okay time/length of time, and make sure they know if they really need quiet they are welcome to knock on your door and say.
They probably won't need to if it were me just having that option would make a HUGE difference to my anxiety levels.

Underscore21 · 30/06/2022 22:00

Grade 10 you say @UpToMyElbowsInDiapers ?😉

adriftabroad · 30/06/2022 22:04

onlywhenidream · 30/06/2022 15:20

Court was effective then ?

Show quote history

Very, they stopped and hired a rehearsal room.

I had had enough though.

UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 01/07/2022 13:54

Ha! Sorry, I meant RCM exams (Canada) which go 1-10. I thought the Canadian exam structure was modelled on the UK system, but Wikipedia shows me they are different!

Comefromaway · 01/07/2022 14:01

I used to live in a terraced house with 3 music students!

But seriously, not before 8.30am in the morning or after 10.00pm at night on weekdays and not before 9.00am or after 11.00pm at weekends is reasonable.

We are detached but ds currently plays for a good 5-6 hours a day. we did stop him at 11.30pm last night. Luckily our next door neighbour is a musician who decided ds's keyboard amp was not big enough and sold us his old one!

FlappyCats · 01/07/2022 16:19

Seriously, the people saying 1-3 hours a day is acceptable have got to be kidding. I tried to keep DS's down to sessions of no longer than 15 minutes ( before the mute) because as a PP has said it's the knotty passages they have to repeat until confident and scales with slurs and tongues. It's no fun to listen to

Remainiac · 01/07/2022 16:26

DS2 played saxophone and practised for half an hour or so most days after school. We were also in a terraced house. He practiced in the study which joined the neighbour who was profoundly deaf in order not to be a nuisance. The closed door, stairwell and second storey staircase was between him and the neighbours on the other side. However, they banged on the wall the minute he started playing and did that every time so in the end he had to practice at school.
They let their kid practice drums at 10pm though, that was different…

something2say · 20/07/2022 19:04

Ah it's so nice to hear from the musos. I too am one, I have played all my life, these days its the guitar and I sing too. I do worry about disturbing people, upstairs say they never hear me which is good as I use a drum beat on a looper pedal and do worry. You can turn the amp down but full voice... it's nice to hear people say they like to hear it. People can see me practicing but hopefully not hear.

Comefromaway · 01/08/2022 21:09

Not before 8am or after 9pm on weekdays or before 9am or after 10pm at weekends.

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