Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

sooperunkn

sooperunkn

New member
I'm not one who keeps up with politics or individuals rights... which is bad but what can I say. Anyway, I was wondering if the law allows one to practice their instrument of choice for an alloted time per day? It's probably a state/town decided thing? Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?

I just moved into this 2-family home. Basically it's a large house built for 2 separate families; separate entrances, etc. Anyway, my downstairs neighbor (lives with his girlfriend... no kids) is a bit of a prick. He's complained a couple of times before when I was jamming (alone) after work. But I feel he crossed the line when he complained on a Sunday afternoon. I mean does he expect me never to play? I know I got a pretty loud rig but I'm not even above 3 on the master volume. It's not even loud enough to get a good tone for recording... which is basically out of the question where I am. So I'm frustrated as hell .... :yell:

Any thoughts....
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

I know I may be wrong, but if I was you, I'd tell him to go screw. How much quieter are you supposed to be? Either that or you could get to talking about it, see if you can get him to see your point of view, maybe that would change things.
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

Hey kids makes more noise than guitars by a long shot...tell him to get stuffed in a polite way!!!
Or get him some mufflers for his sensitive ears:D
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

Don't won't to be a spoilsport but should this not be in the Sound Off Topic Room rather than here?

Can this be moved by the admins?
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

unless you're playing after 10 at night then the dude's really got no legal right to give you ****..it could be a common courtesy thing but you said you only play on master volume of 3...which shouldn't be too bad..unless you have some kinda monster 600 watt rig runnin' that we dont' know about =D sounds like you have wafer thin walls!
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

I don't want to get flamed for sounding like an old fart BUT. You have the right to practice but you don't have the right to force your neighbor to listen to it. Living in multi-family housing really does put a restriction on your volume. Now I'm not sure what rig your are using but you say you don't have the volume over 3. Most of the amps I have owned have been VERY loud at 3 - my guess is you are over 100 db. Solutions, purchase an attenuator, leave the amp for the rehearsal hall and play through a pod or one of the other modelling devices that can get you the tone you want but at a neighbor friendly volume. I spent 7 years living in apartments and during that time never turned up - it was a problem but I got along great with the neighbors. I now own a house on an acre but even now I still am concerned about bothering the neighbors. I have been recording some stuff that really requires fairly loud volume as I want to get some feedback. I just spent the weekend making sound baffles to fit into the windows to keep the outside sound to a minimum. Another solution is to restrict your loud playing to times when your neighbor is out. Put yourself in his spot, he works all week and tries to spend his Sunday off watching some sports on TV and he probably can't even hear the TV when you start up. Sorry to sound like an old fart but life is really about getting along with others.
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

i have a 30watt and at 3, it bothers our suitemates in the dorm as well as the guy across the hall haha.

It sucks, but i put forth common courtesy before my own pleasure. Noise pollution sucks, so i only turn my amp up whenever the guys in the hall play golf outside our door at 4am ;)

Perhaps you can do the same haha, or consider a headphone alternative :(
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

Did I mention....

That my downstairs neighbor is a professional dog walker!!! He not only walks them but he boards them too. They're not too loud but on occasion I hear them. He gets up at 5am and they've woken me on a couple of occasions. But I'm not the kind of guy that gets bothered by that.

So this past Sunday he came banging on my door. I had a friend over playing through his Fender Princeton. So my neighbor offered to let me hear what it sounded like in his place.... and I got to tell you.... it totally wasn't that bad! It basically sounded like a stereo on moderate volume. If he were watching TV or something he could totally hear it without him having to crank. So the bottom line is I think that I've compromised by not playing after 8.... now he needs to compromise by not bitching on weekend afternoons!!!

Does anyone hear me or do I need to crank it up a little :fing25:
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

It will more than likely fall under "Disturbing the Peace" if there isn't a noise ordinance. If you don't want the cops beating on your door, you might wanna buy an attenuator, headphones....small "PRACTICE AMP".........

It sucks, but..........................
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

i think pretty much, the cops can't really do anything (except ask you to 'hold it down') until 10pm.
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

3 is pretty loud for an apartment type setting, especially if you have lots of gain dialed in.

For the last five years I haven't gone above 1 at my place on 30 watt solid state amp. None of my neigbors have ever asked me to turn it down. I just never wanted it to come to that. Once they ask, they'll always be monitoring you.

I just bought a Vox Valvtronix modeling amp that allows you to select 1,15,30,60 watt settings. On the 1 watt setting you can get the master volume up to 7 and get some good feedback in the apartment. It has a tube preamp so for me it's sweet enough. They also have a 15 watt modeling amp for like $179. They also make the tonelab that would be good with headphones. Try one with a 30 day money back type deal.
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

maybe some sorta cheapy soundproofing.... dont know if it works (am planning to try it myself), but covering the walls in eggboxes is meant to help, although u probably dont want to do that to you house. (although im a teenager playing in my room so i don't care what it looks like), dont suppose anyone here has soundproofing experience to help you out?
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

No way I'd play my Soldano at "3" in my condo....that's just too loud for the neighbors. I play thru a Digitech GNX run thru my computer speakers as an alternative.

Your best bet is to work out a time table (time of day and amount of time) that would be acceptable for you both.
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

If you do something like this, please make sure you use something that's not extremely flammable. Foam or rubber can burn really quick if it gets started. Try burning a piece outside in a safe place and see how quickly it goes up before using it.

570ex said:
maybe some sorta cheapy soundproofing.... dont know if it works (am planning to try it myself), but covering the walls in eggboxes is meant to help, although u probably dont want to do that to you house. (although im a teenager playing in my room so i don't care what it looks like), dont suppose anyone here has soundproofing experience to help you out?
Click to expand...
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

If I can hear my neighbors, I consider it too loud. Likewise, I don't expect them to put up with my noise, so I keep it down. Use a little common courtesy.
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

The problem is, that when something gets on your nerves - you become hyper sensitive to it. You actually start listening for it. The actual volume becomes irrelevant - it's whether you can hear it or not that matters.
Dogs barking piss me right off.


Lee
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

Lee said:
The problem is, that when something gets on your nerves - you become hyper sensitive to it. You actually start listening for it. The actual volume becomes irrelevant - it's whether you can hear it or not that matters.
Dogs barking piss me right off.


Lee
Click to expand...

Exactly.
 
Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

Al.C said:
I don't want to get flamed for sounding like an old fart BUT. You have the right to practice but you don't have the right to force your neighbor to listen to it. Living in multi-family housing really does put a restriction on your volume. Now I'm not sure what rig your are using but you say you don't have the volume over 3. Most of the amps I have owned have been VERY loud at 3 - my guess is you are over 100 db. Solutions, purchase an attenuator, leave the amp for the rehearsal hall and play through a pod or one of the other modelling devices that can get you the tone you want but at a neighbor friendly volume. I spent 7 years living in apartments and during that time never turned up - it was a problem but I got along great with the neighbors. I now own a house on an acre but even now I still am concerned about bothering the neighbors. I have been recording some stuff that really requires fairly loud volume as I want to get some feedback. I just spent the weekend making sound baffles to fit into the windows to keep the outside sound to a minimum. Another solution is to restrict your loud playing to times when your neighbor is out. Put yourself in his spot, he works all week and tries to spend his Sunday off watching some sports on TV and he probably can't even hear the TV when you start up. Sorry to sound like an old fart but life is really about getting along with others.
Click to expand...

Right there with you. My old 5150 on three could easily be heard down the block. You gotta respect the noise issue, to most people I am sure it is awful. 90 to 100 DB is akin to a football stadium crowd. Turn down, soundproof or get a POD. Save the noise for a rehearsal space.

As far as laws go, if enough complaints come in you may get a pretty hefty fine, here in Minneapolis I believe it is 750.00 or somewhere around there. You have all the freedom to practice that you want, but doing it loudly? The laws are not on your side.
 
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Re: Do we have "legal" rights to practice instruments?

My neibour and I have an arraingment, seeing as we both have loud-ass stereos, but since I live in a duplex (two houses that share a middle wall) I use an attenuator to keep my practicing reasonably quite.

I can still crank it once in a while, but it makes a mess when all my sh*t falls on the floor.

My suggestion is to talk to him and work out a comprimise.
 
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