Living alone - study

[franz_]

Hi everyone,

I'am almost 18 and I will soon move and live alone. I have not SO much money so I can't afford me a huge house. Normally I will rent an appartment. But, the problem seems to me. How do you find a good place to study the piano? Will your neighbours appreciate you're studying 5 hours a day? I have a grand piano (Kawai). How do you guys solvage this problem?

[abell88]

Something similar happened to me when I was about your age...I put my piano in a church; I got to use the church during the week for practice, and the church got to use the piano on Sundays.

[Tash]

i have always wondered that kind of thing, which is partially why i'm hesitant moving out into an apartment (also i have no money!). but maybe if you, when you find a place you like, try meeting the neighbours and see if they are going to be the type to bang on your walls and tell you to shut up or not. or you could work out when they're not at home, and practice then.

[pianistimo]

if you rent a home or housesit for someone who has a large enough house - you've got a natural sound barrier.  also, if the property has a lot of land - then you have even more.

one of my friends basically stayed in a home for free the entire summer (but i don't know if they already had a piano or what?)  she took care of the grounds and probably mailed them their mail (important bills), etc.  i always thought after that - wow, what a cheap way to enjoy your summer and help someone else out.  of course, if you have a lot of stuff yourself , you mgith have to rent a storage facility (but those would be much less than rent wouldnt' they?)  some people have a backhouse that they rent, too.  suppose that backhouses are not advertised a lot - but some other friends of mine (between buying their own home) lived in a backhouse for the summer.  it's tight - but you might also have someone who's living on a large property and wouldn't care about the noise (esp. if they work during the day).  i'd look for a service arrangment where you offer to do some groundskeeping or whatever in exchange for a good price on the backhouse. 

being a sort of private person - as a single i wouldn't care so much about entertaining at my home.  probably just going out with friends.  it might be hard in either of these situations to bring friends over.  that is the element of trust that people look for when offerring these situations. 

[ada]

I live next door to a wonderful pianist (miles better than me) and we share a common wall. She plays from about 9pm to midnight and I love it. If I'm not practising  I  sometimes just listen. I find it very inspirational. She also hears me (not quite as spectacular), and it gives us something to talk about over a wine of an evening.

My point is, your neighbours may appreciate what a privilege it is to live next door to an accomplished pianist. OTH, it may be different if they have to listen to a beginner stumbling through scales and repetitions all day!

Who knows, they may come knocking on your door begging to play on your kawai grand. Then you'll know you've found a friend.

[franz_]

I live next door to a wonderful pianist (miles better than me) and we share a common wall. She plays from about 9pm to midnight and I love it. If I'm not practising  I  sometimes just listen. I find it very inspirational. She also hears me (not quite as spectacular), and it gives us something to talk about over a wine of an evening.

Very nice what you said. Now, I'm living in the same house with a pianist to. It is indeed a pleasure and gives a lot of inspiration and motivation. We are also playing at the same level. So 2 grand piano's in one house There has never been a problem with the neighbours so thats great. But now, I'm almost 18 and I feel I need to stand on my own leggs. I'm living with my mother here and its not always that fun. Also, I study the best piano in the evening (from 9pm to midnight f.e.) So I hope I will find a good place where I feel comfortable and relaxed. Relaxed to play, to study, to enjoy life.

[donjuan]

stay at home, franz_.

I'd move out when I have a career going, and I can afford to live in a house with fewer mortgages than fingers.

[barnowl]

How about getting a smallish apartment so you pay half the rent
you antiicipated. Use the balance (of what you're not paying) to
buy a digital piano.

Turn down the volume, you can practice til the cows come home
and you won't bother a soul.

Then when you get that irrestible urge to play an acoustic or die,
hustle over to Mom's and the grand.

But I hope you'll take Don Juan's advice, though, and stay right
where you are. You might be very surprised at how expensive
your life will be when you have your own place.

But whatever you decide, I wish you the very best.

[princessdecadence]

Stick sponges on your walls