Sound proof or move house???

[possom46]

I live in a town house which I love, I have a room dedicated to music and books, but since buying my new Kawai piano have asked my neighbour about the noise, and she says it's a lot louder than my old piano. The problem is, I am quite shy about practising, always have been, and now that I know my neighbours can hear me, it's put me off  Does anyone have any advice for soundproofing? Moving to a detached house is an option for the future maybe, but I have my LTCL in July so practising is priority!!!

[Ziggy]

1. totally close the piano
2. take the music stand out
3. put a thick quilt on the piano
4. ?
5. put the stand back on top of the quilt
6. profit!!!!

[musik_man]

The place that I got my piano from installed a device that makes the piano quieter.  Basically, it consists of a long metal bar inside the piano that runs parallel to the keys.  Attached to this bar is a piece of felt.  When I pull a lever on the piano, it lowers the felt so that it is inbetween the hammers and the strings.  It makes the piano nearly inaudible.  Maybe some place around your house can install something like that.

[apion]

... and she says it's a lot louder than my old piano. The problem is, I am quite shy about practising, always have been, and now that I know my neighbours can hear me, it's put me off 

I'm totally the same way: I much prefer to practice in total isolation.

My suggestion: if you have the resources, buy your neighbor's townhouse, and rent it out to someone who travels alot or who is always away (or who is deaf!).

[squinchy]

Hang a lot of curtains [medieval tapestries of troubadours? ] and have many rugs. Buy soundproofing paper-stuff [it's very heavy, black, and comes in a roll] and put them under the rugs. I heard that egg cartons work well also.

[nicko124]

I'm totally the same way: I much prefer to practice in total isolation.

My suggestion: if you have the resources, buy your neighbor's townhouse, and rent it out to someone who travels alot or who is always away (or who is deaf!).

Yes i agree with this as well. I much prefer to practice pieces when noone else is about, it's basically because people expect to enjoy listening to you practice. The point is that practicing isn't meant to sound beautiful: it is meant to build up a piece to sound beautiful which takes cycling bars, playing slowly etc...doesen't usually sound great.


How many other people on this Forum dislike practising for the sake of others who either like to listen to you practice or are jsut doing something else listening?

[Dazzer]

you could , of course, also buy a disklavier (yamaha)

https://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/Catalog/Catalog_GSXOXX/0,6363,CTID%253D201500%2526CNTYP%253DPRODUCT,00.html

of course, i guess since you just bought a new one, you wouldn't really want to buy another one...

then again you seem quite willing to just move house...

[kwtam338]

Very interesting topic!

I am from Hong Kong where space is extremely expensive and so most of us live in small flats, typically 500-1000 sq ft. You know, a typical, mid-income residential building has over 30 floors and each floor has 8 flats. It's so crowded that if you open the windows, you can almost hear your neighbors talk. Still, a lot of kids learn to play. It's the most popular instrument. And when your neighbor is practising, you will surely know.

In my family, my two sons and I myself practise daily for an average of something like 3 hours. And so, you simply have to accept the fact that other people may hear it and hope that they don't mind!!! I am lucky because 4 out of my 7 neighbors have piano players!!! My neighbor next door is a part-time piano teacher and the kids come to her flat to learn!!! And so you hear people play from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm everyday. We all close the windows when we play so its not that noisy. If I move, I will definitely have a sound-proof piano practice room. It's a very important part of our family life.

I read a book about Glenn Gould and it says the guy turned his radio to the highest volume when he practised because he wanted to use his heart, and not his ears, to hear how he himself played!!! Weired guy ...

[possom46]

Thanks for your replies (finally relocated this thread  ). The curtains and rugs idea sounds good (I need some new ones anyway). Also after speaking to my brother, have decided to pull out the bookshelves on neighbours side and put polystyrene sheets against the wall covered with plasterboard then cover them up with the book shelves again. If it's still abit noisy he said I can put the sheets under the floorboards as well. A job for the holidays coming up