my pissed neighbours

[paris]

before i didn't have so much problems with my neighbours, but they're becoming big problem now. 

today i was playing for just 1 hour, and one neighbour came and she was so pissed and she ordered me to stop. 
she acually wants me to not play on sundays 

well, this becomes a problem cuz weekends, especially sundays, are only time i can really dedicate to practising and playing.

in house order is written that i'm allowed to play from 6.am.-3.pm.  and 5.pm-10.pm
but, actually, during the week, i'm practising at my music school, because i'm whole day in city and in fact i don't play so much at home.

she threatens me all the time and i can't stand it anymore. 
 
now i'm pissed...do you have such problems?

[thalbergmad]

My neighbour is my biggest (and only fan).

I hurt my hand once and didn't play for 2 weeks. She came round and asked when i was going to start again.

I am not sure what i would do if i had a neighbour like yours. I guess i would get a digital piano and put my headphones on.

Hope you get it sorted.

[mikeyg]

The solution to all problems:



But I don't have this probe since my closest neighbor is like 400 yards away.

[Goldberg]

My neighbour is my biggest (and only fan).

I hurt my hand once and didn't play for 2 weeks. She came round and asked when i was going to start again.

Yeah, it's the same for me. My neighbours next door live with the woman's mother, who is very old and of course unfortunately near the end of her life. Every day she takes, say, 5 walks (if she's feeling well, that is) around the street area and around the cul-de-sac in which we live. When I'm playing, she just walks around the cul-de-sac and listens and she'll stand outside and listen and so on. I could be playing Liszt exercises and nothing great at all and she's still appreciate it. In a world where my parents don't really pay attention to the music and the other neighbours are busy with their own things, it's nice to have someone who listens to me! She really loves it.

But I'm quite lucky because the other neighbours are all very kind and somewhat supportive of me, and some of them are even professional musicians themselves...so no complaints there! One family has two small children as well and I think they might use me as an example for the children lol.

As for you, paris, it sounds like you have some sort of contract allowing you to practice for a certain time period, right? Then your neighbours can't do anything to legally stop you, and if they seem to be aggressively "forcing" you to stop in any way you can take it up with the local police. They wouldn't be able to stop your practice session as long as you have some sort of document for it (which is what seems to be in your first post).

[vera]

During some of my student days I had similar problems. I lived in an attic bedsitter, and initially all was relatively ok, because the only neighbour I had, was a schoolboy, and I could practise during the day as much as I liked, but not after 6pm, and take it a bit easier in the weekends. However, the schoolboy left, and a young couple took his place. There was only a thin wall between the rooms, and may-be they were unemployed or so, because every time I started playing they would put on the vacuum cleaner and put it beside the wall. Also they would stamp very hard on the floor with a stick, to annoy my landlady, who then would request me to practise less.  It was a complicated apartment block, where the two attic rooms belonged to two different apartments. Anyway it became a nightmare, no playing in the weekends, no playing at nights,and also very doubtful any other time, when that couple was at home. I practised at night at my Conservatorium.
But the situation became intolerable and I left. Your only option is headphones or look for another place. In the city where I studied it was at that time very difficult to get accommodation, where you could practise, there were almost always restrictions. And at the conservatorium there was a battle at night to get a good room, because many were in a similar situation. I wish you luck.

[greyrune]

Just tell them to be grateful you don't play the drums.

[paris]

But I'm quite lucky because the other neighbours are all very kind and somewhat supportive of me, and some of them are even professional musicians themselves...so no complaints there! One family has two small children as well and I think they might use me as an example for the children lol.

i was lucky too, had wonderful neighbours-they were doing parties on fridays and sarturdays, so they didn't complain-they enjoyed my playing...  but then they moved into new house, and this women get in. 

and the worst of all-she IS an artist, academic painter or somewhat!  she should at least understand   

[nanabush]

I live in a semi-forest-beside-town area... Not like middle of nowhere, but I can bike into town.  My neighbours don't hear me, I don't think anyone does ...The only thing that ticks me off is my brother, he plays drums and is musically declined...He always yells stop playing piano, even when I play so softly, then he bangs on the drums.  So it's not my neighbours, but someone else in my house... I should try the sword lol..

[happyface94]

I actually moved to another house for that. I was litterally getting harrassed.

[paris]

I actually moved to another house for that. I was litterally getting harrassed.

   umm  i don't wanna change the house... i like my flat!

[rhapsody in orange]

Hmm talk to your neighbours and try to reach a compromise?
For example you can maximise the time when they're gone shopping/out to lunch by practising more then. You'd probably have to avoid practising too early in the morning (which is something I'm always tempted to do) or too late at night.
Or maybe if your piano has a practice pedal you might wanna put that on to muffle the sound a bit. That's what I do if I really wanna practise but can't really disturb others.

[Kassaa]

[danyal]

I have this one student nieghbour that would phone continuously or ring the doorbell (when I play stuff lik bach or mozart). My solution? I take all the phones off the hook and start playing Brahms or Liszt. He can threaten all he wants, the police in my country dont bother for things like that. And secondly, I dont take orders or threats from obnoxious people barely 2 or 3 years older than me.

[rob47]

she acually wants me to not play on sundays 

That means it is vital that you practice your modern atonal compositions on sundays. As early in the day as possible .


BUt this is good too
 

[paris]

That means it is vital that you practice your modern atonal compositions on sundays. As early in the day as possible .

i loved that one heh.

you gave me great idea...

[lagin]

Personally, I would just try explaining that you're sorry the noise bothers her, but piano to you is like painting to her.  Then I'd ask if there was some way to work out a schedule with her, and ask if you could play pretty things on Sundays?  I'm not in an apartment, but I do practice with all my doors and windows shut on the weekends.  Sometimes I roast!  But no complaints so far.

[Bouter Boogie]

Lucky me I have very nice neighbours  They never complain, they only think it's a pity we've got so many isolation in our house (so they can't hear the piano that well) 

They didn't even complain when we got a grand piano a few months ago  What more do you wish? 

[paris]

They didn't even complain when we got a grand piano a few months ago  What more do you wish? 

hm...my first piano was belarus, my God that was poor one!  poor, weak sound... i've got brand new yamaha since last november with much stronger sound....

i'm sure my lovely neighbour was very happy bout that 

[Alde]

For me, my family loves when I practice repertoire.  However, when I start my practice with technique, they all hate it.  Especially if I spend an hour on Phillip or Hanon exercises.

[apion]

Many times when I'm practising with open windows my neighbors will mysteriously appear in their front lawns, pretending to be raking or whatever ......

(I like my neighbors) 

[jhon]

I had a lot experiences on this with my neighbors - they shut close their doors, they turn their TV and radios very loud, they yell some teasers - but in the end, they just realize that they cannot piss me forever but I can play the piano forever so they just stopped.  In fact, they have no choice but to tolerate if they can't accept me.  I don't waste my time problemizing them; they ruin their life problemizing me!  Don't worry about them a lot - your neighbors are NEVER a big "loss" in your career as a pianist.     

[brokenagraffe]

heh, i'm really curious what my neighbours think... i bet they've been developing a murderous rage and eventually "whack" me.

come to think of it, my neighbours consists of old ladies and mom's who yell their a$$es off at the little kids. but no problem yet.

the only problem i have is the 13 yr-old sister who watches the TV in the room w/ the piano.... she'd walk in and watch her dumbs**t disney nonsense and turns it up to piss me off; esp. when i'm doing relatively quiet debussy preludes.

the funniest neighbor story i heard was of my teacher's. while he was at the jail-yard school of music, he practiced some loud, bombastic Ravel piece in his apartment... then one day when he got back, someone had hung a smelly dead fish on his door.... dun dun dun~

mmmm. yum.

[tds]

how about......hmmmm, you go hook up with your neighbour's son. it will clear the muggy clouds.

wait, dont take that seriously...

wait, y not?

heh...tds *3/4 drunk*

[Kassaa]

* Kassaa slaps tds

[tds]

stop kissing me like that....*loses senses*

[brokenagraffe]

how about......hmmmm, you go hook up with your neighbour's son. it will clear the muggy clouds.

wait, dont take that seriously...

wait, y not?

heh...tds *3/4 drunk*

err hell no. i only go for the ladies.  but then again, you're three quarters drunk.

[gorbee natcase]

Last time we had trouble with the neighbours was when he threatened my little brother and sister with violence.
HE WAS BLUBBERING LIKE A LITTLE GIRL AFTER MY DAD HAD UNLEASHED DEVESTATION UPON HIM.

[contrapunctus]

Personally, I would just try explaining that you're sorry the noise bothers her, but piano to you is like painting to her.  Then I'd ask if there was some way to work out a schedule with her, and ask if you could play pretty things on Sundays?  I'm not in an apartment, but I do practice with all my doors and windows shut on the weekends.  Sometimes I roast!  But no complaints so far.

turn on the A/C

[Nana_Ama]

maybe you could practice at a church... plus they tend to have really nice pianos!   

[paris]

maybe you could practice at a church... plus they tend to have really nice pianos!   

haha this reminds me of summer few years ago...i think i was 13 or somethin. 
i was on my vacation for 2 month on the island, and needed to practise.  we made a deal with priest in local church for let me playing in the mornings.

one day while i was practising, came a group of tourists. obviously they thought i'm playing for money bacause they gave me some cash     they also took picture of me playing... 


and that bout nice pianos...huh...i think that upright was one of poorest piano i've ever seen 

[gorbee natcase]

Did you keep the cash or hand it to the priest
 

[paris]

Did you keep the cash or hand it to the priest
 

i didn't take it actually...so they went out from church. i was nicely surprised when their little daughter came back and bought me an ice-cream 

[mound]

Yeah that's too bad. The only sort of communication I've ever received from a neighbor with regards to music was one day I went outside, and somebody had placed a vase full of flowers on the porch with a note "my garden and I love your music" - no name, still not sure who left it.

[danyal]

They've been building houses just outside my window now for a few months (my piano is in my room). I cant say I'm waiting in anticipation for when the new owners move in, but I am looking forward to it (letting them know exactly what I do and when I do it--from the start)

Nobody in my house cares when I practise and for how long (eg 1 in the morning) I can get up, stressed in the middle of the night because of whatever reason and start practising with no problems from my household. They enjoy it. My mother is always very upset when I go on holiday or tour or something because she will not hear my music all day and night.

My new pathetic neighbors wont break my speed. I refuse to change my life because they may or may not like it.

They haven't moved in yet, but every time I see people walking/looking around on the building site who aren't builders, I put on my recording of Shostakovich piano and trumpet concerto (4th mvmnt) as loud as I can without blowing my speakers. Strangely, I noticed, they dont stick around for very long. I wonder why... 

[gorbee natcase]

I would have milked them for every penny they had paris, after all thats what tourists are for isn't it

[paris]

I would have milked them for every penny they had paris, after all thats what tourists are for isn't it

  LOL

[lauralouise]

My neighbourghs are really bad,...i was once playing when my parents were out and the woman from next door phoned up and started shouting at me down the phone. my parents were so mad..we used to have an aggreement that i wouldnt play after 9pm..now we dont have that because they are so ignorant and they wouldnt even speak to my parents out in the street.

[jason2711]

my neighbours somehow never hear though they often see me in the window practising... must be double glazing for you

In fact they were surprised to hear me when they came round and i played for them - pleasantly surprised

[gorbee natcase]

My neighbourghs are really bad,...i was once playing when my parents were out and the woman from next door phoned up and started shouting at me down the phone. my parents were so mad..we used to have an aggreement that i wouldnt play after 9pm..now we dont have that because they are so ignorant and they wouldnt even speak to my parents out in the street.

I am sorry but I would kill them, let me repeat (KILL THEM) WHERE DO THEY LIVE i WILL GO ROUND NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gorbee natcase]

p.s DON'T  *** negotiate with them they are wankers, Still fuming mad

[lauralouise]

p.s DON'T  *** negotiate with them they are wankers, Still fuming mad

They arent nice at all...they have such a boring life,.,,,it was only 9 and they started shouting at me saying that it was too late to play and that i had woken everyone up..at the time i got a fright and said sorry.

[gorbee natcase]

Im from South Yorkshire, where are you from

[lauralouise]

Im a geordie,,,unfortunately

[Floristan]

Ahm sorry fre yer troubles wi yer neighbors, Laura Louise!  Ah herp they stort leaving yee alain. 

(Sorry, but I found this great Geordie translator online, and I couldn't resist...)

[lauralouise]

ok lol but just to let you know...most of that doesnt sound like how we talk especially "herp"

[Floristan]

Champion!

[lauralouise]

Im pretty sure your talking about the wrong accent you know 

[Jacey1973]

Oh i feel really sorry for you, it is a bad situation. I'm lucky my neighbour also is lovely, he listens all the time and asks my mum when i'm coming home form uni to play again!

All you can really do is talk to them, explain that you have to practise so when is the best time for them? Reach a compromise i guess, if you want to go onto to do music as a career (i'm presuming you;re a student?) then your neighbours have to understand how important practise is for you.

Best of luck! Do you live alone? Or could you get someone you live with to go round to the neightbours with you to back you up?

[lauralouise]

I really dont want to talk to them...i smiled at her the other day and she completely ignored me..my mam and dad have been round there a couple of times already.

[danyal]

Start learning more atonal, modern pieces... and be sure to practise thm really loudly and slowly...  with your windows wide open, and later at night...
Practise till 9:05. Every night. It'll piss them off to such a degree that they'll eventually move out.. Then you'll have the freedom to practise late as you want and as much as you want.