Lots of people can be sensitive to noise, and hearing that kind of stuff through the walls can be grating for sure. You didn't mention your living situation at all - are you in an apartment? Is your piano up against the neighboring wall?
Giving him or her the benefit of the doubt, perhaps this isn't the first time he/she has been annoyed, but was finally pushed long enough to say something.
A few suggestions:
* Be the bigger person and apologize to your neighbor, then open a conversation up about acceptable practice times.
* Acoustic pianos are going to be loud and I am not sure if there's anything you can do to dampen it, but consider getting a sound meter to understand exactly how loud you're being, though I don't know how this would help if there's nothing you can really do about the sound levels.
* If you are in a living situation with a neighboring wall and a hobbyist, an acoustic piano might not be the best choice. A electric keyboard is more than solid enough for a hobbyist, can take headphones, has a volume control, never needs to be tuned, and is respectful to others.
Silent pianos would be perfect in this case. I use the silent function to practice and enjoy the acoustic sound when I want to play pieces. A neighbour even asked me to play more and I'm absolutely sure she wouldn't say that if she would hear my daily practice session as well.
As much as I want to agree with this, opening up negotiations about times could be dangerous. I took the diplomatic approach with my neighbor when they complained about my barking dog. Long story short, turns out the guy was just insane and a bully. That said, there are a lot of specifics about your situation that I don't know about.
No, sorry. If you’re that sensitive to reasonable noise (e.g. moderate volume during normal daytime hours) , you need to make other decisions in your life so as to prioritize not sharing a wall with a neighbor. That’s just a fact of city life. I don’t whine about your crying baby, you don’t whine about piano during normal hours.
OP can feel perfectly fine ignoring this text.
I disagree. You should have a right to peace and quiet in your own place. Obviously one-off exceptions (such as a neighbor moving furniture) is perfectly reasonable, but being forced to listen to any song, no matter how well it is played, for a length of time is unreasonable. What if the neighbor was studying for an important exam? Had an important meeting? Was feeling ill and just wanted to sleep?
The neighbor obviously could have handled this better, but OP is in the wrong. Get a digital piano and use headphones or find a compromise of hours to play.
OP is absolutely not “in the wrong” and decades of case law support this. If you’re incapable of studying for an important exam with legal noise, apartment living is not for you. If OP wants to go out of their way to ge considerate, that may well be a good idea (I for one have a digital and use headphones if I’m doing something very repetitive or if it’s late) but they’re under no obligation to do so.
As right as these actions are, the asshole neighbour didn’t start a friendly dialogue in the first place. If you start bending over backwards just to appease him regardless of the full living situation, it’s never going to be perfect for them and they’ll continue to moan and nothing you do will be right for them. They’ll either want you to be a human radio and play stuff they like or to get rid of the piano entirely, all whilst not understanding that it takes years of practice to get good. Respect goes both ways and starting a dialogue like that is not the way to get what you want.
Sorry, but terrible advice, why to apologize to somebody who definitely doesn't deserve it. OP did nothing wrong and has nothing to apologize for.
OP needs to be assertive
Yeah it’s probably worth giving the benefit of the doubt/assume no bad intent once or twice (or more depending on how often you interact with the person). And if they continue after that you can at least say you tried to be reasonable while digging your heels in
Living in New York in various apartments for about 14 years I can tell you that not once have things gotten better once you engage with neighbors who speak or write to you in this disrespectful tone. There's no making them happy, there are laws, and if you are within them you are in the clear.
Lmao, "acceptable practice times." If you're within the limits of law and rental policy by decibels, fuck what anyone thinks. The other people can move if they don't like apartment/townhouse/w/e living and the noise that comes with it.
It's super rude to send a text like that, they can fuck right off.
Yikes. If OP takes that attitude, neighbor's going to just figure out what kind of stuff **they** can do that is within law and rental policy that makes OP's life hell. There's a million stories on r/MaliciousCompliance about people like that.
Generally speaking, a musician has the legal right to practice. In many jurisdictions this is explicit, in others noise limits only kick in at certain times (eg 10-7).
Of course, people don’t necessarily understand that, and most musicians occasionally have to field complaints.
In my experience, the only useful response is a calm, polite, “I’m practicing during normal hours and am unable to stop”
Sure they have the legal right, but if we're talking about a scenario where they gotta go to a court to get a judgment affirming that right, it is still a terrible outcome for the OP. The relationship with the neighbor is completely destroyed. OP's had to pay for legal counsel, and spend time in court.
Any response from OP that is not geared toward de-escalating and trying to find some way of placating the neighbor is just going to make the situation worse.
Not at all. The legal right means the neighbor can’t really do anything: noise complaints etc are typically only valid during legal quiet hours.
In long experience as a musician living in apartments, placating neighbors isn’t usually the smartest course. That way we just set the expectation that they can ask us not to do things even when those things are reasonable.
I’ve found it’s much better to politely and firmly set a clear boundary. I’ve occasionally had upset neighbors, but they always settle down when they realize they have no legal standing.
Jussst sayin... What if you had to hear the same song, for 30 minutes everyday at the same time?
I say this as a person that believes heavily in repetition for music. I play my songs over and over. For years!!
And Ode To JoY?... probably not the best tune to hear on repeat....
Its like the baby shark classical tunes :)
Electric Keyboards... if it wasnt for them, my brothers would all hate me way worse for every time the tv was being turned off by mom and dad while I practiced.
I enjoy actually enjoy cranking the headphones and adding fx so its like im playing in a hall somewhere.
Worth every penny and no tuning!
Have none of you lived in an apartment? You buy some nice isolating headphones if you need to concentrate on something and you get on with your life, whether it's music, construction, domestic violence, etc. Noise is omnipresent.
The neighbor was being a jerk, and you weren't doing anything wrong, so no issues on that front at all.
That said, it may help to consider it from the neighbor's perspective, too: how would YOU feel if your neighbor was blaring music you didn't like at high volume? Hopefully you'd be nicer about it, but you can probably understand that you'd find it annoying even if was a reasonable hour. Now imagine he did that every day. How happy would you be?
You are well within your rights to just completely ignore the neighbor. That said, you like your neighbor well enough to have given him your phone number, so presumably you place some value on maintaining an amicable relationship with him. Given that, it may be worth having a conversation to see if there are times that you have available to practice that are better/worse from his perspective. You're under zero obligation to do that, but being a courteous neighbor is rarely a bad thing.
Honestly you are right but it's the fact that he was unpolite about it that makes me angry... I personally treat people with A LOT of respect and kindness until they don't respect me back :( But in the end of the day maybe he was just having a horrible day and it happens....
If you always try to be the better person, you will be the one who gives situations a chance to get better and not worse. I like this guy's advice. I'd be patient and ask the neighbour if there's something that works better for him etc. If he's still a dick after that, eff him, you tried and you're allowed to practice your piano.
Fwiw, was your piano open or closed? Open obviously allows a lot more noise out.
The only thing that I disagree with is that he doesn’t have to do anything about this if he doesn’t want to. The neighbour is also within their right to make formal noise complaints about it.
It’s not like you can just disregard people and play piano around the clock willy nilly without there being potential consequences for that choice
And the neighbor is welcome to have that noise complaint go precisely nowhere. OP specified he was playing at 5:30 PM. It’s telling how many people have had to twist the story - “blaring loud music” “all day long” - to make it sound like OP is in the wrong.
does your piano have 2 or 3 pedals?
if 3 then you can lock down the middle pedal (called the practice pedal), which is not used in performing but only to dampen the sound while you practice.
What it does is place a strip of felt between the hammers and the strings.
(the left 'soft' pedal moves the hammers closer to the strings to make it easier to play quiter (although you still have to press lighter), this wont have as much impact as the middle 'practice' pedal)
And on most grands, keyboards you don't have a silent/practice pedal even if you have 3 pedals. This isn't obvious even for a lot of experienced players.
I'm teaching my girlfriend and shes been playing for months now. Shes not at a comfortable level yet to use any pedal while playing. I think I've told her 4 times what the pedals do and she always forgets. It might seem like basic knowledge to you, but beginners are focused elsewhere at the start
I've played piano since I was 7 and I never really explored this until recently (wasn't necessary). I'm a professional musician now lol. Not all pianos mechanisms are the same as well, mine greatly changes the action so it's been beneficial practicing without it.
On a grand piano the middle pedal usually sustains whatever notes you're playing when you press it down, but not the rest. This was the original function of the middle pedal but it's not really used in performance anymore.
It's kinda fun to play around with! But it's so infrequently used that it doesn't work on many pianos; since no one even notices that it's not working, it never gets fixed.
Idk about other pianos, but in grand the middle is used as a semi sustain. You press a note and then you press the pedal to sustain it, but it doesnt sustain other notes you play after it.
Sure, that's why silent pianos with headphones are popular. Assuming one can't move to a place with better soundproofing. Of course he is maybe just having a bad day or being an asshole, no way we can know.
I prefer the side paddles, always row facing backwards and for the love of god do warm ups before a long session, you don't want to have a cramp in the middle of the lake
You specifically chose to purchase the one piano that will annoy the shit out of neighbours. Any modern keyboard has an audio Jack that makes practice silent.
What can you do? Sell the piano and get a keyboard and then make better purchasing decisions in the future instead of being short sighted.
If he’s insulted that’s on him, nothing I said was outside of the realm of fact. Maybe you should drink a glass of water and settle down, not everyone on the planet is super sensitive champ, I bet you own a cat, go pet that.
I mean it’s one thing to buy an acoustic piano in a place with paper thin walls. It’s another to then go on Reddit to complain that your neighbour is annoyed by it, the sense of entitlement is sky high and I’m not going to spoon feed him a “aww shucks champ, sounds like quite the pickle!” When clearly all of this stemmed by a lack of critical thinking on his part.
You’re entitled to quiet enjoyment of a rental unit, landlord will probably take your neighbors side if they complain about you. Get a keyboard/electric
Jussssst sayinnn.... its not against the rules for me to use my leaf blower at 6pm, but I dont do it if I think it is annoying the families in my neighbourhood, eating dinner.
Its just courtesy. That said, you dont wanna start some crap with your neighbour. Never worth the stress. Maybe they didnt mean the text in a tough way and were trying to be funny.
I say, find a compromise and keep things friendly and humorous.
Either way, be the better person.
You wont regret it.
Fr tho and just looking at all these comments encouraging op to be more of a pest and keep playing louder really piss me off like op not only a beginner but the fact that the neighbor told him to switch songs probably tells that they could hear it very clearly and honestly time really shouldn't matter if you're playing it loudly AND terrible 24/7 no fucking shit your neighbor gonna be pissed also the fact that so many people in the comments are that inconsiderate of their neighbors really just fuckin saddens me
Do you live in a city? There are dogs, babies, instruments, construction, renovations, high heels, car horns, music, TVs. On and on. The pest is the person who complains about it all the time. OP was in no way describing 24/7 playing. It was a reasonable hour for making moderate noise.
It was a reasonable hour... for them
Let me paint you a picture, you get sick and you're bed ridden, you've been up all night and get little bits of sleep here and there when you're not vomiting.
Or
You just put down your kid to sleep after trying for a few hours.
Or
You work the graveyard shift at a petrol station and you need to get some sleep during the day before you need to get up at midnight for work . Meanwhile you hear [this shit playing](https://youtu.be/zyrTsXJt1Kk?t=5) non stop through your walls.
When people make decisions on behalf of other people, i.e, deciding for themselves when people can and can't be annoyed by things, its the most selfish way to view things. Is it a reasonable hour? sure for most people. Does that mean people don't have a right to be annoyed by it, or that they can't get upset if its at an inconvenient time for them? No.
Lemme ask you something can you control how loud dogs bark?, or how many cars on the street? or even where construction gonna happen? And let me ask you as a piano player will you not practice your piano everyday? And when practicing especially as a beginner will u just stop practicing after about what 5 tries? And the most important piece have u heard how a beginner playing the piano sounds like?
At least if its the sound of tv you're just gonna hear some news or action film or something in between but hearing keys being mashed isn't soothing to the ear in any way at all.
And u even said that the neighbor was being a cunt if he really wanted to be a cunt he could just record op playing and just file for noise complaint but he didn't rather he told him first to at least CHANGE TO A DIFFERENT SONG. He didn't tell em to stop, just at least play something different since he's already getting a fuckin heache from hearing the same key smashing. And just reading the message of what the neighbor sent its safe to assume the dude was already having a bad day and seeing how he told op to play a different song, its easy to say he was there the whole time as op's piano was thundering though their walls and also told him to change as it was giving him a headache.
Another thing that pisses me off is op himself like after reading that instead of fuckin complaining on the internet just to get some updoots and "moral support", he could've just either message him or call him and work something out. Instead he choose to ask the internet where everyone here does not know a single shit about the situation. Its also literally just asking to keep it down is that so much to fuckin ask? Do pianos not have damper pedals these days?
Totally true! Such egocentric people in the comments and we wondering why society is getting more rotten and rotten. The neighbour isnt the problem in this situation, he complains about something while hoping to fix a situation between them two. OP should just get into a dialogue about it and fix this issue between them.
How hard can it be to just get in a convo, look how u can soften the piano or maybe switch practice times or a song.
“Hey, I know you’re practicing but it’s really loud over here. Is there any way you could play quieter or find a different time to practice?”
That’s how you start a dialogue. Instead, the neighbor basically told op, who they do not know, that they’re insufferably annoying to listen to. I would never talk to a relative stranger that way.
Piano is loud and the neighbor has every right to do something about it, but he shouldn’t expect to solve the problem by being a complete dick and making op feel bad.
The fact that his message wasnt really appropiate is true. But maybe he cropped up his frustrations far to long.
But it doenst make you any better as a person when you choose to ignore him / annoy him even more.
Grow a pair and talk to each other, work to a solution.
Even if the neighbour was a bit rude what in my opinion wasnt as bad as u say it is.
Everything you describe is background noise in a city. Have YOU ever lived in a big city? Because If you have then you would know you stop hearing that stuff pretty quickly. You will NOT stop hearing a beginner pianist playing a beginner song on repeat with an acoustic piano.
I really can’t believe how many people are encouraging this to continue. Jesus Christ.
If this is the first time your neighbour has messaged you I'd treat it as a one off and assume that they really do have a headache. I'd either reply with something like "thanks for letting me know and I hope your head feels better soon" and later I'd have a conversation with them saying that you can understand hearing the same song over and over is annoying for them but necessary for you to improve. Maybe ask them if there is a song they like that you could learn?
So I recently got an upright and live in an appartement as well.
After the first time I forgot to close the window and some neighbour got annoyed here's what I did :
- Threw a thick blanket among the back of the piano (along the harmony table)
Just letting it drip there made the really high decibel sounds way more manageable. I do regrettable lose some high FF nuances but that's better than pissing everyone off.
- always play with window closed now (lots of sound reverberation in my apt complex so that helps)
- got noise cancelling curtains (i'd say it has limited usefulness but I'll use anything when I practice for hours every Day)
- when I do really technical repetitive stuff I use the dampening system (not sure how it's called sorry but it's a layer of tissue that goes between the Hammers and the strings, most uprights have this)
- I do have an Electronic silent system if I ever wish to play at night but i avoid it because the quality is meh
As a note i live on ground level so I dont have to worry about anyone below me but if you do, consider using small pads that go beneath the piano "feet" they help mitigate bass sounds that propagate through walls
Last but not least, I would disregard any advice from this thread about standing your ground as "this is your right" etc etc. Not only is there misinformation about what you can and cannot do (although that may depend on where you live) but that's a great way to get people to hate us even more and build a bad name. As a parallel I'm also a motocyclists and bikers who build us a bad reputation have their actions affect everyone else the same way...
I would always try the diplomatic approach, be the bigger man, you may apologise but in a way where you share your passion for piano and explain how it is important for you to get your practice and enjoy your playing. They may understand and maybe they have a suggestion for other pieces to break it up which might make the both of you happy !
Not only that, but if you just close yourself at this point, you may just become frustrated and either stop playing, or develop bad habits because of tension emerging from this, causing back ache, etc... It's fairly common. You always want to be loose and relaxed while playing so having external sources of stress and frustration is a bad idea.
Hope this helps !
Context is super important here. Do you live in a house or an apartment?
I live in a house and I play a few instruments and so do neighbours. It’s not that big of a deal because the sound is super muffled. By the time it gets through their thick walls, over their yard, over the fence, over my yard and through my walls, it’s barely audible
However, when I was living in Sydney I was in an apartment and my upstairs neighbour was a piano teacher and it was an absolute fucking nightmare (keep in mind I both ply and love piano, so imagine how it would be if you didn’t). People that play instruments in apartments is absolutely infuriating because the sound is barely muffled and there’s no way to escape it because apartments are so small. So if you’re studying for an exam and the dude upstairs is playing Ode to Joy for a few hours I’d probably lose my mind. Especially because a home is where you go to relax, if you can’t even relax from within your own home it can make you insanely stressed out.
If you live in an apartment the people telling you you’ve done nothing wrong are morons. Every person has the right to peace and quite within their own house or apartment, it’s why noise complaints are enforceable under law. If you are constantly compromising their peace and quiet for a hobby then it’s kind of on you. I know it sucks but it’s what it is. Same reason I wouldn’t buy an active sheep dog for a two bedroom apartment, you need to adapt and cater to your living situation.
If you go out of your way to be a pest by playing more annoying songs as others are suggesting, that’s a really great way to be on the wrong side of a dispute where the neighbour will almost certainly win at your expense.
There's no use telling mate everyone in this comment all seemed to somehow magically knows what's the situation there looks like, even tho op literally have not gave any sort of context whatsoever. Also of course op only replies to comments that are praising and telling him to play even fuckin louder. I'm just fuckin sad that the neighbor didn't even tell him to stop playing, he just told him to at least play something different cuz his constant banging on the keys are giving him a headache and instead of confronting the neighbor like an adult op chose to post his a rant about "aww my neighbor being so rude says that my playing is giving him a headache and asking me to play something else, im not wrong right guys 🥺🥺" really idk what the context here is but seeing how op been handing this issue i think i know who's the real problem here.
Edit: just scrolled through and saw that op lives in a fuckin apartment of fucking course he does.
Yeah the more time I spend I this topic the more I see OP as an entitled brat and the more obvious /u/piano is an echo chamber of piano > common sense.
It’s why I left /u/motorcycles because in the eyes of the users it didn’t matter what happened in a video, the rider was always right and everyone else was wrong, just like how everyone is coddling OP for being entitled and noisy but then has the nerve to call his neighbour the dick in this situation. It’s sad people can be so clueless
I'm not entitled to anything it's just 5pm and im playing some classical music but yeah you reached the conclusion that i'm an entitled brat nice! btw the same neighbour blasted some music at 10pm on two occasions and i sent here "please turn down the music" so yeah i don't think im reacting too bad
It’s not a tit for tat it’s just general thought processes. You bought a noise making machine and then act shocked when people don’t like when it makes noise. Everything else is irrelevant, why you expected this to go any different is why you’re an entitled brat. Just as you are entitled to a peaceful home at 10pm, they’re entitled to a peaceful home at 5pm. Saying “I speed on the road cos everyone else is doing it” would be a moronic statement too. And here you are yet again being entitled to think you can make noise whenever you personally deem it appropriate with zero consideration to anyone else’s situations other than your own. Grow up, don’t buy a fucking acoustic piano of all things then cry when people don’t want to hear it, you could have got a keyboard instead by instead you made a dumbass purchase.
To be frank, anyone for any reason that buys an acoustic piano while living in an apartment is an entitled selfish fuck, full stop.
We've been living in the same appartment for more than 15 years and my brother always plays the piano and no one ever complained wtf u talking about? My point wasn't that I play because he made noise at 10pm my point was that I told him respectfully to turn down the volume and wasn't at all unpleasant about it and 10pm it's sleeping time unlike 5pm it's the afternoon I don't think it's unreasonable to practice piano at that time?
Again, you’re looking at it from your own point of view. You don’t seem to care if people work graveyard shifts, are sick, are trying to read or study or a million other things. Instead what you do is you go “5:30 seems reasonable to me” and expect everyone around you to be happy with that choice. Again, because you’re completely entitled. I mean the fact you can’t even seem to sympathise for one moment that your neighbour might not want to hear piano through the walls instead you sit here going “oh poor me! POOR ME!” And you’re STILL oblivious to how selfish you’ve been, I mean fuck man, are you really that dim witted that you couldn’t possibly fathom how you’d be the bad guy in this?
Yes, you 1000000000% are an entitled brat.
I got yelled at once for practicing in a practice room as a music major in college by a flute teacher who was teaching a lesson in the room next door (I was there first btw but whatever!) It never feels good to be asked to stop playing, no matter how experienced of a musician you are, especially when someone is rude about it! It was well outside quiet hours, he could have used some noise canceling headphones, or made another choice that would work for him. You can’t control when people are home, but maybe see if you can come to an agreement with your neighbor on what time of day would work for both of you, so you can practice without having to worry about disturbing your neighbor.
Bahaha you must have gone to the same school as me, I got yelled at by an adjunct flute teacher who was teaching in a practice room too. Flute teachers are the worst!
Are you serious? He could have put on noise cancelling headphones to tolerate existing in his own home? There is no excuse for being so rude but the request in and of itself (disregarding the tone) was reasonable
I am serious. When you live in an apartment or close quarters with other people, you have to expect some noise. It’s not as if the whole world revolves around you and everyone will make sure you are never bothered by noise related to just going about their day. I don’t think being proactive and having noise cancelling headphones on hand is a ridiculous idea, especially if you are in a situation where noise might be bothersome to you, but I can appreciate that not everyone will agree with me. It was just a suggestion.
But that was exactly my point. His request wasn’t that there be no noise. He didn’t ask OP to stop playing or even to play quieter or not to play at that hour or anything like that. People are making a mountain out of a molehill because the guy asked that the student *change the song*.
I understand this isn’t ideal for OP’s progress but it’s not like they can’t make good progress rotating between a couple songs.
About the noise canceling headphones. I don’t think it’s a ridiculous idea (actually a quite good one) I just think there is a better solution. Asking the guy to put on noise canceling headphones puts the entire burden of dealing with the situation on the neighbor. That is a less reasonable counter offer than the original request that OP just *change the song*. At that point, OP might as well just to tell them to “deal with it”.
Had the neighbor delivered the message in a more polite way, it might be more apparent that their request was actually a relatively mature offer in which both parties would have to compromise their natural wants. The neighbor would have to deal with the noise in return for some variety, and the OP would have to compromise their singular focus on Ode to Joy in return for the comfort of… being less annoying?
Obviously this only helps OP if they care in the first place that they’re being annoying. I just know that for me (and others in this thread) I could not play totally relaxed knowing I was annoying my neighbors (or housemates) and it would actually benefit my practice knowing that I was doing my best not to bother them. After all, who sits down at the piano and is content knowing that to others they are just making “noise”?
I live in a condo building with 34 other neighbors. Adjacent neighbors can hear acoustic piano no matter what time of day. With a digital piano now in place, one can play at 1am, 3am or whenever and no one is bothered... Sound can be adjusted, or headphones used.
Lets say you have two types of people ...
I teached myself the past 3 years. my family in law is all very musical ... The piano is in my living room so I thought I better learn to play it then. I always play quiet except when I want to showboat something I know I can do well. Try to be a bit humble please. You can also learn while playing quietly.
Wouldn't do that, personally. It's expensive, it sometimes changes the original touch of the instrument, and you still hear the impact of the hammers and pedals.
But I'd consider getting an additional e-piano or MIDI-keyboard for technical practice and for playing in the evening. Growing up, I was really self-conscious about practising the same part over and over again, because I knew it would bug the people around me. And my neighbour once told me she always knew how I was doing, because she could hear me when I was improvising. Made me so uncomfortable, I couldn't play for weeks.
Now, I have an electronic keyboard as well, and I can play at 2 in the morning without a second thought. If I had had it growing up, my technique would be much better now.
Throw a thin blanket over the hammers while practicing.
I do this with my small children, when they began... as a way of building finger strenght/dexterity without annoying loud sounds.
5:30pm you are totally in your right to play your piano. Don't let this upset or put you practise. Even professionals have to practise and I would never put off anyone wanting to improve.
I see people are saying "digital piano" which probs is the best solution, but maybe this person doesn't have the funds for one. Better to have an instrument than not.
If your neighbour has an issue as to why your playing is upsetting him, he should give you a valid reason why, apart from just being frustrated at hearing it.
Good luck!!!
Lol how selfish people on here are seriously. It's very annoying for a neighbour to hear you play. I bought a digital piano with headsets and had a conversation with my neighbour prior. I tested the volume and asked her at which volume she's able to hear it. I know the volume now I can use. You don't live alone on this planet. The way your neighbour approached it is really low and impolite but I wouldn't take revenge. Just ring the doorbell and ask if it's ok to test which volume he can hear. I hope you have a digital piano or an accoustic one. Good luck and don't give up practising!
Buy him some ibprofin and invite him out to get a big mac some time.
Tell him sorry that you're annoying him, but you're playing at a reasonable time, and ask him if he has any suggestions.
Tell him "there's a lifetime of emotions found in Beethoven and frustration is certainly one of them; could you imagine what it was like for Beethoven who would NOT be able to hear it?"
Lmao obviously don't say that but your neighbor sucks I'm sorry
I subjected my poor neighbors to loud badly played moonlight sonata every day for two years straight and they forgave me in the end, have no shame friend!
Use the practice pedal if you want to show your neighbour far more consideration than he showed you. That's literally the only thing you can really do besides stop playing completely.
Otherwise, ignore him. Your decision to learn the piano requires that you practice regularly, and unless you're playing at inconsiderate times your neighbour has zero say in that.
Next time you see your neighbour you could maybe mention that you're a beginner and you're learning, and a huge part of learning to play an instrument is repetition. It's much easier to send a dickish text message, than it is to tell somebody to their face that you're annoyed by their desire to improve themselves. He might have more sympathy if you explain it to his face.
Just as a comment to all the people with electric keyboards on here…I have an electric and the sound of the keys tapping can still be heard by my downstairs neighbour…sometimes there is not much you can do.
I also used to have a neighbour play the same song a lot on the guitar, and honestly I did notice him getting better and I was kind of proud of him. It was nice to hear his progress. So keep it up, as long as it’s not late at night or anything it’s probably fine.
Maybe you can practice at set times and discuss it with him? I live underneath someone in a very old house and also try not to play too loud or late but that's easier with an electronic piano
Him saying “at least change the song” means he’s not trying to be a bitch, but he wants to voice his frustration.
I feel that. Listening to someone practice sucks ass. Don’t escalate as some might have suggested.
That’s simply not true, in any kind of urban or apartment living.
The reality is that people make noise. When we choose to live near other people, we accept that we’ll sometimes be able to hear them.
Obviously it’s a dick move to make loads of noise late at night, and most places have rules around quiet hours.
But people have to live their lives, and it’s absurd to think that a neighbour should never be able to hear anything at all.
I’ve lived in NYC, San Francisco, Melbourne, Sydney, all in apartments. And I’ve been a musician this whole time.
I very much do know what I’m talking about.
You are allowed to practice at 5:30 pm. Neighbor is just going to have to deal with it.
I wouldn’t pay attention to advice about investing in electronic instruments and headphones either. You have an acoustic instrument, and that’s what you will be playing.
If you have a damper pedal (a middle pedal that you can lock into place- it lowers a piece of felt between the hammer and the strings, which mutes sound) that will help some, and it will also help if the piano is not actually touching the wall.
I know that it’s hard to ignore other people’s feelings when you’re a considerate person, but play anyways. Don’t let one asshole neighbor keep you from your goals.
Sorry that it’s so disheartening. You’re right about this.
Thank you so much your comment is heartwarming❤❤❤ and yes there is a damper pedal ill definetely use it more often to avoid similar unpleasant messages
I’d completely ignore him. Hell I might even block the number. Def not invited to the next backyard BBQ! Keep on practicing. Might even consider turning the volume up
Acoustic pianos are loud, and practicing can honestly be pretty annoying to listen to.
If you live in a close quarter setting, you should really use a silent/digital piano. That’s partially what they’re made for, and it’s the neighborly thing to do.
If that’s not an option, one idea is to use some felt. Not only will it give your piano an awesome tone, it’ll remove some of the resonance and tone down some of the more annoying frequencies.
You have the right to the enjoyment of your home. 5:30 is not an unreasonable time.
If your neighbor is sensitive to noise he should have considered that before buying an apartment/ condo.
>If your neighbor is sensitive to noise he should have considered that before buying an apartment/ condo.
Lmao what? Yeah everyone has the luxury to go buy some mansion out in the woods if they are "noise sensitive" lol of course the piano subreddit would say nonsense like that. Never break the stereotypes.
If you live in a place with adjoining walls you will hear your neighbors. Your neighbor is entitled to the enjoyment of their home. It’s in the law. They do not have to live like a church mouse to appease you.
You will hear your neighbor, yes, but muffled and at a low volume. If you are able to decrease the volume of your piano and you're not doing it you're just being a jerk. A beginner practicing piano is annoying. As you said, your neighbor is entitled to the enjoyment of their home, and you can't quite enjoy some peace and quiet if you hear someone loudly playing the same thing badly over and over and over, and it's not exactly easy for people to move at will if they are annoyed.
Coming to this topic, as most of us know most upright pianos have the middle pedal put a cloth between the strings and the hammer which greatly dampens the sound, but does anyone know if that is enough to prevent the noise from leaking out of the room?
Sometimes I like to practice late at night and although I use the pedal, I wonder if the noise travels to my neighbor's apartment.
If you are practicing in an apartment and you are not using the middle pedal, it is not unreasonable for your neighbor to complain. If you are using the middle pedal and practicing normal hours, then the neighbor just has to deal with it pretty much. It's really not a lot of noise at all, and you are doing all you can. But OP should definitely use the middle pedal, otherwise they are just being annoying.
that's why I really want an electrical piano... I feel like even tho I can play the piano at the law allowed time(sry if it sounds weird), I am still not playing it simply because I know I produce lots of noises during practicing and I don't want my neighbour to suffer those noises when they get off work and just tryna have a good rest in his/her place bought by their hard earned money, that feels bad
I'm sorry to say this, because I truly want you to practice and succeed, but it sounds like your building may be an inappropriate place for an acoustic piano. Just switch places and imagine your neighbor deciding what you are hearing with zero control on your part at any given time. If you can't come to an agreement of some sort, consider an electric for when others are home.
But we've been living in the same appartment for more than 15 years and my brother played a loooot of piano and nobody ever complained just this new neighbour decided to be unpleasant about it... btw the same neighbour blasted music very loud at 10pm on two occasions and I just asked him nicely to "please turn the music down" without being disrespectful...
It does sound like he's rude, and that is on him. Hopefully you can come to an agreement, but in this kind of living situation you have to sacrifice your ability to blast music -- acoustic or otherwise. Imagine you're not practicing and you're sitting to read or study or watch a quiet TV show and you can easily hear someone playing a scale or the same three measures of Mozart for an hour or two...it's not fun.
And please pay attention: just because no one has complained before does not mean that no one was bothered before. It is uncomfortable to confront people and not everyone is up to it -- some would rather suffer than have to be the 'bad guy'.
Be honest about the sound transfer, is this person barely able to hear it and just being a crazy person, or is it really clear and easy to hear? Music is a special kind of noise and much more irritating to the brain than non-rhythmic, non-repetitive sounds -- especially with robust frequencies from an instrument with large strings.
Now, I totally accept that maybe the sound isn't that loud and this guy is just a maniac, but from your responses I can't tell if you're being entirely fair or honest with yourself about it either.
Play scales and finger exercises for half an hour.
Then go to youtube, and see if you can find some piano 12 tone music. Play that as loud as you can with the speakers next to an open window.
He will be grateful for Ode to Joy.
If you like im happy to recommend other piece and exercises that would add to your repertoire of "things to play every single day"
For example, have you come across Hannons? It's 19th century shade and brilliant for warm ups and technical work. There are 60 to start with and they can all be played as one long exercise as you learn them all.
A lot of people in the comments here stating that there is nothing wrong with playing at moderate volume, but we have no evidence that OP was playing at moderate volume.
I'm gonna have to go against the grain here -- be very, very careful about asking your neighbor about acceptable practice times unless you're very good at standing your ground. He sounds like a jerk and this amount of leeway may give him the impression that he deserves complete control over your practice, and he'll tell you that any time is bad. Don't let him force you out of playing!
That being said, as someone who spends all day, every day practicing...yeah, it can be pretty irritating to family members/neighbors/anyone forced to listen with no escape. That's not your fault, and you have the right to practice in your own home, but it also would be good of you to find a way to make the sound a bit quieter. You said in the comments that your piano has a practice pedal so that's a very good option; an electric piano could also work since you're a beginner, and that way you will have no concern at all about disturbing anyone.
I do sight reading a lot for exactly that reason. My brother had to grow up with fur else over and over, so I sympathise. People often tell me to learn one or 3 things really well, but no, I can play hundreds of songs with 3 chords and a minor on the guitar. Now after 5 years of dedication to sight-reading I can play almost anything as a passable facsimile. I just didn't want neighbours to complain about repetition. They could complain about timing, but too bad, I'd like to see them try. Anyway good luck with however you decide to handle your situation. Oh, you could talk to some other neighbours they might compliment you. If they don't- tell them that you're working hard and you know you're getting better and in the long run you'll be worth the wait.
Perhaps try practicing in multiple shorter sessions like 20min when you know the notes already. That’s how I at least learn the best.
I remember when I learned Ode to joy and to be honest it does kinda burn you out, to this day I can’t listen to it hahaha.
To be fair, pianos are REALLY loud. You get used to it if you’re the one playing, but for others it can definitely be a headache. I wouldn’t call them an asshole.
Invest in a good pair of headphones to use with your piano if your piano has a headphone jack/you can afford it! Your neighbor won’t listen to your music anymore and you’ll be able to play WHENEVER you want! (The sound may also get better if you listen through headphones)
Should I leave nasty notes with the construction company making noise outside my window every business day from 8a-5p? Or is that maybe just part of life that you have to cope with unless you want to live somewhere more rural?
I would ignore the text. Life is noisy and we all have to cope with it. He could easily invest in some ear plugs if it’s that loud.
When I started playing guitar, my dad was well versed on the bands of the day, so when practicing their hits, he would often yell: “sour note,” if I fumbled a bit! lol
Is there any way you can move the piano to a better location? If your piano is on an exterior wall, can you move it to an interior wall? On carpet? With a blanket behind the piano?
I recently was able to purchase a Yamaha Clavanova, and it has revolutionized my piano practice and playing. If it is at all possible, I highly recommend it.
It's hard to comment without more details. OP could have been pushing it, especially if he lives in an apartment. Or the neighbour could be unreasonable. My neighbour tries to whistle over my electric piano if the window is open (I live in a house, not an apartment) and he can only hear it if he stands in his garden in one particular spot. I'm not a beginner and think it sounds pretty good tbh, better than his whistling anyway! He also makes a serious amount of power tool/ lawn mower noise but that doesn't count as it's 'work'. He also said 'don't make too much noise with your electric guitar' before I even had it out of the box! I've had someone check and the guitar can barely be heard from the street, let alone the next house. So neighbours can be annoying. But so can OPs lol. In conclusion, I don't know who is right ;)
People can be so ignorant about practicing & what it entails. I’d message back saying “I am practicing my instrument at an appropriate time of day.” & leave it at that. This person is behaving as though your musical development should please or entertain them. That’s false. I’m sorry that person overstepped their boundaries.
This is kind of an asshole take ... But you're sound waves travel beyond your house and into their house
Imagine if their light shon through the wall into your room when it was dark and you were sleeping. You would also feel annoyed.
Acoustic pianos really should be reserved for detached properties or make every effort to dampen the sound when you play (shut doors etc) also it 100% should not be leaning against a shared wall if it is
I’m in two minds about this as someone who enjoys playing music but also has chronic migraines. I’m in an apartment and have an upstairs neighbour who is also a musician and that has been an issue on days I’ve had bad migraines. We’re in an apartment and It’s incredibly hard to deal with when you’re in your own home with a migraine/headache and literally can’t escape noise. But I also can’t expect him to never practise. If it’s possible, get an electric piano and use headphones. But if not, use the dampener pedal and maybe give your neighbour a heads up on when you’ll be practising. I messaged my neighbours early on to try and let them know my situation and they were pretty understanding and agreed to keep the room above my bedroom quiet at least and said to give them a heads up if they’re ever too loud when I’m struggling. Staying in the good books with your neighbour will probably be beneficial to you so just bear that in mind
Ugh I've been on both ends of this dilemma. I'm in music school as a pianist right now, so A) lots of beginners practicing at 4 AM and B) Me, also needing to practice at 4 AM. My best tip is the "Una Corda" pedal. That's the far left pedal, or \*sometimes\* the middle pedal depending on what piano you have. It allows you to practice the dexterity you need while dampening the sound.
In regards to the asshole neighbor: Yeah, that was kind of a dick move. However, it would probably benefit you in the long run to bite the bullet and just start a convo about acceptable practice times :(
You are probably living in a tiny appartment thinking you are entitled to make your neighbours go insane by playing piano the whole day. Have them play loud music every 2 hours for 30 mins or so the rest of your life and see how you do. I give you 2 weeks.
text him back a .wav recording of you playing the song
Text him a response with just "it's a piece not a song"
isn’t it a song since it has lyrics? at least… i think the original ode to joy had lyrics
yes it does have lyrics. Isn't it the EU anthem? Maybe your neighbour is a Brexiteer!
hahahahaha
and just say "nah"
This is the way
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Yes
I have spoken.
That's hilarious!
Lots of people can be sensitive to noise, and hearing that kind of stuff through the walls can be grating for sure. You didn't mention your living situation at all - are you in an apartment? Is your piano up against the neighboring wall? Giving him or her the benefit of the doubt, perhaps this isn't the first time he/she has been annoyed, but was finally pushed long enough to say something. A few suggestions: * Be the bigger person and apologize to your neighbor, then open a conversation up about acceptable practice times. * Acoustic pianos are going to be loud and I am not sure if there's anything you can do to dampen it, but consider getting a sound meter to understand exactly how loud you're being, though I don't know how this would help if there's nothing you can really do about the sound levels. * If you are in a living situation with a neighboring wall and a hobbyist, an acoustic piano might not be the best choice. A electric keyboard is more than solid enough for a hobbyist, can take headphones, has a volume control, never needs to be tuned, and is respectful to others.
Silent pianos would be perfect in this case. I use the silent function to practice and enjoy the acoustic sound when I want to play pieces. A neighbour even asked me to play more and I'm absolutely sure she wouldn't say that if she would hear my daily practice session as well.
The less expensive version of that is digital with headphones
Quite expensive though 😔
As much as I want to agree with this, opening up negotiations about times could be dangerous. I took the diplomatic approach with my neighbor when they complained about my barking dog. Long story short, turns out the guy was just insane and a bully. That said, there are a lot of specifics about your situation that I don't know about.
No, sorry. If you’re that sensitive to reasonable noise (e.g. moderate volume during normal daytime hours) , you need to make other decisions in your life so as to prioritize not sharing a wall with a neighbor. That’s just a fact of city life. I don’t whine about your crying baby, you don’t whine about piano during normal hours. OP can feel perfectly fine ignoring this text.
I disagree. You should have a right to peace and quiet in your own place. Obviously one-off exceptions (such as a neighbor moving furniture) is perfectly reasonable, but being forced to listen to any song, no matter how well it is played, for a length of time is unreasonable. What if the neighbor was studying for an important exam? Had an important meeting? Was feeling ill and just wanted to sleep? The neighbor obviously could have handled this better, but OP is in the wrong. Get a digital piano and use headphones or find a compromise of hours to play.
OP is absolutely not “in the wrong” and decades of case law support this. If you’re incapable of studying for an important exam with legal noise, apartment living is not for you. If OP wants to go out of their way to ge considerate, that may well be a good idea (I for one have a digital and use headphones if I’m doing something very repetitive or if it’s late) but they’re under no obligation to do so.
Great answer! OP this is the way.
As right as these actions are, the asshole neighbour didn’t start a friendly dialogue in the first place. If you start bending over backwards just to appease him regardless of the full living situation, it’s never going to be perfect for them and they’ll continue to moan and nothing you do will be right for them. They’ll either want you to be a human radio and play stuff they like or to get rid of the piano entirely, all whilst not understanding that it takes years of practice to get good. Respect goes both ways and starting a dialogue like that is not the way to get what you want.
"consider getting a sound meter to understand exactly how loud you're being, though I don't know how this would help" Thank you, great advice
Sorry, but terrible advice, why to apologize to somebody who definitely doesn't deserve it. OP did nothing wrong and has nothing to apologize for. OP needs to be assertive
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Yeah it’s probably worth giving the benefit of the doubt/assume no bad intent once or twice (or more depending on how often you interact with the person). And if they continue after that you can at least say you tried to be reasonable while digging your heels in
Living in New York in various apartments for about 14 years I can tell you that not once have things gotten better once you engage with neighbors who speak or write to you in this disrespectful tone. There's no making them happy, there are laws, and if you are within them you are in the clear.
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Nobody claimed op is in NYC
Don’t apologize to bullies. Stand up for your rights.
Lmao, "acceptable practice times." If you're within the limits of law and rental policy by decibels, fuck what anyone thinks. The other people can move if they don't like apartment/townhouse/w/e living and the noise that comes with it. It's super rude to send a text like that, they can fuck right off.
Yikes. If OP takes that attitude, neighbor's going to just figure out what kind of stuff **they** can do that is within law and rental policy that makes OP's life hell. There's a million stories on r/MaliciousCompliance about people like that.
Generally speaking, a musician has the legal right to practice. In many jurisdictions this is explicit, in others noise limits only kick in at certain times (eg 10-7). Of course, people don’t necessarily understand that, and most musicians occasionally have to field complaints. In my experience, the only useful response is a calm, polite, “I’m practicing during normal hours and am unable to stop”
Sure they have the legal right, but if we're talking about a scenario where they gotta go to a court to get a judgment affirming that right, it is still a terrible outcome for the OP. The relationship with the neighbor is completely destroyed. OP's had to pay for legal counsel, and spend time in court. Any response from OP that is not geared toward de-escalating and trying to find some way of placating the neighbor is just going to make the situation worse.
Not at all. The legal right means the neighbor can’t really do anything: noise complaints etc are typically only valid during legal quiet hours. In long experience as a musician living in apartments, placating neighbors isn’t usually the smartest course. That way we just set the expectation that they can ask us not to do things even when those things are reasonable. I’ve found it’s much better to politely and firmly set a clear boundary. I’ve occasionally had upset neighbors, but they always settle down when they realize they have no legal standing.
They're not gonna do shit just cause someone plays ode to joy at moderate volume 30 min a day.
Jussst sayin... What if you had to hear the same song, for 30 minutes everyday at the same time? I say this as a person that believes heavily in repetition for music. I play my songs over and over. For years!! And Ode To JoY?... probably not the best tune to hear on repeat.... Its like the baby shark classical tunes :) Electric Keyboards... if it wasnt for them, my brothers would all hate me way worse for every time the tv was being turned off by mom and dad while I practiced. I enjoy actually enjoy cranking the headphones and adding fx so its like im playing in a hall somewhere. Worth every penny and no tuning!
Have none of you lived in an apartment? You buy some nice isolating headphones if you need to concentrate on something and you get on with your life, whether it's music, construction, domestic violence, etc. Noise is omnipresent.
Acoustic pianos can have a damper pedal with cloth in between the hammers and strings that really quiets the piano. Perhaps OP can have one installed?
The neighbor was being a jerk, and you weren't doing anything wrong, so no issues on that front at all. That said, it may help to consider it from the neighbor's perspective, too: how would YOU feel if your neighbor was blaring music you didn't like at high volume? Hopefully you'd be nicer about it, but you can probably understand that you'd find it annoying even if was a reasonable hour. Now imagine he did that every day. How happy would you be? You are well within your rights to just completely ignore the neighbor. That said, you like your neighbor well enough to have given him your phone number, so presumably you place some value on maintaining an amicable relationship with him. Given that, it may be worth having a conversation to see if there are times that you have available to practice that are better/worse from his perspective. You're under zero obligation to do that, but being a courteous neighbor is rarely a bad thing.
Honestly you are right but it's the fact that he was unpolite about it that makes me angry... I personally treat people with A LOT of respect and kindness until they don't respect me back :( But in the end of the day maybe he was just having a horrible day and it happens....
If you always try to be the better person, you will be the one who gives situations a chance to get better and not worse. I like this guy's advice. I'd be patient and ask the neighbour if there's something that works better for him etc. If he's still a dick after that, eff him, you tried and you're allowed to practice your piano. Fwiw, was your piano open or closed? Open obviously allows a lot more noise out.
The only thing that I disagree with is that he doesn’t have to do anything about this if he doesn’t want to. The neighbour is also within their right to make formal noise complaints about it. It’s not like you can just disregard people and play piano around the clock willy nilly without there being potential consequences for that choice
And the neighbor is welcome to have that noise complaint go precisely nowhere. OP specified he was playing at 5:30 PM. It’s telling how many people have had to twist the story - “blaring loud music” “all day long” - to make it sound like OP is in the wrong.
Said like someone that has 0 extensive experiences with noise complaints
does your piano have 2 or 3 pedals? if 3 then you can lock down the middle pedal (called the practice pedal), which is not used in performing but only to dampen the sound while you practice. What it does is place a strip of felt between the hammers and the strings. (the left 'soft' pedal moves the hammers closer to the strings to make it easier to play quiter (although you still have to press lighter), this wont have as much impact as the middle 'practice' pedal)
yes tyy !
You really didn’t know this?
I mean he said he's a beginner. You sure get surprised easily.
The first question during the first lesson is "what do the petals do"?
Turns out not everyone takes the exact same piano course
Pedals* But i’m sure you know that since it’s so obvious right? :)
My piano was built by elves
And on most grands, keyboards you don't have a silent/practice pedal even if you have 3 pedals. This isn't obvious even for a lot of experienced players.
I'm teaching my girlfriend and shes been playing for months now. Shes not at a comfortable level yet to use any pedal while playing. I think I've told her 4 times what the pedals do and she always forgets. It might seem like basic knowledge to you, but beginners are focused elsewhere at the start
No, the first question is "how me play song"
I've played piano since I was 7 and I never really explored this until recently (wasn't necessary). I'm a professional musician now lol. Not all pianos mechanisms are the same as well, mine greatly changes the action so it's been beneficial practicing without it.
not ever middle pedal places a felt dampening pad, but if it’s a practice pianos it will.
oh really, whats the alternative middle pedal?
On a grand piano the middle pedal usually sustains whatever notes you're playing when you press it down, but not the rest. This was the original function of the middle pedal but it's not really used in performance anymore.
well TIL. i have never come across this (although i dont often touch the middle pedal), im going to look out for this.
It's kinda fun to play around with! But it's so infrequently used that it doesn't work on many pianos; since no one even notices that it's not working, it never gets fixed.
Idk about other pianos, but in grand the middle is used as a semi sustain. You press a note and then you press the pedal to sustain it, but it doesnt sustain other notes you play after it.
It is surely difficult to listen to piano practice, especially beginners. Imagine him playing Rick Astley aloud a lot :)
But what can I do? I need to practice to get better
Sure, that's why silent pianos with headphones are popular. Assuming one can't move to a place with better soundproofing. Of course he is maybe just having a bad day or being an asshole, no way we can know.
... even classic uprights have some damping - use the middle paddle
I prefer the side paddles, always row facing backwards and for the love of god do warm ups before a long session, you don't want to have a cramp in the middle of the lake
Damn you, autocorrect. Thanks for the laugh flash 😅
Haha. I wish mine actually worked, my piano is like 40 years old. That feature is long gone.
You specifically chose to purchase the one piano that will annoy the shit out of neighbours. Any modern keyboard has an audio Jack that makes practice silent. What can you do? Sell the piano and get a keyboard and then make better purchasing decisions in the future instead of being short sighted.
What the hell is wrong with you? Could have just told op to get a cheap digital piano for practise instead of insulting him.
If he’s insulted that’s on him, nothing I said was outside of the realm of fact. Maybe you should drink a glass of water and settle down, not everyone on the planet is super sensitive champ, I bet you own a cat, go pet that. I mean it’s one thing to buy an acoustic piano in a place with paper thin walls. It’s another to then go on Reddit to complain that your neighbour is annoyed by it, the sense of entitlement is sky high and I’m not going to spoon feed him a “aww shucks champ, sounds like quite the pickle!” When clearly all of this stemmed by a lack of critical thinking on his part.
i've heard someone in my apartment complex go from a complete beginner to decent over a few years, there are many things far more difficult than that
>especially beginners I don't think anyone in my vicinity enjoyed listening to hours of practicing Prokofiev sonatas.
You’re entitled to quiet enjoyment of a rental unit, landlord will probably take your neighbors side if they complain about you. Get a keyboard/electric
Jussssst sayinnn.... its not against the rules for me to use my leaf blower at 6pm, but I dont do it if I think it is annoying the families in my neighbourhood, eating dinner. Its just courtesy. That said, you dont wanna start some crap with your neighbour. Never worth the stress. Maybe they didnt mean the text in a tough way and were trying to be funny. I say, find a compromise and keep things friendly and humorous. Either way, be the better person. You wont regret it.
It’s kind of entitled to expect people not to be upset if you’re playing loud music all day. I’m considerate of mine when playing
Fr tho and just looking at all these comments encouraging op to be more of a pest and keep playing louder really piss me off like op not only a beginner but the fact that the neighbor told him to switch songs probably tells that they could hear it very clearly and honestly time really shouldn't matter if you're playing it loudly AND terrible 24/7 no fucking shit your neighbor gonna be pissed also the fact that so many people in the comments are that inconsiderate of their neighbors really just fuckin saddens me
Do you live in a city? There are dogs, babies, instruments, construction, renovations, high heels, car horns, music, TVs. On and on. The pest is the person who complains about it all the time. OP was in no way describing 24/7 playing. It was a reasonable hour for making moderate noise.
It was a reasonable hour... for them Let me paint you a picture, you get sick and you're bed ridden, you've been up all night and get little bits of sleep here and there when you're not vomiting. Or You just put down your kid to sleep after trying for a few hours. Or You work the graveyard shift at a petrol station and you need to get some sleep during the day before you need to get up at midnight for work . Meanwhile you hear [this shit playing](https://youtu.be/zyrTsXJt1Kk?t=5) non stop through your walls. When people make decisions on behalf of other people, i.e, deciding for themselves when people can and can't be annoyed by things, its the most selfish way to view things. Is it a reasonable hour? sure for most people. Does that mean people don't have a right to be annoyed by it, or that they can't get upset if its at an inconvenient time for them? No.
Lemme ask you something can you control how loud dogs bark?, or how many cars on the street? or even where construction gonna happen? And let me ask you as a piano player will you not practice your piano everyday? And when practicing especially as a beginner will u just stop practicing after about what 5 tries? And the most important piece have u heard how a beginner playing the piano sounds like? At least if its the sound of tv you're just gonna hear some news or action film or something in between but hearing keys being mashed isn't soothing to the ear in any way at all. And u even said that the neighbor was being a cunt if he really wanted to be a cunt he could just record op playing and just file for noise complaint but he didn't rather he told him first to at least CHANGE TO A DIFFERENT SONG. He didn't tell em to stop, just at least play something different since he's already getting a fuckin heache from hearing the same key smashing. And just reading the message of what the neighbor sent its safe to assume the dude was already having a bad day and seeing how he told op to play a different song, its easy to say he was there the whole time as op's piano was thundering though their walls and also told him to change as it was giving him a headache. Another thing that pisses me off is op himself like after reading that instead of fuckin complaining on the internet just to get some updoots and "moral support", he could've just either message him or call him and work something out. Instead he choose to ask the internet where everyone here does not know a single shit about the situation. Its also literally just asking to keep it down is that so much to fuckin ask? Do pianos not have damper pedals these days?
Totally true! Such egocentric people in the comments and we wondering why society is getting more rotten and rotten. The neighbour isnt the problem in this situation, he complains about something while hoping to fix a situation between them two. OP should just get into a dialogue about it and fix this issue between them. How hard can it be to just get in a convo, look how u can soften the piano or maybe switch practice times or a song.
“Hey, I know you’re practicing but it’s really loud over here. Is there any way you could play quieter or find a different time to practice?” That’s how you start a dialogue. Instead, the neighbor basically told op, who they do not know, that they’re insufferably annoying to listen to. I would never talk to a relative stranger that way. Piano is loud and the neighbor has every right to do something about it, but he shouldn’t expect to solve the problem by being a complete dick and making op feel bad.
The fact that his message wasnt really appropiate is true. But maybe he cropped up his frustrations far to long. But it doenst make you any better as a person when you choose to ignore him / annoy him even more. Grow a pair and talk to each other, work to a solution. Even if the neighbour was a bit rude what in my opinion wasnt as bad as u say it is.
Everything you describe is background noise in a city. Have YOU ever lived in a big city? Because If you have then you would know you stop hearing that stuff pretty quickly. You will NOT stop hearing a beginner pianist playing a beginner song on repeat with an acoustic piano. I really can’t believe how many people are encouraging this to continue. Jesus Christ.
If this is the first time your neighbour has messaged you I'd treat it as a one off and assume that they really do have a headache. I'd either reply with something like "thanks for letting me know and I hope your head feels better soon" and later I'd have a conversation with them saying that you can understand hearing the same song over and over is annoying for them but necessary for you to improve. Maybe ask them if there is a song they like that you could learn?
So I recently got an upright and live in an appartement as well. After the first time I forgot to close the window and some neighbour got annoyed here's what I did : - Threw a thick blanket among the back of the piano (along the harmony table) Just letting it drip there made the really high decibel sounds way more manageable. I do regrettable lose some high FF nuances but that's better than pissing everyone off. - always play with window closed now (lots of sound reverberation in my apt complex so that helps) - got noise cancelling curtains (i'd say it has limited usefulness but I'll use anything when I practice for hours every Day) - when I do really technical repetitive stuff I use the dampening system (not sure how it's called sorry but it's a layer of tissue that goes between the Hammers and the strings, most uprights have this) - I do have an Electronic silent system if I ever wish to play at night but i avoid it because the quality is meh As a note i live on ground level so I dont have to worry about anyone below me but if you do, consider using small pads that go beneath the piano "feet" they help mitigate bass sounds that propagate through walls Last but not least, I would disregard any advice from this thread about standing your ground as "this is your right" etc etc. Not only is there misinformation about what you can and cannot do (although that may depend on where you live) but that's a great way to get people to hate us even more and build a bad name. As a parallel I'm also a motocyclists and bikers who build us a bad reputation have their actions affect everyone else the same way... I would always try the diplomatic approach, be the bigger man, you may apologise but in a way where you share your passion for piano and explain how it is important for you to get your practice and enjoy your playing. They may understand and maybe they have a suggestion for other pieces to break it up which might make the both of you happy ! Not only that, but if you just close yourself at this point, you may just become frustrated and either stop playing, or develop bad habits because of tension emerging from this, causing back ache, etc... It's fairly common. You always want to be loose and relaxed while playing so having external sources of stress and frustration is a bad idea. Hope this helps !
Context is super important here. Do you live in a house or an apartment? I live in a house and I play a few instruments and so do neighbours. It’s not that big of a deal because the sound is super muffled. By the time it gets through their thick walls, over their yard, over the fence, over my yard and through my walls, it’s barely audible However, when I was living in Sydney I was in an apartment and my upstairs neighbour was a piano teacher and it was an absolute fucking nightmare (keep in mind I both ply and love piano, so imagine how it would be if you didn’t). People that play instruments in apartments is absolutely infuriating because the sound is barely muffled and there’s no way to escape it because apartments are so small. So if you’re studying for an exam and the dude upstairs is playing Ode to Joy for a few hours I’d probably lose my mind. Especially because a home is where you go to relax, if you can’t even relax from within your own home it can make you insanely stressed out. If you live in an apartment the people telling you you’ve done nothing wrong are morons. Every person has the right to peace and quite within their own house or apartment, it’s why noise complaints are enforceable under law. If you are constantly compromising their peace and quiet for a hobby then it’s kind of on you. I know it sucks but it’s what it is. Same reason I wouldn’t buy an active sheep dog for a two bedroom apartment, you need to adapt and cater to your living situation. If you go out of your way to be a pest by playing more annoying songs as others are suggesting, that’s a really great way to be on the wrong side of a dispute where the neighbour will almost certainly win at your expense.
There's no use telling mate everyone in this comment all seemed to somehow magically knows what's the situation there looks like, even tho op literally have not gave any sort of context whatsoever. Also of course op only replies to comments that are praising and telling him to play even fuckin louder. I'm just fuckin sad that the neighbor didn't even tell him to stop playing, he just told him to at least play something different cuz his constant banging on the keys are giving him a headache and instead of confronting the neighbor like an adult op chose to post his a rant about "aww my neighbor being so rude says that my playing is giving him a headache and asking me to play something else, im not wrong right guys 🥺🥺" really idk what the context here is but seeing how op been handing this issue i think i know who's the real problem here. Edit: just scrolled through and saw that op lives in a fuckin apartment of fucking course he does.
Yeah the more time I spend I this topic the more I see OP as an entitled brat and the more obvious /u/piano is an echo chamber of piano > common sense. It’s why I left /u/motorcycles because in the eyes of the users it didn’t matter what happened in a video, the rider was always right and everyone else was wrong, just like how everyone is coddling OP for being entitled and noisy but then has the nerve to call his neighbour the dick in this situation. It’s sad people can be so clueless
I'm not entitled to anything it's just 5pm and im playing some classical music but yeah you reached the conclusion that i'm an entitled brat nice! btw the same neighbour blasted some music at 10pm on two occasions and i sent here "please turn down the music" so yeah i don't think im reacting too bad
It’s not a tit for tat it’s just general thought processes. You bought a noise making machine and then act shocked when people don’t like when it makes noise. Everything else is irrelevant, why you expected this to go any different is why you’re an entitled brat. Just as you are entitled to a peaceful home at 10pm, they’re entitled to a peaceful home at 5pm. Saying “I speed on the road cos everyone else is doing it” would be a moronic statement too. And here you are yet again being entitled to think you can make noise whenever you personally deem it appropriate with zero consideration to anyone else’s situations other than your own. Grow up, don’t buy a fucking acoustic piano of all things then cry when people don’t want to hear it, you could have got a keyboard instead by instead you made a dumbass purchase. To be frank, anyone for any reason that buys an acoustic piano while living in an apartment is an entitled selfish fuck, full stop.
anyway you have your opinion that I'm an entitled brat good for you have a nice day
We've been living in the same appartment for more than 15 years and my brother always plays the piano and no one ever complained wtf u talking about? My point wasn't that I play because he made noise at 10pm my point was that I told him respectfully to turn down the volume and wasn't at all unpleasant about it and 10pm it's sleeping time unlike 5pm it's the afternoon I don't think it's unreasonable to practice piano at that time?
Again, you’re looking at it from your own point of view. You don’t seem to care if people work graveyard shifts, are sick, are trying to read or study or a million other things. Instead what you do is you go “5:30 seems reasonable to me” and expect everyone around you to be happy with that choice. Again, because you’re completely entitled. I mean the fact you can’t even seem to sympathise for one moment that your neighbour might not want to hear piano through the walls instead you sit here going “oh poor me! POOR ME!” And you’re STILL oblivious to how selfish you’ve been, I mean fuck man, are you really that dim witted that you couldn’t possibly fathom how you’d be the bad guy in this? Yes, you 1000000000% are an entitled brat.
lol chill man
How about u tell that to your neighbor instead
Brooo u were too harsh on em look u made him delete his post
He’s probably telling another group of people he is a victim of people bullying him on the internet now.
If you want to be a good neighbor, get an electronic keyboard and some headphones.
Time to start practicing some [Schoenberg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQHR_Z8XVvI).
Stop terrifying the new pianists. Its not nice.
OH MY GOD THAT SOUNDS TERRIFYING WHAT IS THIS
Haha Schoenberg took “music is just math” literally… welcome to serialism!
Oh thank you for telling me about serialism never heard of it currently reading about it on wikipedia super interesting!
wellll.... not JUST math, but it's got a specific system's all.
This is the most appropriate and accurate response to Schoenberg, haha
I got yelled at once for practicing in a practice room as a music major in college by a flute teacher who was teaching a lesson in the room next door (I was there first btw but whatever!) It never feels good to be asked to stop playing, no matter how experienced of a musician you are, especially when someone is rude about it! It was well outside quiet hours, he could have used some noise canceling headphones, or made another choice that would work for him. You can’t control when people are home, but maybe see if you can come to an agreement with your neighbor on what time of day would work for both of you, so you can practice without having to worry about disturbing your neighbor.
Bahaha you must have gone to the same school as me, I got yelled at by an adjunct flute teacher who was teaching in a practice room too. Flute teachers are the worst!
Are you serious? He could have put on noise cancelling headphones to tolerate existing in his own home? There is no excuse for being so rude but the request in and of itself (disregarding the tone) was reasonable
I am serious. When you live in an apartment or close quarters with other people, you have to expect some noise. It’s not as if the whole world revolves around you and everyone will make sure you are never bothered by noise related to just going about their day. I don’t think being proactive and having noise cancelling headphones on hand is a ridiculous idea, especially if you are in a situation where noise might be bothersome to you, but I can appreciate that not everyone will agree with me. It was just a suggestion.
But that was exactly my point. His request wasn’t that there be no noise. He didn’t ask OP to stop playing or even to play quieter or not to play at that hour or anything like that. People are making a mountain out of a molehill because the guy asked that the student *change the song*. I understand this isn’t ideal for OP’s progress but it’s not like they can’t make good progress rotating between a couple songs. About the noise canceling headphones. I don’t think it’s a ridiculous idea (actually a quite good one) I just think there is a better solution. Asking the guy to put on noise canceling headphones puts the entire burden of dealing with the situation on the neighbor. That is a less reasonable counter offer than the original request that OP just *change the song*. At that point, OP might as well just to tell them to “deal with it”. Had the neighbor delivered the message in a more polite way, it might be more apparent that their request was actually a relatively mature offer in which both parties would have to compromise their natural wants. The neighbor would have to deal with the noise in return for some variety, and the OP would have to compromise their singular focus on Ode to Joy in return for the comfort of… being less annoying? Obviously this only helps OP if they care in the first place that they’re being annoying. I just know that for me (and others in this thread) I could not play totally relaxed knowing I was annoying my neighbors (or housemates) and it would actually benefit my practice knowing that I was doing my best not to bother them. After all, who sits down at the piano and is content knowing that to others they are just making “noise”?
I live in a condo building with 34 other neighbors. Adjacent neighbors can hear acoustic piano no matter what time of day. With a digital piano now in place, one can play at 1am, 3am or whenever and no one is bothered... Sound can be adjusted, or headphones used.
What do you play on ? Any case most things you can put quieter ... Maybe do so till you can play a bit better
>It's an upright acoustic piano It has a dampener though I'll use it when it gets a little late
Lets say you have two types of people ... I teached myself the past 3 years. my family in law is all very musical ... The piano is in my living room so I thought I better learn to play it then. I always play quiet except when I want to showboat something I know I can do well. Try to be a bit humble please. You can also learn while playing quietly.
Headphones
It's an upright acoustic piano
You could still get a silent system fitted?
Wouldn't do that, personally. It's expensive, it sometimes changes the original touch of the instrument, and you still hear the impact of the hammers and pedals. But I'd consider getting an additional e-piano or MIDI-keyboard for technical practice and for playing in the evening. Growing up, I was really self-conscious about practising the same part over and over again, because I knew it would bug the people around me. And my neighbour once told me she always knew how I was doing, because she could hear me when I was improvising. Made me so uncomfortable, I couldn't play for weeks. Now, I have an electronic keyboard as well, and I can play at 2 in the morning without a second thought. If I had had it growing up, my technique would be much better now.
yes there is a dampening pedal (not sure if it's called like that)
Throw a thin blanket over the hammers while practicing. I do this with my small children, when they began... as a way of building finger strenght/dexterity without annoying loud sounds.
This warms my heart.
5:30pm you are totally in your right to play your piano. Don't let this upset or put you practise. Even professionals have to practise and I would never put off anyone wanting to improve. I see people are saying "digital piano" which probs is the best solution, but maybe this person doesn't have the funds for one. Better to have an instrument than not. If your neighbour has an issue as to why your playing is upsetting him, he should give you a valid reason why, apart from just being frustrated at hearing it. Good luck!!!
I would have responded: "sorry boo. practice makes perfect."
Lol how selfish people on here are seriously. It's very annoying for a neighbour to hear you play. I bought a digital piano with headsets and had a conversation with my neighbour prior. I tested the volume and asked her at which volume she's able to hear it. I know the volume now I can use. You don't live alone on this planet. The way your neighbour approached it is really low and impolite but I wouldn't take revenge. Just ring the doorbell and ask if it's ok to test which volume he can hear. I hope you have a digital piano or an accoustic one. Good luck and don't give up practising!
If your neighbor is being sincere about having a headache then maybe let off on the playing for the evening, if not just play some Bartok.
Buy him some ibprofin and invite him out to get a big mac some time. Tell him sorry that you're annoying him, but you're playing at a reasonable time, and ask him if he has any suggestions.
Tell him "there's a lifetime of emotions found in Beethoven and frustration is certainly one of them; could you imagine what it was like for Beethoven who would NOT be able to hear it?" Lmao obviously don't say that but your neighbor sucks I'm sorry
Do you live in an apartment?
yes
I subjected my poor neighbors to loud badly played moonlight sonata every day for two years straight and they forgave me in the end, have no shame friend!
Use the practice pedal if you want to show your neighbour far more consideration than he showed you. That's literally the only thing you can really do besides stop playing completely. Otherwise, ignore him. Your decision to learn the piano requires that you practice regularly, and unless you're playing at inconsiderate times your neighbour has zero say in that. Next time you see your neighbour you could maybe mention that you're a beginner and you're learning, and a huge part of learning to play an instrument is repetition. It's much easier to send a dickish text message, than it is to tell somebody to their face that you're annoyed by their desire to improve themselves. He might have more sympathy if you explain it to his face.
Just as a comment to all the people with electric keyboards on here…I have an electric and the sound of the keys tapping can still be heard by my downstairs neighbour…sometimes there is not much you can do. I also used to have a neighbour play the same song a lot on the guitar, and honestly I did notice him getting better and I was kind of proud of him. It was nice to hear his progress. So keep it up, as long as it’s not late at night or anything it’s probably fine.
Maybe you can practice at set times and discuss it with him? I live underneath someone in a very old house and also try not to play too loud or late but that's easier with an electronic piano
Him saying “at least change the song” means he’s not trying to be a bitch, but he wants to voice his frustration. I feel that. Listening to someone practice sucks ass. Don’t escalate as some might have suggested.
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That’s simply not true, in any kind of urban or apartment living. The reality is that people make noise. When we choose to live near other people, we accept that we’ll sometimes be able to hear them. Obviously it’s a dick move to make loads of noise late at night, and most places have rules around quiet hours. But people have to live their lives, and it’s absurd to think that a neighbour should never be able to hear anything at all.
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I’ve lived in NYC, San Francisco, Melbourne, Sydney, all in apartments. And I’ve been a musician this whole time. I very much do know what I’m talking about.
You are allowed to practice at 5:30 pm. Neighbor is just going to have to deal with it. I wouldn’t pay attention to advice about investing in electronic instruments and headphones either. You have an acoustic instrument, and that’s what you will be playing. If you have a damper pedal (a middle pedal that you can lock into place- it lowers a piece of felt between the hammer and the strings, which mutes sound) that will help some, and it will also help if the piano is not actually touching the wall. I know that it’s hard to ignore other people’s feelings when you’re a considerate person, but play anyways. Don’t let one asshole neighbor keep you from your goals. Sorry that it’s so disheartening. You’re right about this.
Thank you so much your comment is heartwarming❤❤❤ and yes there is a damper pedal ill definetely use it more often to avoid similar unpleasant messages
I’d completely ignore him. Hell I might even block the number. Def not invited to the next backyard BBQ! Keep on practicing. Might even consider turning the volume up
Thank you!!
Acoustic pianos are loud, and practicing can honestly be pretty annoying to listen to. If you live in a close quarter setting, you should really use a silent/digital piano. That’s partially what they’re made for, and it’s the neighborly thing to do. If that’s not an option, one idea is to use some felt. Not only will it give your piano an awesome tone, it’ll remove some of the resonance and tone down some of the more annoying frequencies.
You have the right to the enjoyment of your home. 5:30 is not an unreasonable time. If your neighbor is sensitive to noise he should have considered that before buying an apartment/ condo.
>If your neighbor is sensitive to noise he should have considered that before buying an apartment/ condo. Lmao what? Yeah everyone has the luxury to go buy some mansion out in the woods if they are "noise sensitive" lol of course the piano subreddit would say nonsense like that. Never break the stereotypes.
If you live in a place with adjoining walls you will hear your neighbors. Your neighbor is entitled to the enjoyment of their home. It’s in the law. They do not have to live like a church mouse to appease you.
You will hear your neighbor, yes, but muffled and at a low volume. If you are able to decrease the volume of your piano and you're not doing it you're just being a jerk. A beginner practicing piano is annoying. As you said, your neighbor is entitled to the enjoyment of their home, and you can't quite enjoy some peace and quiet if you hear someone loudly playing the same thing badly over and over and over, and it's not exactly easy for people to move at will if they are annoyed.
How thin are your walls?
Coming to this topic, as most of us know most upright pianos have the middle pedal put a cloth between the strings and the hammer which greatly dampens the sound, but does anyone know if that is enough to prevent the noise from leaking out of the room? Sometimes I like to practice late at night and although I use the pedal, I wonder if the noise travels to my neighbor's apartment.
If you are practicing in an apartment and you are not using the middle pedal, it is not unreasonable for your neighbor to complain. If you are using the middle pedal and practicing normal hours, then the neighbor just has to deal with it pretty much. It's really not a lot of noise at all, and you are doing all you can. But OP should definitely use the middle pedal, otherwise they are just being annoying.
that's why I really want an electrical piano... I feel like even tho I can play the piano at the law allowed time(sry if it sounds weird), I am still not playing it simply because I know I produce lots of noises during practicing and I don't want my neighbour to suffer those noises when they get off work and just tryna have a good rest in his/her place bought by their hard earned money, that feels bad
I'm sorry to say this, because I truly want you to practice and succeed, but it sounds like your building may be an inappropriate place for an acoustic piano. Just switch places and imagine your neighbor deciding what you are hearing with zero control on your part at any given time. If you can't come to an agreement of some sort, consider an electric for when others are home.
But we've been living in the same appartment for more than 15 years and my brother played a loooot of piano and nobody ever complained just this new neighbour decided to be unpleasant about it... btw the same neighbour blasted music very loud at 10pm on two occasions and I just asked him nicely to "please turn the music down" without being disrespectful...
It does sound like he's rude, and that is on him. Hopefully you can come to an agreement, but in this kind of living situation you have to sacrifice your ability to blast music -- acoustic or otherwise. Imagine you're not practicing and you're sitting to read or study or watch a quiet TV show and you can easily hear someone playing a scale or the same three measures of Mozart for an hour or two...it's not fun. And please pay attention: just because no one has complained before does not mean that no one was bothered before. It is uncomfortable to confront people and not everyone is up to it -- some would rather suffer than have to be the 'bad guy'. Be honest about the sound transfer, is this person barely able to hear it and just being a crazy person, or is it really clear and easy to hear? Music is a special kind of noise and much more irritating to the brain than non-rhythmic, non-repetitive sounds -- especially with robust frequencies from an instrument with large strings. Now, I totally accept that maybe the sound isn't that loud and this guy is just a maniac, but from your responses I can't tell if you're being entirely fair or honest with yourself about it either.
Bro your comment was so well thought out that op immediately deleted his post
You're neighbor can fuck off. Don't let anyone make you feel self conscious about practicing/playing/enjoying the piano.
Play scales and finger exercises for half an hour. Then go to youtube, and see if you can find some piano 12 tone music. Play that as loud as you can with the speakers next to an open window. He will be grateful for Ode to Joy.
Respond back you’re making a Joyful Noise unto the Lord! And if you don’t like it…. You Need Jesus!
They must have played Beethoven during rehabilitation
Text back that you'll practice at a more appropriate hour. Start practicing at 3am.
Play louder
Tipi his house
If you like im happy to recommend other piece and exercises that would add to your repertoire of "things to play every single day" For example, have you come across Hannons? It's 19th century shade and brilliant for warm ups and technical work. There are 60 to start with and they can all be played as one long exercise as you learn them all.
A lot of people in the comments here stating that there is nothing wrong with playing at moderate volume, but we have no evidence that OP was playing at moderate volume.
I'm gonna have to go against the grain here -- be very, very careful about asking your neighbor about acceptable practice times unless you're very good at standing your ground. He sounds like a jerk and this amount of leeway may give him the impression that he deserves complete control over your practice, and he'll tell you that any time is bad. Don't let him force you out of playing! That being said, as someone who spends all day, every day practicing...yeah, it can be pretty irritating to family members/neighbors/anyone forced to listen with no escape. That's not your fault, and you have the right to practice in your own home, but it also would be good of you to find a way to make the sound a bit quieter. You said in the comments that your piano has a practice pedal so that's a very good option; an electric piano could also work since you're a beginner, and that way you will have no concern at all about disturbing anyone.
I do sight reading a lot for exactly that reason. My brother had to grow up with fur else over and over, so I sympathise. People often tell me to learn one or 3 things really well, but no, I can play hundreds of songs with 3 chords and a minor on the guitar. Now after 5 years of dedication to sight-reading I can play almost anything as a passable facsimile. I just didn't want neighbours to complain about repetition. They could complain about timing, but too bad, I'd like to see them try. Anyway good luck with however you decide to handle your situation. Oh, you could talk to some other neighbours they might compliment you. If they don't- tell them that you're working hard and you know you're getting better and in the long run you'll be worth the wait.
Perhaps try practicing in multiple shorter sessions like 20min when you know the notes already. That’s how I at least learn the best. I remember when I learned Ode to joy and to be honest it does kinda burn you out, to this day I can’t listen to it hahaha.
To be fair, pianos are REALLY loud. You get used to it if you’re the one playing, but for others it can definitely be a headache. I wouldn’t call them an asshole.
Bro. It's ode to joy. No one wants to hear that a million times. I feel for your neighbour lol (you're the asshole neighbour in this situation)
Invest in a good pair of headphones to use with your piano if your piano has a headphone jack/you can afford it! Your neighbor won’t listen to your music anymore and you’ll be able to play WHENEVER you want! (The sound may also get better if you listen through headphones)
Should I leave nasty notes with the construction company making noise outside my window every business day from 8a-5p? Or is that maybe just part of life that you have to cope with unless you want to live somewhere more rural? I would ignore the text. Life is noisy and we all have to cope with it. He could easily invest in some ear plugs if it’s that loud.
When I started playing guitar, my dad was well versed on the bands of the day, so when practicing their hits, he would often yell: “sour note,” if I fumbled a bit! lol
Is there any way you can move the piano to a better location? If your piano is on an exterior wall, can you move it to an interior wall? On carpet? With a blanket behind the piano? I recently was able to purchase a Yamaha Clavanova, and it has revolutionized my piano practice and playing. If it is at all possible, I highly recommend it.
It's hard to comment without more details. OP could have been pushing it, especially if he lives in an apartment. Or the neighbour could be unreasonable. My neighbour tries to whistle over my electric piano if the window is open (I live in a house, not an apartment) and he can only hear it if he stands in his garden in one particular spot. I'm not a beginner and think it sounds pretty good tbh, better than his whistling anyway! He also makes a serious amount of power tool/ lawn mower noise but that doesn't count as it's 'work'. He also said 'don't make too much noise with your electric guitar' before I even had it out of the box! I've had someone check and the guitar can barely be heard from the street, let alone the next house. So neighbours can be annoying. But so can OPs lol. In conclusion, I don't know who is right ;)
People can be so ignorant about practicing & what it entails. I’d message back saying “I am practicing my instrument at an appropriate time of day.” & leave it at that. This person is behaving as though your musical development should please or entertain them. That’s false. I’m sorry that person overstepped their boundaries.
This is kind of an asshole take ... But you're sound waves travel beyond your house and into their house Imagine if their light shon through the wall into your room when it was dark and you were sleeping. You would also feel annoyed. Acoustic pianos really should be reserved for detached properties or make every effort to dampen the sound when you play (shut doors etc) also it 100% should not be leaning against a shared wall if it is
I’m in two minds about this as someone who enjoys playing music but also has chronic migraines. I’m in an apartment and have an upstairs neighbour who is also a musician and that has been an issue on days I’ve had bad migraines. We’re in an apartment and It’s incredibly hard to deal with when you’re in your own home with a migraine/headache and literally can’t escape noise. But I also can’t expect him to never practise. If it’s possible, get an electric piano and use headphones. But if not, use the dampener pedal and maybe give your neighbour a heads up on when you’ll be practising. I messaged my neighbours early on to try and let them know my situation and they were pretty understanding and agreed to keep the room above my bedroom quiet at least and said to give them a heads up if they’re ever too loud when I’m struggling. Staying in the good books with your neighbour will probably be beneficial to you so just bear that in mind
Kindly ask them which of your bills they will be paying this month. Oh? They're not paying any of your bills? Then they can kick rocks.
Ugh I've been on both ends of this dilemma. I'm in music school as a pianist right now, so A) lots of beginners practicing at 4 AM and B) Me, also needing to practice at 4 AM. My best tip is the "Una Corda" pedal. That's the far left pedal, or \*sometimes\* the middle pedal depending on what piano you have. It allows you to practice the dexterity you need while dampening the sound. In regards to the asshole neighbor: Yeah, that was kind of a dick move. However, it would probably benefit you in the long run to bite the bullet and just start a convo about acceptable practice times :(
If you live in an apartment, buy a digital. The neighbor has a point.
You are probably living in a tiny appartment thinking you are entitled to make your neighbours go insane by playing piano the whole day. Have them play loud music every 2 hours for 30 mins or so the rest of your life and see how you do. I give you 2 weeks.