Don't You Hate Bad Neighbors?

Off-Topic
#1

i found out tonight that everyone in my building has been talking about me behind my back. apparently they don’t like when i work on music late at night when people are trying to sleep…

i understand that, and i try to keep it at a reasonable level, but as you all know there is still a required level you have to have it at if you want to do things like mixing properly.

i would LOVE it if people would let me know if i’m bothering them. knock on my door, give me a ring, whatever. i just want to find a good volume that i can get used to that works for me but doesn’t disrupt others. i have no problem with turning it down if you politely ask me to…but why do people have to write nasty letters to the board of directors before even speaking to me?

right now i feel like an outcast in my own home…

anyways, just had to rant a bit. how about you guys? you ever run into situations where the sense of community between you and your neighbors was absolute shit? where your neighbors would rather stir up a whole bunch of trouble rather than have a simple conversation with the person they share their walls with?

#2

All the time. I think some people enjoy gossip mode more than non-threatening, comfortable confrontation mode. Some analysts have stated that language grew out of gossip, though probably more in a survival instinct fashion, like, “don’t trust that sabertooth, it’ll eat you alive”.

I’ve had some of the WORST neighbors ever. One of them tried to set me up with some shady characters. The list is long w/ these horribly collected as memory neighbors but to mention a few, items stolen and/or destroyed, life threatened, violent physical confrontations, etc. I stay home most of the time and avoid physical people in general as some of them seek some kind of stimulus to balance their insecurities, chemical imbalance, and ‘insert modern fucked up human mental ailment’.

As far as mixing in a not so mix friendly environment, yeah, I hear ya. I live near traffic, bar, liquor store, electrical grid, railway (though I never hear the trains) and rental hall for whoever the hell wants to indulge in group illegal activities. Riots have broken out from this rental hall. And I have to be concerned with the four seasons, Loud AC during summertime. One of the good things about this environment, is that the landscape is elevated, better conditions for air. I compose with headphones most of the time, mix with monitors at low-levels night, and when I can, mix with monitors at a comfortable level when no-ones around. I’m still in the process of building a nomadic studio rig, though I’m tempted to pay a local engineer to mix my work.

Edit: If your recording vocals and crazy enough, replicate a vocal booth that just fits your head. The initial thought gave me a good laugh as the singer would look like a box head.
Edit: On the subject of your neighbors going to the board of directors. There’s nothing wrong with you taking the initiative to explain your side and letting them understand that twas not your intentions to annoy them and you’ve made or we’re ready to make adjustments. An understanding can be built as well as future friendly interactions.
Edit: Usually, if I have to apologize, I offer cake. And while they’re enjoying cake, I kick them right on the gonads and yell, “how’s your fuckin cake now, taste good doesn’t it”. Just kidding, Don’t do that.
Edit: On the subject of headphones. Rest your ears more often than mixing with monitors. At least in theory, the vibrations going straight to your ears can be more damaging than monitors to your ears.

#3

My neighbors asked if I still live here because in my apartment it’s so silent. :D And i was worried if they are annoyed because of my music. One neighbor told me she will write a complaint on me 'cause when it’s raining the water falls down on her subsill and that noise won’t let her sleep… But nothing about my music :P

#4

Headphones!!!

Other than that, I haven’t had a complaint yet… I’ve been living in this
appartment for almost a year now and I can imagine people are starting
to get annoyed. However, it’s hard to tell where any noise on the block
is coming from, so unless they catch me dancing like a nut in front of
my Mac, they’ll NEVER know. That, and headphones for the nighttimes.
But mostly as to not wake up my girlfriend, because we share an
appartment, not a taste in music.

#5

…in this case the bad neighbour is you. It is your responsability not to disturb people at night when you ought to respect peace and quiet. For someone to come out of their rooms at night, to dress and go and knock on your door because you don’t have the decency to use headphones, is expecting too much. I really dislike those people who seem to lack to ability to put themselves in someone else’s shoes, and act selfish accordingly. Buy good headphones, and don’t play your music at night anymore! Especially at night, sound carries a long way, remember that…

#6

Heard of headphones? :walkman:

#7

you treat me like i just don’t give a fuck, which pisses me off just the way they pissed me off tonight. this is not the case at all. i am a very respectful guy and i always look out for other people. i don’t expect them to come by late at night and complain, all i would expect is let me know, if this is something that has been going on for a while. let me know the next day “hey it was a little loud last night”.

i put myself in their shoes, that’s why i felt bad when i heard about it. the problem is that they don’t put themselves in my shoes. my shoes being those of a guy who is a student at a music production school. a guy who has been spending 14 hours a day working on final projects for school, mainly mixing projects. i spent all weekend working on this stuff, i worked during the day, but it did carry over to the night. now i know you guys mention headphones which makes sense, and i do use headphones quite often, BUT YOU CAN NOT MIX PROPERLY IN HEADPHONES!!!

i had to get this work done, and i had to work at a volume that was adequate for hearing all the nuances of the music, and, to my knowledge, that volume wasn’t bothering anyone. that’s the problem, how am i supposed to know if no one tells me? if you could blast your music at night and not have it bother anyone, would you? sure, why not? i have been living in my place for a year working on my music all the time at this level and no one has ever said anything.

my point is not that they are bad neighbors for having a problem with it, i would too, and i will make sure to apologize to them. but my point was that why can’t people just simply speak to one another anymore, be REAL neighbors? if this was really a problem for them it could have been resolved a long time ago simply rather than letting it build up all this time into these harsh vibes going around the building (cause people talk ya know?)

#8

…i know i was harsh there, but this issue bugs me to no end. I will not play loud music at night, even if my neighbours wouldn’t be bothered by it, but that’s just me. I agree with you that a year without saying something is too long. I’d have been on your case much sooner ^_^

…i had an upstairs neighbour who pulled late shifts and just had to do chores around the house after 12 o’clock. My building is so noisy that this caused me to wake up, or prevent me falling asleep, which is especially annoying if you have to get up at 5:30 AM. Anyway, one time she was still at it at 2 AM and i shouted [typically] ‘Come on, it’s 2 AM!!’ She got upset with me, but did stop, thankfully. Point being, people need to be more aware of their surroundings and how they influence [negatively] those surroundings by their actions. That won’t happen ofcourse, but nevertheless, that’s my opinion…

#9

Could always put a sign on your door “Please let me know if my music is too loud! Thanks =D”

#10

Its not others responsibility to tell you to not disturb, its ones own responsibility to not disturb and to make sure that one does not disturb.

#11

Ah, the “neighbor complex” problem :slight_smile:

I’m the lucky owner of a small PA setup with 4x15" bass and mid/treble speakers, and about to upgrade to 18" subs as well. So I’ve gone to great lengths to avoid any immediate neighbors. I mean, I would hate to be the one responsible for a couple’s lack of sleep due to their child keeping them awake b’coz I was hammering beats away all night. The studio is set up in a basement below a shop which closes around 19:00, sets me back a lot of cash each month, but I think it’s worth it. Sometimes, people in the street wonder what the hell is going on, and sometimes they even pop in to check out the music, which is pretty awesome.

#12

Come live in regional Australia. Nice big open spaces, rent is cheap, people are well spaced apart. I can make a loud racket from 9am to 9pm every day if I wanted and it wouldn’t disturb anyone. Not that you need it THAT loud.

Look after your ears boys.

#13

Me too :slight_smile:

#14

i agree that sounds like bliss.

#15

do you think he has bunk beds? cause that would be splendid…

#16

even tho i live in a house with 8 flats crammed in the walls are so thick that i can play dubstep at top volume until 7am every time i have a party and mix tracks whenever with no fear - no one has complained yet and we’ve been here a year now - mind you - i live in the red light district and the night time air is rent with the screams of pimps and ho’s on the crack so you’ve gotta be pretty tolerant to live here anyway

#17

My two neighbours are both very old. Their hearing is not as good as it used to be…

No problems here ^.^

#18

it’s prety much compuslary at the workplace… i hear people talk about people who aren’t there on the same shift. and im sure people talk about me when I’m not there, doesn’t really bother me - just proves people don’t have the balls to say it direct to the person in question.

and the never ending pointless speculation (just for their own entertainment) that goes on i.e “Im bet you it’s X who uses the same spoon for sugar pouring and stiring and messes up the spoon with hard dry sugar”

#19

I’ll let you know when my GF is away on a conference somewhere so we can have a geek-week or something :P

#20

Mark’s studio is da bomb. Hanging out with Mark is da bomb. The roos, bush and wide open spaces around Mark’s town (city?) are da bomb.

three cheers!