I live in a detached home on a fairly wide property, so I’ve never had problems worrying about the noise that I make. I am thinking about moving into a townhouse this summer to get rid of the maintenance issues of a detached home.
However, my biggest concern is that I occasionally like listening to loud music, and I also write a bit of music. Over the years I’ve learned that music that’s too loud really has consequences, so I keep things under control. But once in a while I still like to feel the bass so to speak, and I really do mean feel it.
How do people that live in a downtown / urban location (like a condo building or townhouse) deal with the sound issues? I’m not enough of a jerk to just not worry about it. In fact, I’m probably a little bit overly paranoid, so even if I wasn’t bothering anyone, I’d still be worried that I was. So I’m curious to know how other folks deal with this? How “soundproof” can you make a condo unit? I’m also thinking of my home theatre which also tends to get pushed to “11” once in a while.
Maybe I’m really meant to be in a detached home. Just curious about other folks experiences.
My next door neighbor hates me. No, seriously, “she absolutely hates me.” I can not count the number of times this woman has banged on my door and screamed at me.
I’m not being that loud.
You will just have to trust me on that.
So… I suggest, “full sound proofing.” I rent here, and its against my least to sound proof, and put stuff in the walls. Down the road, when I am ready to buy a home/townhome or whatever… I will go full out sound proofing…
If you are renting, you’ve got trouble. If your buying, you’ve got options.
Well, on a criminally minded level, “luxurious” noise can attract opportunistic people.
As in you have equipment that can be stolen and sold in the black market.
I also see these types of M.O. in sites like Craigslist, some folks posing as musicians but in reality, fishing for info in what you’ve got.
With that said, if you don’t end up going all out soundproofing your space, it doesn’t hurt to have some dialouge with your neighbors.
Sleeping hours and related subjects on loudness. Condo construction, types of material, etc.
I’m guessing, if you do go for it… it will either be a room within a room, or something like vinyl everywhere,
which might not be ok with building codes. Fire hazards, etc.
I also write a bit of music, however, I try to do most of the execution in my head.
So when the opportunity comes to be loud, it doesn’t sound like I’m still trying to figure things out.
Its just a matter of BING BANG ZIP ZIP WUBWUB sad piano ZANG ZANG ZANG.
I live in a condo, but it’s a corner unit and only one wall is adjacent to another unit plus its not in the room where I listen and practice music (bass and production). I’ve never got any complaint so far even if I’m playing loud music regardless of the time of day. I’m lucky I guess.
Thanks everyone for the thoughts. I’ve been doing a bit of reading, and it seems like it’s actually quite difficult (nearly impossible) to really soundproof against lower frequencies. At least without some serious budget stuff. (Modifications to the structure, room with a room, heavy construction).
I’m suprised that on this forum there were only a handful of replies though. This is like a MAJOR concern for me, wherever I move. On a forum full of people that make music, you’d think there would be more people that have bumped into this. Maybe most people just don’t feel the need to turn up the music.
However, even having said that, when writing music don’t you want to be able to hear the bass to get it right? Also, this is a very electronic leading forum. If you go into the songs section, I’d say at least 20% of the songs there include the phrase “core” in the description. (breakcore, noisecore, ambientcore, corecore). You’d think I’m not the only one bumping into this! =)
There’s not all that much to say because there’s only so much you can do. It’s like asking, “how can I be loud without other people hearing me?” - you can’t.
At the end of the day, it’s easier to deal with these problems with electronic music than acoustic instruments. You can be writing a track with loud distorted synths and drums and be monitoring it at reasonable levels. you can use headphones and nobody will bother you. Also, it doesn’t hurt to be a good citizen, how would you like it if someone was blasting justin bieber songs at 1am? Well, your music might sound shittier to your neighbors than justin bieber sounds to you.
It’s generally better to mix at moderate levels anyway because you don’t want to get into the non-linear regimes of human hearing.
You know, I’d really like to come back with a witty retort against that… but it just so happens to be exactly what I’m asking for I guess!
Honestly, until I started reseraching soundproofing earlier this week, I just assumed with a little work it could be done. Triple up some insulation, get some foam going somewhere. But in reality, it’s a lot of work to create a soundproof environment. Having never lived (not since being a kid) in a shared environment, like a busy condo building, I don’t think I can give up that privacy easily. I just don’t want to have to deal with neighbours complaining every time I want to play xbox at 2am or something.
I assumed with so many people packed into such small spaces there must be a radical solution. Clearly someone will get on the science of that soon, but not soon enough for me! =)
Don’t move! Got an official noise-complaint within the first week of moving to this appartment - get 2 and you’re out. Then the guy upstairs threatened me with a knife and to this day still bitches about my “shit music” because ZZ-top is THE BAND OF LORE. It really cripples me when not being able to jam in the middle of the night when you’re all REM’y and inspired. So +1 for staying where you are; fuck the maintenance issue.
What vV said. If you want to live in the city, get used to cans. Get used to hiding your noise and putting up with everyone else’s, it just goes with the territory.
No, it’s not the same, but once you make your bed you’ll have to lay in it eventually.
Cans= headphones, full over the ear studio phones reminded whoever came up with the expression of a pair of cans on the ears…
“Lay in the bed you made” and similar are expressions regarding seeing a plan to its end, whether one likes the result or not. There are tradeoffs when choosing to live in the city or the countryside, I considered the expression “You can’t have your cake and eat it too.”
It is up to the OP to decide if living in the city is better or not. I miss being able to walk to go shopping, for example, but my wife and I own our home, we can have as many pets (or children) as we can afford, we can light fires in our yard, grow any plants or vegetables we want, and be almost as noisy as we want, regardless of time of day. If we need something obscure, we order on the internet and have it delivered. I am a telephone operator who represents a retail website.
I apologize for using difficult language sometimes.
Thanks everyone for the feedback, it really is helpful.
I think I was dreaming when I thought I could move to a townhouse and make noise with total impunity like I do right now. In fact, I was making music at 1am on Friday night with my brother, and it really got me thinking. More convenience and less maintenance is a major big deal, but so is giving up freedom/privacy.
It’s an interesting discussion, that I’m sure a lot of musicians must consider at some point. I’m surprised that this hasn’t come up more on the forum, but perhaps I’m just the only jerk that likes to rattle the windows once in a while. Never grew out of it I guess. (Sorry ears, really, I owe you the biggest apology of all).
Hey, then there are other questions too. If I downsized a lot and got a small townhouse I might be able to afford a second small vacation condo in the Caribbean. (Hello Barbados!) And now I’m measuring bodysurfing, rum and warm winters against the need to make noise. (Oh that’s one sided!)
Really, thanks everyone. Especially to the people who have shared the experiences of neighbour complaints. It kind of reaffirms what a problem being in the wrong spot and disputes with neighbours can lead to. Thanks everyone!