Noisy neighbour (musician)

shinjukumaster

Hello. We have a neighbour who is practicing a brass wind instrument daily, and using a high-powered stereo as backing. Its usually for a couple of hours and very annnoying. Out house is a 'walls together' semi, rather than a 'halls-together' so the noise sounds as if its in our dining/bathroom/stairway. I don't mind people improving themselves, but what is reasonable?, and what constitutes a nuisance? Thanks!

Ionkontrol

A couple of hours is not unreasonable. All through the night is.

mrtobs

I don't think this is reasonable - I would find it VERY annoying for a couple of hours a day - particularly when they're using a v.loud stereo with it!! If it was occasionally or just once a week, then fair enough, but daily is just unreasonable! Would you be able to approach them about it and maybe see if there's a compromise you could agree on? (eg - could they practise at a time when you're less likely to be in / turn down the stereo / is there somewhere else they could practise - mates/village hall etc where they wouldn't have to worry about the noise?) . If it can't be resolved like this and you feel that you really can't continue, then try contacting the Council (unsually its Environmental Health) or Noise Concern for advice (just google 'noisy neighbours' to get the link). Good luck & hope it works out for you!

Mojisola

Your neighbour is probably unaware of how loud the music sounds in your house. Could you ask them to leave the backing music playing and come and listen?

Is there any reason he/she can't use headphones for the backing music? That would reduce the noise.

shinjukumaster

Reasonable depends on whether you are at work all, day, work nights, are retired etc. i.e. whether you have to listen to it or not. I think its better just to go to the noise abatement people for advice, initially. I've started to log every incidence, following the advice of someone who went through the procedures with the enviromental protection people at the council. Seems they are busy...

Alex103

There is a product called Silent Brass made by Yamaha. It is effectively a mute which is connected electronically to headphones and I believe a stereo can be fed in so the musician will hear it all and you'll hear nothing. Perhaps you can persuade him to purchase one. I play a brass instrument and am very sensitive to my neighbour's feelings when I practice. I guess not everybody is.

maninthestreet

I can rattle the windows with the world's most basic wind instrument.

MurdochMcMaster

Mojisola wrote: »

Your neighbour is probably unaware of how loud the music sounds in your house. Could you ask them to leave the backing music playing and come and listen?

Have a word with them and try and sort it out peaceably. If he's got the speaker against the party wall it's going to sound louder, so it might be something simple like hime just moving the speaker (or going into another room).

chalkie99

maninthestreet wrote: »

I can rattle the windows with the world's most basic wind instrument.

What - for a couple of hours?:eek::eek::eek:

maninthestreet

chalkie99 wrote: »

What - for a couple of hours?:eek::eek::eek:

Given a good curry, yes.

amcluesent

Crank-up your hi-fi playing jazz in tricky 5/8 time, that'll completely throw them off practising.