Resonators is a semi-detached house

[purpleorange]

Hi all,

I am in the process of trying to purchase a new property and the likelihood is that is that I will be buying a semi-detached. I am a bit concerned that my harmonica, resonator and singing might start to annoy the neighbours after a while.

I have been looking for a house were both the doorways/hallways are in the middle of the property to act as a buffer, but most of the houses seem to have the living rooms attached and the hallways on the outside.

From experience can anyone tell me if the sound of a resonator or harmonica will travel through a good solid wall in an older build semi? Will there be problems for me playing music late at night? Do you think that the neighbours will be able to hear me from upstairs if I am playing in my downstairs living room?

Thanks, Ryan

[leeophonic]

Music late at night in any property where neighbours are concerned has to be considered, good luck with the new neighbours!!!

I have blasts of noise but always conscious of time and what part of the house I am in, headphones and an electric is a good way to keep the peace.

Lee

[Michael Messer]

Hi Ryan,

I think you should get to know your neighbours and hope they are either blues fans or stone-deaf!

Musical instruments create a sound that definitely travels through walls. It is amazing how far the sound of real instruments, rather than hifi systems travels, but with consideration and bribery you should get away with it.

I believe in 'live and let live', but not all neighbours agree with my philosophy.

Shine On
Michael.

[davetracey]

Yes, I agree with Michael. I would introduce yourself to your neighbours, and let them know gently that you are a guitarist. I am always mindful of my neighbour-occasionally I can hear her television, so she must be able to hear me playing sometimes. Not may people are quiet all the time

In fact, she can definitely hear me-I used to be able to hear my previous neighbours little girl practising her recorder!

[creolian]

Hi there,

I dont think ive ever encountered a residential structure like you describe in which a harp player wouldnt be heard in the middle of the night.

To truly isolate a space acoustically requires physical and acoustic de coupling ( detaching ) of resonant surfaces. The wood in most residential construction here transmits sound very well and in my frame house with the wood floors, id have to build an iso booth not to be heard.

As Michael points out, it will depend on the neighbors to a degree. I run a fan when Im trying to snooze just to mask spurious noise. You would have to try hard to bother me.


All best,

Jeff

[Michael Messer]

>>For our US members and visitors, a semi-detached house is a duplex<<

What annoys me about these things is that it is not a crime to play music or make a little noise having fun, but so many people seem to think it is. They live in tombs with the TV on and expect everyone else to do the same!

I live in a house which is semi-detached, but all my playing musical instruments noise happens on the other side of the house to my neighbour. I have a large garden at the back and side of my house and I can within reason, make as much noise as I want at any time of the day or night. We chose the house because of the living room being as far as possible from any neighbours. I do play with the sliding doors open in the summer and often play in the garden, but I think my neighbours are quite impressed because they've heard me on the radio and seen me on TV. It can be useful sometimes!

As I said before... I just wish people would live and let live. It is not a crime to play a musical instrument at home. If we are worried as guitarists, imagine what drummers and percussionists go through.

Shine On
Michael

[Deleted]

It's a question of approach. Before even putting in an offer I'd knock on your potential neighbours door and tell them you may be buying next door and what's the area like etc. You should be able to suss them out from that and if you do buy you can either take the 'I'm within my rights' attitude or preferably come to an arrangement that suits everyone. Bear in mind that playing/practising at low volume is good for your technique anyway. Dynamics is a factor often neglected by guitarists of any ilk-the best musicians understand its importance.

[Michael Messer]

Graeme, you make a good point about practicing at low volume. I practice most nights into the wee hours. I don't worry about my neighbours, but my wife is asleep in the room above where I practice and while she actually doesn't mind, or is used to the racket I make, something I love doing is playing with fingerpicks on resonator guitars as quiet as possible. I find it excellent practice for control and I know other players that do the same. I also like to play slide without a slide using my finger as the slide. This is great for working stuff out at very low volume. You can hear the notes, but they are very muted. It is especially good for playing lap style.

I certainly believe that dynamics and control are so important. People that come to my workshops will know that I encourage everyone to play quietly so we can all hear each other properly. When there are ten resonator guitars playing rhythm and someone with a regular acoustic parlour guitar is soloing, everyone has to control their volume to hear the soloist.

Shine On
Michael

[purpleorange]

Thanks for the input. It looks like I will just need to be courteous and hope I get good neighbours who don't get too pissed off the occasion time I have a few many beers and invite a few friends back for a jam.

I assume that carpet will help dampen the sound?

I will have to try to learn to play quietly with picks. I also have a neglected resonator ukulele that will be much quieter than resonators or harps.

[davetracey]

The carpet may dampen the sound if you spill a few beers on it. Sorry-couldn't resist!

[slide496]

Old wood houses are going to conduct sound, a rug will help to buffer noises like footfall especially if there is padding, but if you are on top you would need to ask if that will make much difference with transmission of music with an acoustic specialist. I looked into it but if you are renting I don't know whether you'd be allowed to implement sound blocking construction.

I don't see the point in introducing yourself to a new neighbor and offering any info about the music or jamming. Some people are sensitive to sound and others aren't. Some people are bothered but don't feel it's enough to actually confront a neighbor. IMHO just being courteous like you mentioned says alot.

Maybe If you want to test it you might be able to get a crude idea by putting a recorder in the next room to see how the sound travels?

Harriet

[kiwi]

As an Environmental Health Officer here in New Zealand, I have the dubious pleasure of enforcing noise laws, used be 24/7 but now we use security firms at night. I also live in what would be called a semi detached. I have no problem as there are 2 bedrooms and a hallway between my neighbour and me on both sides of the party wall so playing even electric late at night is no problem.

Most noise call outs here are with regard to loud parties that occur regularly. Complaints re playing of musical instruments is generally drummers practising even during the day. People are really intolerant at times and a lot of people just think if they can hear it it should be shut down no matter the volume. Having said that I have seized band equipment a couple of times but that was way over the top in residential areas at very high volumes and having ignored noise abatement notices that had been served.

[Stevie]

Back in 1981, the company I worked for installed an extract fan in a cupola above a swimming pool in Burwood Park, near Walton Upon Thames, Surrey. As you walked around the pool you could first hear the fan, and then you couldn't, and then you could etc. It was a weird experience. It wasn't the noise of the moving air, it was the motor. Even the standard issue anti-vibration mounts had no effect and although I suspected that it was frequency dependent, I ruled out resonance since the radial timbers in a rectangular arrangement were all different in length. The noise was being conducted along the radial roof joists, and every two or three steps it changed significantly in level. The customer tried to blame us, but it was her architect's design. The fan itself was not noisy. Jeff is probably better placed than most with a lifetime's experience in sound reinforcement.

I used to live in a terraced house and I became accustomed to neighbour noise. When we moved it was to a detached house. I wanted to be free of reasonable noise abatement restraints so it was a consideration. Oddly enough, I have found that with age comes an intolerance of the higher volumes that used to be the holy grail for me. In that scenario, I get much more from my acoustics than my electrics, and have done so for a couple of decades. It didn't stop me buying many much desired electric guitars over the last fifteen years!

e&oe...

[Pickers Ditch]

I'm very fortunate to have lived in a detached brick built house for the last 25 years.
Nowadays I only play acoustic and resonator guitars but, like MM, I get away with playing in the room above where Mrs.PD watches carbon bibaxide TV with no complaints.
The only time she has commented that she could hear me was when she switches the TV off.

I strongly urge you to suss out your potential neighbours when veiwing any house - they might be noisy bu88ers, too.

Remember, you need to know what you are buying, too - this sort of thing works both ways.

I respectfully suggest that when you have selected a "possible" house, you have a walk past a few times from early evening through to about 11pm weekdays and weekends to see/hear what the "neighbours" are up to themselves before fully committing to purchase.
You may get a surprise - the company 25 Tonner might be parked outside, they may have their TV,stereo,boombox, Marshall 100W stack all running on 12.

There is a family along our lane who looked at their house twice midweek late mornings then moved in to discover that a rock drummer practised in the shed at the end of the garden during the evenings whenever the fancy takes him - and had been doing so for years with no complaints before the newbies moved in!

It led to a lot off aggro which culminated in a court case!

[davetracey]

Other people are a problem-no doubt! Even if the current neighbours seem alright, they may sell up within months of you moving in, and you may not like the replacements. I have had 4 neighbours in the 25 years I have lived in this end terraced house. The noisiest was a lady who was in her mid 70s, who was quite deaf. Every night, the theme tunes to Coronation Street and Emmerdale would come blasting through my wall with the force a live Deep Purple concert. On the plus side, of course...she couldn't hear me.

As ever, its best for us to talk to each other and try and strike up some sort of compromise.