The people next door to us host a drumming group. The drummers are practicing tonight. They are not very good. They are trying to do polyrhythms, but when you’re doing polyrhythms you have to be really precise or your drumming drifts in and out of chaos, which is what they’re doing. I understand that this is what one has to do when practicing, and I understand that drums are loud, but the least they could do is close the windows so the rest of the neighborhood doesn’t have to listen to their mistakes. But too many amateur musicians are so enamored of themselves that they forget how excruciating their practice is to others.
I experienced this phenomenon this past summer at a summer conference. A young man was trying to learn a guitar part from a recording. He sat in one of the common rooms of the conference center. He played little bits from the recording, and then tried to work out the guitar solo. I’m sure that inside his head it all sounded so wonderful, but to me it was just painful to listen to the same little recorded bits over and over, and then hear him make the same mistakes over and over. Most amateur musicians are considerate and practice in private; but the ones who aren’t, and don’t, are really annoying.
Dan, I remember the amateur “mother’s garage band” that lived across the street from me some years ago. They practiced late at night and kept me awake until the wee hours. They thought they were good, but we thought they were terrible. Well played music is a wonderful thing to enjoy: unfortunately practice is a prerequisite.
Dad @ 1 — Fortunately, the guys who live next door to us are not as bad the the garage band you had to deal with. It’s actually kind of sweet — a bunch of middle-aged guys sitting around playing their drums, more of a social event than anything else — while as I remember it, the guys in that garage band were pretty sullen, and not particularly nice. I just wish the guys next door to us would close their windows when they play.
I have a neighbor who plays the piano, sometimes a saxophone. He is delightfully talented, and it’s wonderful when his windows are open. I’m glad howver that he doesn’t drum.
What if you asked your neighbors to close their windows?
Jean @ 3 — Plus, your neighbor is good — that makes all the difference.
If you’re in rental land, just repeat the mantra that works for me: “They will move, they will move.”