Complex noise levels

bindog

Hi all

So recently I picked up an acoustic amp, SM58, and have been practicing for maybe my first open mic appearance...

So, on a Friday evening about two weeks ago, at about 7PM, I was sitting on my porch, (ground level), and singing and playing away at loud-ish volumes(I had the amp 2 metres from me and I didn't think it was even close to obtrusive) when I got a complaint from the neighbour next door...

Now, usually, we ignore all sorts of parties (on two occasions , running through the night and into the next morning), from this particular neighbour, screaming fights and things getting broken and smashed at like 2AM, so I was a bit peeved by the compliant (which came in the form of him screaming at me from his garden and showing me a downturned index finger sign to turn down the volume). My response came in the form of ignoring him until he decided to act like a human being, but 15 minutes later he was screaming across my wall again.

Unfortunately the conversation ended in words being exchanged regarding his noise levels, the behaviour of his children (throwing stones at our cats and dog while we are at home!!!), and generally was an unpleasant affair... I ended up stopping my practicing, and going to smugglers to watch other people play instead.

So, my question is... If the complex rules forbid noise after 10PM at night, what are the "acceptable" noise levels before that time in your opinion?

Am I being ridiculous practicing at a volume that I would associate with a small party at my house over the same time slot? (p.s. I'm getting old so the music is never so loud that I cant talk to someone while we braai etc ? )

What are your opinions?

proze

We're trying to figure it out in my complex as well, atm, and a fella I know put it a good way:

If every resident behaved that way every evening, would it be acceptable?

Which ends up being: keep your noise inside your unit. To me, this can be the only solution when many people with very varied music tastes and ideas of what is acceptable are lumped together.

V8

bindog wrote: What are your opinions?

Doesn't sound like he can be reasoned with. The animal abuse thing would however make me completely lose my s#1t (err, be unreasonable myself). I'd recommend time-stamped video presented to your complexes governing board and take it from there. It's the mature response I guess, unfortunately this may result in him being more unreasonable...

proze wrote: We're trying to figure it out in my complex as well, atm, and a fella I know put it a good way:

If every resident behaved that way every evening, would it be acceptable?

Which ends up being: keep your noise inside your unit. To me, this can be the only solution when many people with very varied music tastes and ideas of what is acceptable are lumped together.

+1, well put. It's pretty much my approach too. If I'm planning on a loud/late evening I let my neighbor's know - and if they feel it's particularly excessive I get a call and we turn it down.

chris77

Our neighbour's kids like to throw parties when their folks aren't home. We did the same thing when I was younger, so I can see where they're coming from. The difference is that we kept our parties indoors and for what I can remember the music was always kept to background volumes so we could hear each other talk. The neighbour's kids however like to party outside at their lapa next to the pool, which is about three meters from our window. And the music they play is that repetitive doef-doef crap with the auto tuned euro singers and the bass that thumps everything in your house. And the later it gets the louder everything becomes - the music, the laughter, the shouting profanities etc. We were young as well so we try to ignore it, but eventually that became impossible so one night at around 11 I headed over there and asked them too please turn the music down a bit. Walked back home to shouts of F*&# You you this and that and the music only got turned up even more. Two days later I saw the folk's bakkie outside again so I headed over. The dude told me his kids have permission to have friends over when they are not there and if I have a problem with how loud they are I must phone the police and lay a complaint. Next morning there was a few choice profanities sprayed on our wall and two of the lights were broken off. So December I phoned the cops on them three times. I doubt we will be invited to a neighbourly braai any time soon...

proze

It's astonishing how people can be such a holes, eh?!

Keira-WitherKay

noise levels will depend on your body corporate and the manner in which the rules are carried out......

i too live in a complex..... and here it's very strict... the body corporate issues letters , which could lead to fines for most any noise that disturbs the other units, and it applies to parties/loud music/power tools /excessive barking dogs

BUT that said most rules are not ridiculous .... and allow people to live... it's a complex not a prison

our complex is very strict BUT it applies to everyone ...so we all comply and it's a very peaceful quiet complex....

i think the problems arise when the rules are not applied equally where say your neighbours (as you mention) can throw loud parties but you can't play guitar ... that is unfair and THAT'S why there is a body corporate , so attend the next meeting and raise the issue

hope you get it sorted

a tip if i may ....try also use a mixing desk and wireless headphones ..(ones with cables get too irritating for long sessions) ......i often practise into the midnight hour and beyond with headphones and never a complaint ....you can even sing into a mic and listen back with phones ( ? but singing would travel late at night)

**and when you play indoors amplified or not ...close doors and windows and invest in some thick curtains.... you'll be surprised just how much sounds you think are quiet ...actually travel ...and way louder than you think ....and with summer we all have open windows and patio doors at home .... and the slightest sound will travel ...so closing up helps a lot to keep sound down .

chris77

proze wrote: It's astonishing how people can be such a holes, eh?!

Well, to be fair I reckon when I tell the story the neighbours will be the a-holes who are disturbing the peace and have no consideration for anybody else, and when they tell the story we will be the a-holes who complain about everything and should get our grumpy butts over to an old age home or something. There are no real winners in cases like this. :-[

beardedmoose

I invested i a pair of headphones... and i leave the rest for rehearsal.

bindog

Thanks all for the responses!! I will give my approach some thought and ensure I am not being too loud myself, and then take any required action should the crazy parties next door occur again...