I have lived in the same 2nd floor apartment (or "flat" for my UK friends) for almost 19 years. Always played my instruments and listened and mixed on an audiophile system. Lately my neighbors have taken offense (UK-offence?). Police were here 4 times over a couple weeks. Last 2 times that Chillicothe's finest visited I got cited. Today in court I was found not guilty, but mostly on a technicality. I'll take it. Fines were going to be a couple hundred bucks, and if I had lost, it would have been worth the extra court costs just to get it off my chest and vent a little. But still, I played a good version of Perry Mason (USA TV show, ancient). Still rockin', still swinging, still in the groove .

 

There was a band around here called 52db that came up with their name for similar reasons.
Sucks when the neighbor doesn't man up and try to have a conversation with you before calling the authorities. I mean there's not much possibility to resolve with some compromise if you don't know who to approach.

 

jesus, sorry to hear that. this is like one of my big fears, that i'll end up somewhere that i cant just make and play music because somebody else is disturbed or just wants to ruin things for you because he's miserable.

 

Glad it werked in ur favor. But the overall point is

"If U don't own it...U don't benefit if U burn it down"....jus sayin Mate

 

you even saw a judge for this bs ? wow. that sucks. like ppl calling the cops an you for nothing. see movement, better call the cops. whats this, noise? better call the police. what about that dog? better call the cops. and whats that smell anyway. polizia subito. who's that guy? never saw that man before. I call the police man. abussive shit. better take care you dont end up getting life for three strikes lol. oh shit.

 

have you tried to establish a dialogue with them? even if difficult it could be worth showing some interest in their discomfort, to know it there is a time during the day when they simply can't stand your musicianship (evenings maybe)

I mean most people aren't home during the day but evenings are a no-no? maybe make a deal on hours when and when not, could be good to know these things

also, it could be so that maybe the people complaining are just fed up with not only your "activity" but your particular building may be "problematic" and your music jut got to be a bit "to much"?

anyhow, sad to hear, wish you luck

 

Last edited: Nov 16, 2019

With no context of how loud you play your music, it's hard to say if you're being an a-hole neighbor or what, but I'd say if you want to blast music, get a house. If you live in a shared complex and are blasting music, then.. use headphones or something. Most of the adult world respect this, so I'm kind of surprised at the uproar of someone complaining. That said though, I do think it's best to do it face to face rather than call cops on someone, but not everyone likes that confrontation... and it's probably best to not even put anyone in that position, IMO.

Again though, no idea how loud you were playing things and how loud it sounded to them either, so that could be off base if the sound level was pretty respectable (As far as I'm concerned though, "barely audible" is respectable).

Fuck I'm probably just still grumpy because like 20 years ago, I lived in an apartment and someone blasted Sisqo - Thong Song on repeat in the wee hours of the morning for several days. Pretty sure they were pissed at another neighbor, but I had to hear this terrible song while trying to sleep. lol

 

I joined a band (my first) and practiced at my guitarists duplex apartment. We were so loud the cops said they could hear us 6 blocks away over the hill that he was at the bottom of. They also said if we were playing country music they wouldn't have done anything. Of course it was metal or some attempt at it. The landlady downstairs didn't even care and bought a drumkit because of us. LOL.
It was the religious freak across the street that called the cops. We got a practice studio after that.

Music, what a rabbit hole it is.

 

yes .and I have a doorbell that has a strobe light that I keep by my mix desk that I can see all the time. They said they knocked etc, but nobody bothered to try my doorbell. I may have had headphones on. They all knew what I did when they moved in. I am property manager for the owner, and explained what goes on here and if they had a problem with noise during reasonable hours, not to rent here. Not exactly the letter of the law, but I'm not unreasonable and meant no malice.

 

My neighbors have my mobile phone number so they can call me in case they have a problem with level, I keep my phone in sight..
But until now they never called... finger crossed.

 

---As Alice would say-
"Curiouser and curiouser!".