Feb 16, 2009
3 things a drummer should be able to afford before he’s allowed to play.
Drummers,
Music needs you, but please…
1. Get headphones and an electric kit, or…
2. Rent a practice space, or…
3. Soundproof your house.
Sheesh.
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© 2012 Abuyo. All rights reserved.
problems with those downstairs neighbors again?
those southerners can get pretty rowdy..
Hopefully your downstairs neighbor reads this blog? :)
No problems with the folks downstairs, thankfully.
You can pity them more, actually. They’re even closer to the drumming than we are.
This seems fairly passive-aggressive. And it might work if your neighbors read your blog. Or I suppose, it might just escalate matters and force you into the open.
Or they don’t read your blog or don’t recognize themselves and you just keep stewing.
As a drummer, I say right on. And if you can’t afford any of those options, practice in your head. Seriously. I went through a few years of no access to a set. So, rather that complaining, I started listening to what other drummers (who are much better than I) were doing in songs. By the time I had access to a set again, I was much better than I was before. If you don’t push yourself mentally, it’s easy to get stuck just practicing your same ol’ stuff.
Yes, at some point my suggestion needs to go away, and you need to play for real. But, it’s an option while you wait for one of Abraham’s three good suggestions to work out. And, maybe your skills will improve more than if you were afforded the opportunity to play.
We used to live above a drummer for about 2 1/2 years. Thankfully, he never practiced late at night or anything, but as a young SAH mom, there were times when I was almost reduced to tears as the prospect of an afternoon nap melted in the blistering rhythm.
As it’s Monday, when I first read the caption, I thought something went horribly wrong with the worship team at church yesterday!
(22)
Yes, the downstairs neighbors read the blog.
No, the drumming is not the downstairs neighbors.
And I do think our friend next door has improved, kind of.
And to be fair, he doesn’t play that much. Daily, but not for long stretches.
I should be more patient.
i was just kidding about the downstairs neighbors! they are precious wonderful friends!
The problem is drummers (and us electric guitarists) are purists who need acoustic drums and tube-amps, which sound best at loud volumes.
it actually made me feel pretty good that someone would mistaken us as possible musicians.
but thanks for ‘throwing us under the bus’ crystal! :)
JoeS- I will give a hearty amen on my husband’s behalf. I’ve learned to tolera… I mean.. love it!
As a drummer, this one hits a nerve. I think practicing musicians (and if you think drummers can’t be musicians, google Terry Bozzio) are part of the ambient noise of life, and that the benefits that accrue from that far outweigh the moments of inconvenience. I have 4 kids as well, and somebody could just as easily post a request for them to be muzzled or shuffled off to daycare as opposed to enduring the neighborly noises.
Ben writes:
the benefits that accrue from [the ambient noise of life] far outweigh the moments of inconvenience.
I definitely agree!
I will try to take that perspective next time instead of only thinking of the inconvenience part.
Good/loud/necessary/______ (fill in the blank) drumming is in the ear of the beholder. My 15 year old expresses his Christian hedonism through drumming. Though it rattles the house, I try to express my Christian hedonism by letting him express his. Well … most of the time.
(BTW — the drums are not near neighbor’s houses, so we’re ok, I think).
Yeah, Joe, I need to become OK with it for my son’s sake, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgrGZ4PGLLU
JoeS thanks for putting that out there. As a drummer I agree that is so true. For anyone with the noisy practicing musician neighbor, I would suggest walking over and trying to get to know them. I would also try and get to know them better in their world of music (let them show you their gear, get them to talk to you about their musical interests, “talk the trade” with them). I know that any time I practice I feel paranoid that the neighbors hate me, which they may. Over time you may build a substantial enough relationship that you can peacefully talk about times that it would be more pleasant to practice, maybe not. I would be thrilled if my little old lady next door came over and told me that even though she heard me practice, that she could live with it.
If all else fails, embrace the noise. We’re all gifted, just some of us with noisier gifts with others.
Sorry to be long winded.
I wish they made headphones for trumpets. And, the trumpet player doesn’t even live next door; he’s my husband! The only thing worse than his incessant trumpet playing in our small house is that he’s also teaching our six and four year olds how to play. At least my husband is good despite how loud it is.
My little brother has taken up playing the drums. He can not afford any of the options that you suggest and as a result has destroyed many conversations and quiet restful afternoons.
Buy him/her a nice (early) Easter gift:
http://bit.ly/US2bS
From the mother of a drummer…I LOVE what Joe Brooks said – couldn’t have said it better – I say “Drum, Gus, drum!”