band practice... in an apartment??

therex · #1 07-19-2009, 08:26 PM

so guys, in 4 months i am moving from my parents house and thats the place where my band practices, because the drummer and the guitard live in an apartment, now i am moving to an apartment too any ideas of how to avoid neighboors complains and keep the music just inside the room?
BTW the drummer didnt have his own drummset until we won one in a band contest so we cant practice at his aparment neighter, yes i know for some of you is hard to understant how someone is not able to spend 400$ but for us is a lot of money

also sorry for my bad english

::::BASSIST:::: · #2 07-19-2009, 08:31 PM

Yes it can be done. However, an electric drum kit will be necessary. What you do is use a mixing board and plug all intruments into it. Then use a headphone splicer (not sure of the proper name for it) so that each person gets their own headphones. Its actually quite good as each person can control their individual volume etc.

Aside from that you will get evicted from your apartment if you actually rehearse with amps and an acoustic drum kit.

I've done the mixer board thing and it worked quite well. The only thing anyone besides the band will hear is the singing.

nortonrider · #3 07-19-2009, 08:31 PM

You're Screwed!
Give up music and get a real job.

The End!

Hawaii Islander · #4 07-19-2009, 08:33 PM

Many larger apartments in Hawaii have public function rooms that tenants can reserve. They're usually reserved for birthday parties, family gatherings, etc. Live music in the public function rooms was allowed in some of the apartments I've lived in or visited in the past. It might be worth looking into.

Friends of mine and I used to use work space after hours and/or on weekends to jam or practice.

Edit: added underlined words

Jojabeau · #5 07-19-2009, 08:37 PM

Move to the apt but keep your practice space at home. Drums in an apartment = you in the street. Sorry! Don't apologize for your English a) it was fine and b) it is humbling when people use my language. Best of luck.

ironrat · #6 07-19-2009, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nortonrider

You're Screwed!
Give up music and get a real job.

The End!

pklima · #7 07-20-2009, 01:03 AM

Even if you have an electronic drum kit, the drummer stomping down on the kick can carry through the floors and walls. You might have to isolate it from the floor, too.

therex · #8 07-20-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

Yes it can be done. However, an electric drum kit will be necessary. What you do is use a mixing board and plug all intruments into it. Then use a headphone splicer (not sure of the proper name for it) so that each person gets their own headphones. Its actually quite good as each person can control their individual volume etc.

Aside from that you will get evicted from your apartment if you actually rehearse with amps and an acoustic drum kit.

I've done the mixer board thing and it worked quite well. The only thing anyone besides the band will hear is the singing.

now way we can afford a electronic drum kit but its a good idea thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by nortonrider

You're Screwed!
Give up music and get a real job.

The End!

lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaii Islander

Many larger apartments in Hawaii have public function rooms that tenants can reserve. They're usually reserved for birthday parties, family gatherings, etc. Live music in the public function rooms was allowed in some of the apartments I've lived in or visited in the past. It might be worth looking into.

Friends of mine and I used to use work space after hours and/or on weekends to jam or practice.

Edit: added underlined words

i doubt the one i am moving has a public room but since the building is quite small

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jojabeau

Move to the apt but keep your practice space at home. Drums in an apartment = you in the street. Sorry! Don't apologize for your English a) it was fine and b) it is humbling when people use my language. Best of luck.

i was thinking on that. but my parents are not sure if they will also move to another city, if they decide to move(wich is more likely), i cant make them stay that would be selfish

Dogbertday · #9 07-20-2009, 09:12 AM

keep it at home as long as you can. in that time save up for the gear to do it silently in the apartment. Or find another house of a friend or family member that wouldn't mind being the practice spot

AleemRadunzel · #10 07-20-2009, 10:10 AM

erm i dunno electronic drums is the only real answer without getting an asbo

pklima · #11 07-20-2009, 10:13 AM

In one of my bands the drummer usually just plays some kind of Mediterranean drum in practice. It's not much to carry and not very loud. Better than nothing.

kgoism · #12 07-20-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

Yes it can be done. However, an electric drum kit will be necessary. What you do is use a mixing board and plug all intruments into it. Then use a headphone splicer (not sure of the proper name for it) so that each person gets their own headphones. Its actually quite good as each person can control their individual volume etc.

Aside from that you will get evicted from your apartment if you actually rehearse with amps and an acoustic drum kit.

I've done the mixer board thing and it worked quite well. The only thing anyone besides the band will hear is the singing.

This is actually a spectacular idea, and I believe it could be done for under $1000. You don't need an amazing-quality electronic drum kit, and at most an 8-track mixer. In fact, if you could patch it through online, you may not even have to all meet up for practice?!!!

chaosMK · #13 07-20-2009, 11:18 AM

I hope you're playing folk with a tambourine for a drumset.

cassanova · #14 07-20-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgoism

This is actually a spectacular idea, and I believe it could be done for under $1000. You don't need an amazing-quality electronic drum kit, and at most an 8-track mixer. In fact, if you could patch it through online, you may not even have to all meet up for practice?!!!

Back in 1995 I was doing a studio project with a friend of mine and we had to practice in his apartment. We all used headphones. Its a great way to go.

Ya don't need to spend big money on an electronic kit. I don't remember the type of drums Pete bought for the rehearsals but I do know it wasn't a full sized kit. I'm thinking it was Yamaha, but it was a rectangular box with several pads on it and the kick drum was nothing more than a separate pedal with a pad on it. The whole pad kit was no bigger than 2' and very effective for the rehearsals. In the studio a full sized electronic kit was used.

Stumbo · #15 07-20-2009, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by therex

...o any ideas of how to avoid neighboors complains and keep the music just inside the room?

There is no way to keep the music inside the room. Even if you put up sound reduction materials, etc., the whole room will still vibrate. You'll waste your time and money attempting to do this and still get evicted.

Quote:

yes i know for some of you is hard to understand how someone is not able to spend 400$ but for us is a lot of money

Since you don't have a lot of money for an electronic drumset, +1 on staying at your parents house as long as you can.

+1 on also finding another house/warehouse/empty office, etc. to practice at.

Maybe you can get a drummer's practice pad set or get some cardboard and make your own, get your instruments volume to acoustic level, do the vocals unmic'd and give it a try.

Be sure and try it when the least number of people are around. Find out what your neighbor's schedule's are and work around that.

Good luck.

::::BASSIST:::: · #16 07-20-2009, 12:41 PM

Another thing you could try is everybody use acoustic instruments. The drummer could use phone books or upside down buckets etc. Of course, its not going to be the same but if thats what you got and can afford then that is it. For bass, I actually just play the basslines on an acoustic guitar using a pick. An acoustic bass is not loud enough.

That said, even all that may be too loud. However, since the instruments are acoustic you could just find a field or beach or something.

Jeb · #17 07-20-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nortonrider

You're Screwed!
Give up music and get a real job.

The End!

Wow, why so harsh sounding?

But in the end, the likely result. At this stage anyway.

cassanova · #18 07-21-2009, 12:29 AM

I'm not sure if this would work well enough, but what about drum/cymbal mutes? They're certainly an inexpensive option.

BrennP90 · #19 07-21-2009, 04:35 AM

Show up at gigs 6 hours early to rehearse/learn songs.

Lexicon · #20 07-21-2009, 09:45 AM

In such a small space the electronic drums are the only way to do real practice as a band. I own a Roland TD-6v and run it in stereo through a Yamaha mg102 mixer. I run the bass into a Zoom b2 and out to the mixer. Guitarists can do the same through a POD or other processor. From the mixer I run a Livewire 4 channel headphone amp. Works like a charm in my house which is admittedly a little easier than an apartment. My son can be sleeping up one floor and over one room and not even notice the sound beyond some moderate thudding. As someone has already said there is the issue of the stomping on the bass drum pedal. If you were on the second floor it would be a problem for the people below and possibly even above depending on the construction of the building.

As far as sound quality goes, I prefer practicing this way myself. You can easily control the mix and everyone can adjust their own master volume with the headphone amp. On top of that the Vdrums have the ability to really micro manage the sound. Cymbals too loud? No problem. Turn them down. I've recently jammed with two guitarist who were shocked at the quality of the Vdrum sounds through a good set of studio headphones.

Tons of info here:

http://www.vdrums.com/forum/