Volume in a busy rehearsal space

::Saint:: · #1 03-09-2007, 12:13 AM

My band rents a rehearsal space in a building with several other rehearsal spaces that are often quite busy, which isn't too much of a problem except that one of the spaces is in the room adjacent to ours and shares a wall. The band that seems to use that space everytime we are in there is a loud technical metal band that practices at a ridiculous volume and makes it really difficult for my band to rehearse properly without having to destroy our ear-drums in the process.

I am thinking about knocking on their door and asking them to turn it down, in the spirit of saving everyone's hearing later in life and also mutual respect for the other bands in the place.. but not sure how well this will go over, or if it is any of my business to do this, not to mention how to broach the subject if I did decide to say something.

Any thoughts?

FriscoBassAce · #2 03-09-2007, 03:00 AM

A band I used to be in had that same problem. The other band would play SO loud that we couldn't even hear what we were playing, or if we could, it would sound like we were hitting the wrong notes.

We never knocked on their door, we usually just took a break and then came back whenever they started playing. Finally they went away.

For your situation, you could go knock on their door and introduce yourself. Tell them they sound really good and you are digging on their music. Get to know them a little before you become the "nagging neighbor." They probably feel that they have a right to blast as loud as they want, and you guys feel you have the right to be able to hear yourselves in your own practice space. Ask them nicely if they wouldn't mind turning down just a little so that everyone can hear what they are doing. If they comply, that's great. If they don't, well, I guess you have a few options. We were always in really good with the management, and they would bend over backwards because they knew we always paid our rent on time.

If you are not so nice, take your PA and put it up against the wall facing their room, (especially if you have subs), put on the craziest bass-heavy music you can find at volume 11, lock the door and leave. Come back and I bet they will have turned down!

or not.

Descent2Cocytus · #3 03-09-2007, 04:18 AM

they'd probably just turn up, i know i and the rest of my metal band would turn up if there were loud music coming from the next room that was making it hard for us to hear, call us stubbornm i guess. i know that i would have enough respect for the band next to us to turn down if that were the case. luckily our singer has a basement and we can jam there..

::Saint:: · #4 03-09-2007, 09:23 AM

I really have to wonder what kind of damage these guys are doing to their hearing too, because it is REALLY REALLY loud.. and the only way we could match it is if we had customer earplugs with 30db filters in them and just cranked everything way up. I am going to be getting musician plugs, but I would much rather not have to compete.

Descent2Cocytus · #5 03-09-2007, 09:25 AM

us deathmetal guys like to play loud, i have a pretty much constant ringing in my ears, i need to buy a set of earplugs.

::::BASSIST:::: · #6 03-15-2007, 01:10 AM

I play regularly at a rehearsal studio and I agree those metal bands are LOUD. I dont know how they can hear anything... it just becomes a big mush in my experience.

Now I wear my earplugs as soon as I enter the place just in case one of these metal bands opens their door.

invader3k · #7 03-15-2007, 07:04 AM

Go talk to them. Try to feel them out first. Maybe they're nice guys and don't realize they're being so loud. Or maybe they're jerks and will refuse. But you have to talk to them to find out.

If worse comes to worst, you may just have to find a different rehearsal space, or figure out when these guys aren't there and schedule around that.

Depth_Charge · #8 03-15-2007, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::Saint::

My band rents a rehearsal space in a building with several other rehearsal spaces that are often quite busy, which isn't too much of a problem except that one of the spaces is in the room adjacent to ours and shares a wall. The band that seems to use that space everytime we are in there is a loud technical metal band that practices at a ridiculous volume and makes it really difficult for my band to rehearse properly without having to destroy our ear-drums in the process.

I am thinking about knocking on their door and asking them to turn it down, in the spirit of saving everyone's hearing later in life and also mutual respect for the other bands in the place.. but not sure how well this will go over, or if it is any of my business to do this, not to mention how to broach the subject if I did decide to say something.

Any thoughts?

Well, you pay for the venue, and while that band are there, you can't use what you've paid for. Sounds like a management issue between the people who own the rehearsal space and the band making it difficult for you to access a service you've paid for, IMHO anyway.

Good luck with it.

::Saint:: · #9 03-15-2007, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Depth_Charge

Well, you pay for the venue, and while that band are there, you can't use what you've paid for. Sounds like a management issue between the people who own the rehearsal space and the band making it difficult for you to access a service you've paid for, IMHO anyway.

Good luck with it.

I tend to agree with that as well.. I guess if it doesn't improve soon we'll have to go talk to them and if that doesn't yield results we'll have to talk to the management.. thanksf or the input everybody!

SirCanealot · #10 03-15-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Descent2Cocytus

us deathmetal guys like to play loud, i have a pretty much constant ringing in my ears, i need to buy a set of earplugs.

You realise you're going to have that ringing in your ears for the rest of your life if you don't get earplugs? :/

invader3k · #11 03-15-2007, 02:11 PM

I don't understand the mentality that hard rock or metal has to be practiced really loud. Frankly, I think a lot of bands substitute volume at rehearsal for actual chops and musicianship...

::Saint:: · #12 03-15-2007, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by invader3k

I don't understand the mentality that hard rock or metal has to be practiced really loud. Frankly, I think a lot of bands substitute volume at rehearsal for actual chops and musicianship...

Agreed -- my band tends to rehearse more quietly by default. The loud guys seem to be pretty solid musicians though ... I can't stand the stuff they play, but they play it well anyway..

Fishbrain · #13 03-19-2007, 11:02 AM

my band practices quite loud but only because our drummer hits everythin hard so we gotta play loud! our practice space is sorted out so that most of the time bands that practice in the day aren't in when bands who practice in the night are. there was one band whos time clashed with ours and they came down and knocked on our door, told us that our music was disturbing their practice and we all felt quite bad about it and now practice at a more reasonable volume =)