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Average db of a band playing in a garage

M

MetalHead84

Feb 2, 2011
18
0
#1
I want to know what will be the average dB of a band playing in a garage, it's not fully isolate but it cut the sound a lot when we are outside the garage. In our town the law say that between 7AM and 10PM the limit for a steady sound if 55db and in the night it's 50db
The house is about 20 feets from the garage and with the windows open we barely hear the drum or bass.

If I ask that it's because in we had the visits of cops 2 times in 3 weeks because of neighboor calling them because of "excessive" noises.
And what make me laugh about that, is that both time they came here at around 3PM in the afternoon, like if we are disturbing a lot of people at that time of the day.
From what they say, we are playing often and for long period of time, but me I'm playing mostly on weekend (we never had problem on weekend) since I'm working, and my friend is playing around 10-15 minutes 2 or 3 times a day between 12PM and 4PM, I think we have played one time after 8PM.

The worse thing is that last saturday evening me and my girlfriend were outside and we were hearing a drum playing 3-4 houses from ours, so perhaps the neighbor that doesn't like "noise" s not able to judge from where the sound is coming and he always think that it's frommy place... and the cops this afternoon said the only have our adress so that's why the immediatly came here even if it can be from another house.

So what do you think of that? I know for sure that we won't stop playing because of one stupid neighbor that doesn't have the guts to at least come here talk about it, and I will perhaps try to get a db meter and see what the sound is like from outside the garage
 
#3
We already play with the windows/door closed
Like I said, from outside the garage we hear the drum, but not that much.
We went in one of our neighbors driveway (my friend know them, and they are the closest from my garage) and we almost don't hear the drum and I was banging it like crazy.
The only thing I can see, it's the back neighbor which have his garage about 10-20 feet from mine, and perhaps he's doing stuff in his garage and he hear us, and I know the person who was living here before me, already had problem with that neighbor.
 
#12
CnB77 said:
A mower is much louder than 50dB right up next to it, but not from down the block.

The problem is that you need to define where the 50dB is being measured from.
Click to expand...

According to the law file I have found on my town website, it should be measure at the limit of my property.

And yes a mower is way louder then my friend's drum or my bass, we barely hear it inside our house with the windows open, but I was able to clearly hear the mower of someone who leave's across the street and 2 houses away from me with the window of the kitchen open
 
#13
Ewo said:
I guess you could get a sound level meter, and measure for yourself.

Amazon's got some, like this one.
Click to expand...

Will need to find one, but the ones I see on the internet are a bit expensive for that.. I might just wait for another visits from the cops and ask them a proof that we are making that much noise.
The first cop to came hear said there's was no law about noise, it's just for respect between neighbor, and we were playing when he show up, and he said it was a decent noise level for daytime
 
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#17
MetalHead84 said:
Is it possible to measure the db with the specs of my bass amplifier ?
I have a fender rumble 100, and I have the volume set around 1/3 of the maximum.
Click to expand...

No. Not with any degree of accuracy.

Best bet is to obtain a dB meter. Find out what the SPL limits for your area, and have someone monitor you while you play. If you are under the limits, then you have the means to prove to any responding officer that you are within compliance of the civic ordinance regarding SPLs (if any). At that time the officer can(should) contact the person who's complaining and explain you are within compliance. The hassling should stop at that point.
 

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