So, my neighbor is angry...

[two fingers]

Find out what the laws regarding such situations are, there should be no issue if you're playing for a couple of hours at that volume around that time.

In several towns around here the law is if they (law enfircement) can hear it from the street they can shut it down.

Where I grew up the law is three complaints. If three different phone numbers call to complain, you are shut down, no matter what time of day it is. It can be a Saturday afternoon pool party. Doesn't matter.

 

[Aberdumbie]

Different sort of scenario.... We bought our home five years ago in a nice neighborhood. I had trucks coming and going with all sorts of deliveries. My across the street neighbor had a perfectly groomed golf course of a lawn and one of the delivery truck cut through it leaving ugly tracks through his beautiful lawn. Never met the fellow and he came over red faced and hot about it. I went down to the liquor store and bought a nice bottle of wine, came knocked on his door. He was red faced with embarrassment when he saw I came with a peace offering. He and I have been the best of friends since. So yeah I second the free booze peace offering suggestion.

 

[Lobster11]

The first thing to do is to go talk to the neighbor again, in the morning or early afternoon, at a time when you aren't (and haven't recently been) playing. This way you can catch him at a time when isn't furious at you and (hopefully) isn't drunk. Offer another apology for "the other day," and then see if you can have a reasonable, adult conversation about it. Maybe you can work something out around his schedule so that you can practice when he isn't home, for example, or come up with some kind of arrangement you both can live with. I wouldn't be too optimistic about this working, but it's certainly worth a try.

Otherwise, I'm afraid you're going to have to find another place to practice, even if you have to rent rehearsal space somewhere.

 

[blastbass]

In several towns around here the law is if they (law enfircement) can hear it from the street they can shut it down.

Where I grew up the law is three complaints. If three different phone numbers call to complain, you are shut down, no matter what time of day it is. It can be a Saturday afternoon pool party. Doesn't matter.

Out here it's pretty much 10am to 6pm do anything within the db limits and after that one has to stop or lower the volume or soundproof. The society you live in can take an objection though and it can get nasty. Mostly anything goes because the laws are not enforced effectively enough.. but that's another topic.

 

[two fingers]

The first thing to do is to go talk to the neighbor again, in the morning or early afternoon, at a time when you aren't (and haven't recently been) playing. This way you can catch him at a time when isn't furious at you and (hopefully) isn't drunk. Offer another apology for "the other day," and then see if you can have a reasonable, adult conversation about it. Maybe you can work something out around his schedule so that you can practice when he isn't home, for example, or come up with some kind of arrangement you both can live with. I wouldn't be too optimistic about this working, but it's certainly worth a try.

Otherwise, I'm afraid you're going to have to find another place to practice, even if you have to rent rehearsal space somewhere.

Not very fun but a really good proposal. It is the most likely scenario to work this out.

Sure, it would be more fun to try to split his house in half with total band awesomeness. But talking it out and checking with local law enforcement to find out what your options are would be a practical plan.

 

[RoadRanger]

Kindof funny - one of my bands rehearses in the BL's first floor apartment in a small city 15 minutes north of me. It's loud enough that we ALL wear earplugs. The BL's been doing this for a couple years 6PM - 8PM a couple times a week on weekdays. At my suggestion we are now trying to do 2PM - 5PM Wednesdays as it's on the way to another of my rehearsals at 6PM 20 minutes further north, so far so good. New tenant just moved in upstairs though...

 

[buldog5151bass]

I would speak with the local PO, and also ask them for the statute so you can have it with you to show the neighbor.

 

[Nev375]

Turn the bass frequencies all the way down on your amp. Guitar amp too.

Or get an ABG and you and your guitarist go unplugged.

Fold a heavy sock over the kick drum pedal beater... several layers thick. Get your drummer to use brushes and play real super light.


You should be able to move up to the living room doing that and not bother him.

 

[KickingBass]

I was practicing with my band in my living room during the day recently and someone rang the doorbell. It was a little girl telling me that we were scaring her little sister across the street and a few houses down. I was pretty beat as to what to tell her. Sorry? What I should've asked her is where on earth are your parents?

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Never underestimate the power of free booze. As Homer says....It's the cause of and solution to all of life's problems.

Good luck with this one.....

This Homer?
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Or This Homer?

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I had the pleasure of such a jerk totally loosing it once. Several years ago I was with a band where all the members belonged to my church. The KoC hall was on the property and had originally been a farm. The barn had been converted to a place where concerts and shows could be done with a nice stage. We practiced there. The nearest residences were a subdivision about 1000 yeads across an open field. All the doors were closed. We had bass, drums, and two guitars and we did play a bit loud, but not enough to bother anyone that far away, we thought.
Once evening, probably around 8 PM, a guy comes through the back door on to the stage. Now, had he been polite and reasonable, it may have gone differently, but he was pretty much like the OP described. He was ranting and raving and flailing his arms like a drowning victim and telling how he couldn't even hear CSI on the television. His last statement was, "Why do you guys have to play so loud?"
At that point, I couldn't help myself. I said, "Because we like it that way."
I thought he was going to explode and keel over. Unfortunately, he didn't.

 

[Sweet Willie]

I thought the suggestion about trying to catch your neighbor when he's not sauced and learn a bit more that might help you two reach some kind of reasonable compromise was a good one.

Also check into some minor soundproofing.

This is not a bad idea, especially if you have a chance to have a sober conversation with your neighbor. We don't know how your basement is outfitted currently, but sometimes even bookshelves with books at varying differences from the shelf edge can help.

That said, as others have pointed out, bass freqs are tough to tamp down.

 

[SirMjac28]

If he was intoxicated he may be in a different mind set if you go back over and apologize and remember your wife may have a higher tolerance for your music than the neighbors and the fact that he heard it at all should be an indicator that it might have been a little louder than you think? I see you're in Wisconsin so I'm sure it's still cold enough to have the windows closed? I would get a handle on it before summer gets here.

 

[samson3382]

Whatever you do keep it as civil as possible.
I had to move because of a neighbor calling the cops on me. (Retired single woman with a son in high school)

Even though they stopped coming when she called, (I spoke to them, they basically confirmed she's crazy, it was over stuff like my kids playing in the backyard) we were worried she'd do something worse out of frustration.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I have a crack head neighbor who does the same kind of crap. I play lower, and/or ignore him.

 

[corndog]

Notes on the lower end of the spectrum can be heard at greater distances and even amplified by objects that they are passing though.

This, even though the volume is low, the bass will travel. Didn't he say " boom boom boom"?

Touchy situation though. it may take a while, but try to restore a bit of the good neighbor thing. be friendly and go have a beer with the guy when he is in a good mood and sober and have a chat. Don't bring up the music. He's retired, ask him what he did for a living. Build some rapport with the guy. Maybe he plays pool a few nights a week, that's a time to get the boys together to jam.

 

[Deezer Butler]

The local ordinance says no noise can be audible at the property line between the hours of 10pm and 7am. This includes but is not limited to musical instruments or loudspeakers. I think that covers me legally but I still have to deal with a cranky neighbor. Bummer...

In my area of the world, the noise ordinance starts at 9pm. However, if the police get 1 call/complaint at ANY time.... they shut you down. And when they shut you down once, they drive by your house randomly for months.
You can be watching football on Thanksgiving day, your tv will be a little loud, and your jerky neighbor calls the cops at 4pm and your screwed.
A lot of bands either spend A FORTUNE on soundproofing their basement/garage or rent rehearsal rooms.

 

[wizerd]

Try working this out with your neighbor when he is SOBER. Talk to the other folks on the block too. The times and volumes you have described seem reasonable to me, but I'm biased. Maybe get someone to go outside with a dB meter and a recorder and compare your playing with other background or traffic noise, and definitely look up the noise ordinance for your area. Maybe try playing a few of his favorite tunes too. Good luck.

 

[Doner Designs]

I have been that neighbor at times (minus the drunk part and hopefully a little nicer). People have a right to peace and quiet inside their homes. I think it's ok if there is noise in the yard but once inside with windows shut it should be quiet. We all love music here, but honestly do you want to hear other people's music at times of their choosing? I would find a jackhammer or chainsaw less annoying.

Having said that, if you were in your BASEMENT, how on earth could the neighbors hear it? I assume you had windows and doors shut. If not, that might be all you need to do. Maybe you could also cover the window wells (if its a regular basement) with foam. If it's an exposed walk-out basement you probably have no solution other than renting a practice space somewhere else.

 

[Callused Finger]

Next time he complains mow your lawn.