<p>Does anyone have any experience with simple approaches to soundproofing/noise reduction?</p>
<p>S is a drummer and we have a new neighbor. S does most of his practice at other locations with the wind symphony/jazz band/rock bands in which he participates. However, he does do some practice at home. We have a new neighbor whose exterior wall (with windows) is about 25-30’ downstream from S’ wall. S also got a new drum set recently with a “deeper” ( and thus louder) sound, which has really raised the issue.</p>
<p>The wall in S’s room which is closest to the neighbor is probably about 20’ long and includes one 6’ sliding door and one 4’ ± window. These currently have vertical blinds/pleated shades on them.</p>
<p>I am trying to avoid construction due to incompetence, cost and reduction in value of the house. I’m thinking along the lines of a heavy curtain of some material which could be pulled open and closed along a rod installed at ceiling height. Hoping it would reduce noise when needed, but be able to be opened for normal light, use of windows and doors.</p>
<p>I’ve thought of “tacking” egg-crate type foam up on the walls, but that wouldn’t address the window and door openings which probably create most of the problem.</p>
<p>Anyone faced and solved a similar situation? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I remember listening to “From the Top” (radio program of young classical musicians), and one performer said his dad completely covered the walls with mattresses because he couldn’t stand the noise. Probably a little extreme…</p>
<p>Engineer husband says your egg-crate idea is probably most effective, but the pits in terms of decorating, and that you would (as you said) have to cover the windows. He said drums are problem because of low frequency – normal stuff doesn’t work as well. But anything on walls will help. Such as carpet. Or rubber. In addition to covering the walls, he suggests heavy curtains with rubber lining for windows. Said for low frequency, density is important.</p>
<p>H says as an added note, if you completely deaden your son’s room, you’ll help save his ears from hearing loss, too.</p>
<p>Thank you, binx. S does wear sound-deadening headphones when practicing. He is quite religious about it. Someone tipped us off to this when he was 11, so we hope he’s preserving his hearing. Of course, he doesn’t wear them when performing or when practicing with symphony or jazz bands.</p>
<p>I was also thinking of offering to buy the neighbors some Bose headphone radio type things. Does your H know about that idea?</p>
<p>We have a friend who uses the Bose headphones when flying – only way he can sleep. Seems like I wouldn’t like that option if I were the neighbors, as it would interfere with things like conversation, TV, phone use, etc. And I hate to wear things on my head. (I pull my glasses off as soon as I’m out of the car.)</p>
<p>Have your neighbors actually complained, or are you just trying to be proactive? Here in Germany, when a neighbor doesn’t like something you are doing, they just sue you. They don’t even talk to you about it. You don’t know there was a problem until the police show up or you get a letter from their lawyer. It would be funny if it weren’t so sad. (We have been fortunate to have good neighbors here, though.)</p>
<p>Of course, there’s timing, too. If your son can avoid late-night practicing, (or baby nap-times), that might help. Practice when they’re at work, or out mowing the lawn.</p>
<p>My son got a set of “Sound Off” rubber sound deadening pads for his drums early on, when I was concerned about not annoying the neighbors. They really do ramp down the decibels considerably while still leaving room for sound for the musician. My brother (a drummer for 35 years) told me that these work and are good for the wrists, in that they provide a bounce-back action like the old practice pads: even in his own basement in a private house with no neighbors, he uses them on one of his (9…) drumkits for practice. Some young drummers don’t like them, but my bro insists they’re a good investment.</p>
<p>I’ve also told my son he needs to stop at 9:30pm but before that time I’m not too concerned.</p>
<p>Good luck with finding something that you’re all happy with!</p>
<p>(EDIT: I thought it might be worthwhile to add that the Sound Off pads even include little rubber mats that fit onto the cymbals so you can smash but not make everyone’s head shake. It’s really quite a difference when he plays with them on.)</p>
<p>I would strongly suggest that you do not use flammable “egg crate” soundproofing on your walls. It is extremely flammable and if ignited burns very rapidly and produces highly toxic smoke. It was one of the factors that contributed to a rapidly spreading fire at the Station Night Club in RI, that killed 100 people. Here is a link with details about the fire:</p>
<p>As a firefighter with over 30 years on the job I can tell you that most people do not concern themselves with fire safety as much as they should. The prevailing attitude is that “it will never happen to me.” The same holds true when parents visit colleges. Everyone is very concerned about security phones and locked dorms etc., but does anyone ever ask if the dorms are equipped with fire sprinklers? Think about it, lots of kids who may be impaired by alcohol or drugs crammed into a building with lots of small refrigerators, microwaves, fans, heaters, hair driers, extension cords with flammable decorations on the walls. The potential is obvious. Here are some interesting links on the subject:</p>
<p>I’ve got a huge drumset, 24" bass drum, and I play everything from jazz to heavy metal, daily. I also live in a small town in New England, with houses at similar distances away ;). It really is not that loud, so as long as it is played during reasonable hours, it should be fine, unless you have some psycho neighbors who complain at the drop of a pin. I have those sound-off pads, they’re ok, but nothing like playing on the regular kit, you cannot approximate the bounce or reach higher stroke speeds and dynamic ranges.</p>
<p>Ah, does this bring back memories…my younger brother played the drums when we were in high school…and we lived in a townhouse with a shared common wall with our neighbors. On top of that, we lived in a HOT! HUMID! city and neither we nor our neighbors had air-conditioning, so we had to keep the windows open in the summer or everyone would melt.</p>
<p>Solutions: practice when they weren’t home! Also practice using something he called “practice pads” when they were home.</p>
<p>Writer/educator John Holt (in his wonderful book “Never too late”) talks extensively about all the things he tried when he was playing the cello in his Boston apartment. Eventually he took a part-time job in a nearby private school motivated largely by his desire to find a practice space (he was given a key to the school and allowed to come in early to practice before school.)</p>
<p>Is there any possibility your son could work out some kind of barter arrangement that would give him access to a place to practice where he wouldn’t be disturbing anybody? (Like maybe caretaking/petsitting/plantwatering for traveling friends away for the summer who have an isolated house with no nearby neighbors? )</p>
<p>Thanks for the help. S already limits his times to “reasonable” - not early, not late. Unfortunately, neighbor is retired and home a lot. I asked him for suggested times that would be good for him and din’t get anywhere. Yes, he has complained and I don’t think his complaint is totally unreasonable, but he really isn’t “working with us here.”</p>
<p>Thanks, especially 1075. I saw your posts re egg crates on beds and didn’t make the connection for walls - duh!</p>
<p>I think I’ll try the Sound Off pads - even if he doesn’t get the “full” effect of his practicing. I think we owe it to the neighbors.</p>
<p>jmmom, what type of head phones does your s wear? My s plays electric guitar and when he plays with a friend with drums he complains of his ears ringing. He is fine on his own and when he plays with a band at the performing arts center, but in his friends room with no accoustic modifications, he plays louder to be heard over the drums. Thanks</p>
<p>How about cork on the walls (looks nicer than carpet or egg crates LOL) and those heavy, hotel like curtains on the window and sliding door (the ones with the rubber like lining…black out I think they are called?) that need only be closed when practicing.
Who knows, the kid might like the look anyway…they like the cave-vampire dark during the day look!</p>
<p>Good ideas, cathymee. Your “hotel” idea will help me google to find possibilities, I think. And cork would be good, too, maybe.</p>
<p>suzinfla - I don’t think they’re anything special. Will go in his room and check when he wakes up ;). They are the same ones H used when running a chainsaw/leaf blower, etc. Got them a hardware-type store.</p>
<p>I’m an audiologist and I live with two drummers, my husband and my 15 yo son. Our drums are in the basement so we are very lucky. My husband used to put a blanket in the bottom of his bass drum when he lived at his mother’s house - that’s his tip <g>. However, being an audiologist, when my younger son started to play the drums I insisted that he have a second set of drums - Roland’s electric drums (yeah, I know, they are not cool) -because ear protectors do not necessarily reduce the sound level of the drums below the potential for damage. Yes, Roland’s are expensive - I believe we spent $3000. And, yes, they don’t sound or feel exactly the same - but, they have been very useful for both of them although they prefer the “real drums” for playing out. </g></p>
<p>I recently took a noise course geared to industrial noise and imporving classroom acoustics. I have to agree with the fireman - anything put up to absorb sound has to be rated for fire safety. Plus, it should be rated for it’s sound absorption coefficient - no point putting up something with a low absorption coefficient. If you could construct, it seems that a second wall with air between the two would be a great way to reduce the transmission of sound to the outside. But, you might want to consider some wall boards that go up like paneling or sheetrock - they are made by acoustics companies. I recently looked at some that felt like corduroy. It would be like paneling one wall.</p>
<p>Where are the drums located - you could start by moving them as far away from the wall facing your neighbor as possible and locating the sound out in the opposite direction. Sound decreases fairly quickly by distance, some frequencies more than others, so consider relocation of the instruments. What is in the room - are there a lot of reflective surfaces? Is there carpeting? Carpeting can make a big difference. The more you cover the surface of the offending wall, the greater you will decrease the reverberation and sound transfer. There are many acoustical products outthere, some of which don’t look so bad! I recently looked at wall panels that had a corduroy appearance and very high sound absorption coefficient. There is a formula for calculating the reduction of reverberation or the amount of absorption by looking at the spaces (volume) that have been covered and by what, presuming it has been measured. Basically, covering your largest areas gives you the greatest effect - carpeting on floor and large quilts or full acoustic panels on the walls</p>
<p>That said, people tolerate impulse noise far less well than they tolerate something they can hum. Drums fall into this category. Even if you decrease the transfer of energy by 50% your neighbor may still complain of the offending quality. In this case, you may actually some things on your side. Both the EPA and the WHO (World Health Org) offer standards for sound level, over specific parts of the day. As meaured from yoru neighbor’s propertly line, for example, if the sound falls betow 55dBA during the day or beow 45dBA, it may not be a problem (these are example figures - don’t have my books here). You might want to check your town regulations for noise - most are quite vague. Although you don’t want to anger your neighbor, there are probably times of the day when the noise falls within limits.</p>
<p>BTW, I just wanted to add - drums create significant potential for noise induced hearing loss. At least get the custom ear protectors and reduce volume/length of expsoure as much as possible. Ringing in the ear is a sign of damage. Although early damage may show recovery, over the years, the recovery does not recur.</p>
They don’t even talk to you about it. You don’t know there was a problem until the police show up or you get a letter from their lawyer. It would be funny if it weren’t so sad. (We have been fortunate to have good neighbors here, though.)</p>