Drumming In HDB how to deal with "noise"

[marcdadrummer]

this is what applied to me for the give and take...

afternoon, i bash my kit for about 1 hours plus...

at 3am, the neighbours open the windows and let the whole block listen to their baby cry all night...

so give and take mah.. aahahah

but i usually just sleep on it lah.. my drums beat the baby's crying by miles.

 

[tim098]

nah if im not wrong its called the "Sound Curfew" where u cant make too much noise in HDBs or public areas or something. I think it's from 10pm to 9am or something along those times. i THINK. heh

 

[Frummer]

1) double carpet below bass drum
2) i only drum around 12 - 6.30
3) i only play max around 1 hour
4) prac what u need to
5) play musically
6) close windows
7) tune drums well? ( i think a good sounding drumset wont irritate neighbours as much as weird sounding ones hahaha )
8) use lighter sticks or even perhaps the cool rods
9) i minimise my setup...use only wads necessary
10) try to imagine how its like in their shoes

yeap this is what i do...and no complains...coming 3 years...i live on the 3rd floor...=)

 

[reuben]

i got many complaints also..

try this.. it might help

maybe you can buy the foam from ranking and paste on your wall... when practicing.. close your doors curtains and windows

also try more layers of carpets...

 

[alvinthedrummer]

I used to live around retirees in Melbourne and they have ZERO tolerance for noise. I tried so many methods from sound-off pads to wire-mesh heads but all kills technique....

I found one excellent solution later tho:

Stuff up the drums with T-Shirts/dense cloth (although Tontine is the best but Singapore can't find) until almost touch the batter head. Pack bass drum to the max with dense cloth (if got comforter best cos they're usually packed with Tontine). Place a piece of thick rubber sheet on the floor and lay another layer of thick carpet on top. Sit the kit on this....best is to built a platform of course.

At least this way, you're hitting on skins and still can hear pitches...and you can use sticks!!

 

[weckl-x]

Just to note, I think it might be considered illegal if it gets out of hand. Just a matter of whether how far the complainant wants to push the matter.

MISCELLANEOUS OFFENCES (PUBLIC ORDER AND NUISANCE) ACT(CHAPTER 184)

Excessive noise
14. —(1) Any person who makes any noise by any instrument or other means in such a manner as to cause or be likely to cause annoyance or inconvenience to the occupier of any premises in the vicinity or to any person lawfully using any public road or in any public place shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000.

(2) Any police officer, on any complaint that any person in any premises or in any public place is making such noise as to cause annoyance or inconvenience to the complainant, may enter upon the premises or proceed to the public place and, after warning the person reasonably suspected of making the noise, stop the making of such noise whether by the removal of any instrument or object or in some other appropriate manner.

http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_vers...e.pl?&actno=Reved-184&date=latest&method=part

Of course, this is HDB's recommendation:

Measures for Handling Neighbour Disputes & Nuisance

Mediation Between Parties Concerned

Most neighbourly disputes can be effectively and amicably resolved. Both parties must be willing to communicate to sort out any differences and to find a mutually acceptable solution. Residents are encouraged to solve differences and disputes through personal mediation.

If personal mediation fails, the parties are strongly encouraged to seek mediation at a community mediation centre to resolve the dispute.

http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10209p...ng Neighbour Disputes & Nuisance?OpenDocument

 

[lepak]

haha, I guess its just ur luck . If u get neighbours who cant take "noise" . lol. They need to make HDB where Only musicains can live. I swear haha. And u can jam till 5pm. Haha they way we will all live in harmony! haha.

I also stay 3rd floor both me neighbours complain.


Deprived from drumming 4 days and counting.

 

[RudimentalDrummer]

Sometimes law is such...I am sure they won't set the precedent as to - "No Musical Instruments Are Allow To Be Played In Any HDB Flats".....Kekekeke - Cause It Makes Noise...

I've on many occassion - Police came. - all they say is - try to keep it down. Then they go off liao..This is small trivial matter to them lah -

HDB has it's law - - - but Law On Many Times Can Bent One lah - - - If HDB Officer gives The Black & White telling Drummer To stop drumming - This itself is a precedent and must be apply to all household...If not bring the letter to MP...he will settle it for you one lah.


Last time - when HDB issue me a Warning on Plants again (cause the Neighbours like all Singaporean - Die Die Must Win One- complain so many time to HDB again and again) I think they really want me to dispose my Orchids.........Kekekeke I went to scout around my area, shoot pictures of many many neighbours who have plants at their Balcony some of which is place dangerously can fall-off type - But of course mine is all got licence from Government one..permit to place plant here and there....I then shoot up to the Officer Boss - - questioning - Are they vitimising me...ok lor - I sent this to the MP - maybe you guys are going to get hell - because you're not doing the job lah....

Wah next day - 5 Officer and the Boss came down - speak to me, apologise saying - because my that one particular neighbour complain...no one complain they dont care, if someone complain then they have to see to it...Whahahaha ! - Like that means - They are not doing their job lah...I took out recorder - saying - say that one more time can ...."If someone complain then you issue warning note, if not you dont bother - so that's doing your job" - - just like what Weckl put up - which is true.

They keep quite - - say ok lah - we close one eyes lah - these neighbours of yours are terrible always giving us problem - case closed.

To quote another example - -

A HDB Officer did not approved a plan during my friends Home rennovation for knocking down a certain wall - - - I managed to know a house nearby his home (doing the same renovation - knocking down a wall at the same side - in fact the plan was the same who got approved by the same Officer In charge) - - - I help my friend call this officer - give the Names of the Household, the Unit Number, the Block Number asking - Why Is this Plan Approved by you here then...The Officer met us up - sign all the Rennovation plan - approved everything - Do you know why? - Because if he already made a mistake approving a unit and he doesn't approved my friend's unit - and this thing goes up - He will get a sack for sure .. so you see he cannot cover his own mistake - It means, they have to be very careful too when they say no - - No means everyone also No - and no exception or special priviledge to anyone - No Drumming for instance is apply to all at large not a particular family only.... The Law cannot be "If people Complain then it's noise , if people dont complain then it's not noise" - - - Noise is Noise whether or not people complain - it's very subjective here.

As long as a person dont like it (it's call noise) right. so anything can be term Noise...and is thus vague.

 

[RudimentalDrummer]

This a very funny thing that happens to my both Neighbours when I was young. I remember one neighbour telling my another neighbour that Her children are very noisy please tell them to lower their volume, and the other neighbour told her back - "You want peaceful and quite can why not - You move to stay in Kong-Min Sua lor and stay lah - down there very very quite one. (a place I guess they bury the dead) - The 2 woman fought until their husband came out ... hahaha - I was 15 years old then.

 

[lepak]

haha , I got the HDB letter to call up some officer but they did not tell me to stop they told me some solutions haha

 

[OhamtaroO]

lepak : that musical hdb flat would be potentially dangerous! what if the neighbours are people who hate other kinds of genres! xD

 

[marcdadrummer]

just play lah.. no need to deal with what the hdp crap officer wanna say... when ur still young and alive, just play to your heart's content...

but controlled playing lagi bagus lah

 

[weckl-x]

Man, a hdb musical enclave. That would absolutely rock. I'm sure musicians won't mind paying a little more to have their flats contain sound better. Better than moving in already and doing it yourself. Reduced leaks, together with increased tolerance/understanding for other fellow musos... it's a winner! An award to lepak please!

 

[lepak]

haha ya man, the building will prob have high maintance fee's . Or they should come with a soundproff room haha.

 

[ioaka]

i've gotten complains.. so sumtimes i just go to the nearest studio and jam by myself for an hour or so.. costs abit, but there no one complain right? =P

 

[stravinsky]

next time, just plant some mosquitoe lava eggs at his door near there lor. then you bash on your drums untill he cannot tong then he call polis. polis come. you just tell them say. 9-5 can drum mah. then when they leaving tell them to check out those lavas on their way out. then your neighour ho seh liao lor. give him enjoy one nice one. LoL

 

[Stickman]

So cunning ah you.

 

[lepak]

hahha. lava eggs. Like that later bad karma.. haha

 

[DullTheater]

my utmost salutations to mr ERIC!!!!!

 

[RudimentalDrummer]

Bro DT & Everyone Here Who Is A Drummer:-

Yes we have to be considerate, there must be give & take with our Neighbours (We must all remember that) - But also remember - If a neighbour is very insisting type and they always complain whenever you Drum - Then there is no Give and take from them.

As a Drummer, as Member of Soft's (It's Music In Singapore) sharing the same Drumming Hobby here - - Which Drummer Will Say To Another Drumming Bro/Sis - - - Please Stop Drumming? Practice Less If You Could? You Would Have To Loose Your Right Because You'Re A Drummer - Change To Guitar, Paino or Violin instead..... though we all as I've mentioned above does really have to spare a thought for our neighbours at time ..... BUt it has to be Both-Ways...not one-way since you own that right .... "Your Home Is Your Castle"

DXS Promotes and Inspire Drumming among bros/Sis here - not demotivates or take away a person/drummer rights when it's there - just abide by the law and compromise with our neighbours.....

Try to talk nicely making your neighbours understand and come to terms with you (cause cannot blame them too - many neighbours did not know that too that you are allow to drum from 9am to 11pm - but dont drum start or stop at that time - it's better 11am (when they are all awake to 9pm (time to sleep) then stop --- limit ourself here, spare a little thought for them also - knowing that we have done our part - - - unless neighbours are very unreasonable and very demanding insisting and rude - then yo ought to tell them your rights here (take out your card too) - If they don't believe tell them to call the Police now...and trust me ... you do have your right here ... but that's the last thing you wanna do - is to sour a relationship with a neighbour.... can prevent we prevent....unless hehehe you wanna tackle her daughter/son him or her --- (no choice but give in to unreasonableness and give up your rights)...so true right?

Carry on Drumming Heartily and the best way is " your Neighbour, You and everybody is Happy"....just try....and Don't give Up Drumming due to this.

Got Big Problem On This - Post Here - Shout For Help ! .... Sure Drummers comes out as we are all equally interested to know where we stand on our rights to drum.