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Author Topic: Where do you practice at full volume  (Read 5119 times)

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Barry Spaul

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Where do you practice at full volume
« on: July 13, 2019, 09:08:32 PM »

Like most people in the UK I do most of my practice in a property adjoining another property. Out of consideration for my nice neighbours I usually practice at much reduced volume. This obviously means less bellows movement. To practice at full volume I go to a local largely disused church (with the church wardens permission). Does anyone else have an unlikely practice venue?

I noticed after 50 replies! That several people have got hung up on the “full volume” element of my question, perhaps I was a bit slack in my phraseology. I was not trying to imply that every note of every tune is screamed out, with dust flying out of every orifice of my poor box.Merely that increased volume implies different timing of bellows movement and possibly Button choice. I often play in church and like the congregation we enjoy getting really stuck into a rip roaring carol at Christmas like “Hark the Herald”  but “in the bleak mid winter” gets a gentler treatment. So some knowledge of full volume is therefore desirable.
« Last Edit: July 20, 2019, 11:14:05 AM by Barry Spaul »
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Eshed

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2019, 09:17:30 PM »

When I lived with flatmates I went to a nearby pedestrian tunnel a few times. The acoustics were quite nice and I was even offered coins once or twice :D
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Lester

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2019, 09:25:15 PM »

Whilst on hols last week spend a couple of days on Rhyl seafront playing tunes whilst the Sainted Mrs Bailey did her photography thing on the beach.

george garside

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2019, 09:41:19 PM »

in one semidetached house we had the only place I could play at full volume was in  the bathroom (sat on the bog) as there were 3 walls between it and next door.  At
times we had one musician on the bog and 3 sat on the rim of the bath!

I later discovered that playing at full volume was, in most circumstances, not needed  and that it interfered with delicate bellows control,, So when playing for morris I made sure the musician (s) were upwind of the dancers so the sound carried  to them.  When playing for ceilidhs in a large hall amplification takes care of the required volume and in sessions I play at a reasonably low volume  and if others decide to hijack and blast out a tune   with volume  beating musicality that's their problem not mine

george
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2019, 11:29:59 PM »

Throughtout most of my playing life, I've been fortunate in having understanding and tolerant neighbours or, as at present, living in a detached house. As my wife and I are both musicians, it was one of our priorites when we last moved house 14 years ago.

But in the past, the best place I ever had for practice was the compressor house at Cynheidre Colliery during the 1984-85 miners' strike, when I was doing methane/water safety cover at weekends. It had the acoustics of a cathedral and there was only me and Duke the pit pony in his adjoining stable to hear.

 
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Dick Rees

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2019, 03:25:24 AM »

We're moving to a new residence the first of the month.  I paid a quick visit to the nearest neighbors and warned them I'm an accordion player.  They said they'd introduce me to the other guy down the road who also played...
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2019, 08:37:54 AM »

Anywhere in my house!
Despite it being joined to another property, 2ft thick walls of Dartmoor's finest stone is a brilliant insulation against cold, hot weather.... and sound.
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Thrupenny Bit

I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

Squeaky Pete

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2019, 10:21:24 AM »

Usually in the spare room/office. It's a detached house but it's the most convenient place to scatter music and instruments around.
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2019, 10:27:23 AM »

I live in a detached cottage with walls almost 2ft deep, so no problem practicing at volume, if I want to. However...it has to be while my wife is out. Easier if a certain young spaniels is out as well, though. Dash insists on singing along with my melodeon.
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Greg Smith
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Winston Smith

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2019, 10:58:22 AM »

Do we really need to practice at full volume?
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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2019, 11:03:25 AM »

Do we really need to practice at full volume?


Yes, if nothing else it is useful to detect any reeds that are choking at high volume, not something you want to find out at a gig.

Steve C.

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2019, 12:37:29 PM »

1. Underneath the house in the utility space
2. Garage
3. Most stuffed up crowded closet with door shut (very flat acoustics, like  studio!)
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2019, 12:46:30 PM »

Greg, if outside in the garden, Maud my next door neighbour's terrier provides a perfect D drone howl accompniament   ;D
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Thrupenny Bit

I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

Peadar

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2019, 02:30:06 PM »

I live in a detached cottage with walls almost 2ft deep, so no problem practicing at volume, if I want to. However...it has to be while my wife is out. Easier if a certain young spaniels is out as well, though. Dash insists on singing along with my melodeon.
[/quote

Yet another reason not to own a spaniel! (They can't gather sheep to start with)
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Grumpy

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #14 on: July 14, 2019, 05:51:10 PM »

I'm lucky despite living in a semi next door is tolerant, at times they even keep time banging their heads on the adjoining wall.
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John MacKenzie (Cugiok)

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #15 on: July 14, 2019, 05:58:32 PM »

I too live in a detached house with thick stone walls, but I never play loudly. Only time I pump up the volume is when I am in a session, and that's only about 4 times a year, including Whitby.

SJ
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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #16 on: July 14, 2019, 06:12:32 PM »

Like Steve, we (as two musicians) deliberately chose a detached house for both current and previous residence. This one is Yorkshire stone and there's a garden between our house and the neighbour on one side, and no neighbour at all on the other side.
Music room is also a recording studio and has triple glazed windows that include one layer of laminated glass - pretty good for keeping sound both in and out!
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #17 on: July 14, 2019, 07:45:44 PM »

Greg, if outside in the garden, Maud my next door neighbour's terrier provides a perfect D drone howl accompniament   ;D

 ;D

I think I may leave his contributions in next time I record a TOTM.
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lefthandsqueezer

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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #18 on: July 14, 2019, 08:31:41 PM »

I practice anywhere in the house, the upstairs landing seems to have the best acoustics. I share the opinion of one of the above, why would you want to play at full volume? Music is much more interesting if you play with the dynamics, you know vary the volume. I really don't like some players who just pump out a tune as loudly as they can. I have had players do this in sessions when I'm leading the tune, annoying, and if I can't hear what I'm playing I will just as likely close the bellows and let them crack on.
I say play with finesse over volume any day of the week.
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Re: Where do you practice at full volume
« Reply #19 on: July 14, 2019, 08:37:34 PM »

I practice anywhere in the house, the upstairs landing seems to have the best acoustics. I share the opinion of one of the above, why would you want to play at full volume? Music is much more interesting if you play with the dynamics, you know vary the volume. I really don't like some players who just pump out a tune as loudly as they can. I have had players do this in sessions when I'm leading the tune, annoying, and if I can't hear what I'm playing I will just as likely close the bellows and let them crack on.
I say play with finesse over volume any day of the week.

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