shelly0312 Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Hmm....the husband doesn't mind but the 22 year old son says he feels the concertina sound in every bone in his body. He says it's my way of encouraging him to move out. ...you may have just found a way to make your million???--but be quick about it before some other member begins "Recordings to Chase the Youth". back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Does it not occur to any of you to simply play the instrument quietly ? I am sure it does but some instruments only have one volume. Although a good concertina will have a good dynamic range some of the poorer variety can only be uesd within a very small " power band". Other instruments definately have one volume... on days like this with Winter snow on the ground my wife likes to practice her Bagpipes, all day, in the kitchen..... well, perhaps not ALL day but sometimes it feels like that. Now don't get me wrong, we are a musician tolerant household... she's in the kitchen.. I shut three doors between us and play my concertina sitting on the toilet at the other end of the house.Luckily my Kids were scared away years ago. An instrument, even one played quietly, by someone who is learning a new tune can be highly annoying. The first year when my wife decided to learn to play the fiddle... Oh I remember that well, living in a cottage 16 feet wide and 40 feet long .... An old friend who had played the Scottish bagpipes all his life, and he was a fair player too, decided one day to take up the Violin.... now he was a wee bit deaf, perhaps from playing the bagpipes all those years, but it was just two weeks after he started scratching and screeching that the 'FOR SALE' notice appeared on the next door house! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Stein Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I have a small space in our office library where I dedicate to my practice. It is on the 3rd level of our home and if I shut the doors it seems people downstairs hear my playing less. Currently my son is back in a graduate program at Georgetown and living at home for the year. He wears ear plugs as the slightest bit of noise bothers him while he studies. But there has always been music played in my home from my EC to my sons percussion and our assorted bands and groups practicing. We have always encouraged it since its better than TV or video games. Why not just enjoy? rss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tradewinds Ted Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) Does it not occur to any of you to simply play the instrument quietly ? I thought I could do this, and of course it helps for a bit, but it has been explained QUITE CLEARLY that even when I play "quietly" and am at the far end of the house, with two closed doors between, the sound of the concertina still manages to pierce through. Same issue with other instruments actually, but free reeds create overtones that seem to penetrate through the walls a bit more. Also, the concertina is always quieter for the player than for the people sitting to either side, which is a bit different from some other instruments. Edited January 22, 2013 by Tradewinds Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael sam wild Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) She loves the music but it's the repetition of tricky phrases when I go for the 10,000 hours practice. Letting my mind range free I looked at my iphone which has a sleeve made of rubber or silicon. Its buttons stick out of holes so I wondered if I could get a similar thing 3D printed to slip over the ends and hand rails and buttons and deaden the sound and still be easily removed. Or cut one out of a sheet of rubber. I don't want one inside and more permanent. Has anyone tried one like that in some material? I suppose it could still breath through any gaps. A sheet of graphene would be nice! Edited January 22, 2013 by michael sam wild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) There is a practice Bag that can be purchased for Saxaphones.... I'm sure it would not take much effort to sew up a bag from insulated cloth and as you say Michael, have some flexible sleeves for your hand entries.. a zip with a sound flap.. ... something like a change bag for keeping light off unexposed film whilst you manipulate it into a developing tank... oh the wonders of modern science... and we don't have to do that anymore! Edited January 22, 2013 by Geoff Wooff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinningwoman Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 I am resurrecting this thread on almost its anniversary to say that I am the vicar of seven little country churches, all of which are open from dawn to dusk and have wonderful acoustics, though sadly not much in the way of heating on days with no services planned. People often ask to come in and play the organ or piano, and I see no reason why we wouldn't be delighted to have other musicians come and enjoy the space. I always sing in empty churches - it makes me feel amazing! A small donation or better still an offer to play sometimes would guarantee a welcome in most churches, I would think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Great that it works for you! I don't believe I would be welcome in any of the churches around here... but nevertheless, "where to practise" is in fact not only about not molesting other people but about inspiring acoustics as well. For me the sitting on the step on top of our house's stairway has turned out to be the place to play (and record as well) - walls very close to the right and to the left - I simply love the sound mirrored back to me there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Crabb Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 I am resurrecting this thread on almost its anniversary to say that I am the vicar of seven little country churches, all of which are open from dawn to dusk and have wonderful acoustics, though sadly not much in the way of heating on days with no services planned. People often ask to come in and play the organ or piano, and I see no reason why we wouldn't be delighted to have other musicians come and enjoy the space. I always sing in empty churches - it makes me feel amazing! A small donation or better still an offer to play sometimes would guarantee a welcome in most churches, I would think! Churches can be good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrHXFHP_QVk Geoffrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Play very quietly. No problem with my instrument. The tone is all the sweeter and no disturbance to others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex West Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Spinningwoman - so where are your churches? Depending on where you are I may know nsome people who'd love to take you up on your offer Alex West Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinningwoman Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Just outside Exeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zak vdV Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 This was not too far away.............http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U_iq2jqZfg&feature=youtu.be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinningwoman Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Well, my point was a more general one, really - practically every village in England has a church with wonderful acoustics, and most village churches are open and not heavily used on weekdays. Obviously I can't speak for other parishes, but I would think it would be very likely that a lot of them would be happy to have musicians practicing. Heating and loos might not be ideal, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry McGee Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Churches sounds good for those who have them (not so common here in the colonies!). Might be wise to get a letter of authority from the Vicar to keep in the concertina case in case a concerned parishioner alerts an overzealous constable. But it does sound like there is a need (and therefore a market!) for a concertina mute for those forced to practice indoors, especially in apartments. A single bag, like the saxophone practice bag Geoff mentions above, might be a bit constraining for a concertina, weighing down the bellows action. But what about two gauntlets that go over the wrists after being attached around the ends of the concertina with elastic. They'd need to hold enough air so as not to starve the bellows at full extension. A heavy fabric (thick felt or leather?) should take enough "edge" off the sound to reduce exposure to innocent bystanders to within W.H.O. Recommended Maximum Daily Limits. [Exhausted with the efforts of conception, he slumped back. Surely, he thought, somebody else can do the development, now that I've "thrown down the gauntlet".] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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