Playing the fiddle in an appartment

Oink

Hey folks,

I need help some advice please. I was in Charles Byrne Musik Instrumente last week, and realised with horror that I can't play the violin. Not a single note. Madness, I tell you.:eek:

Anyhoo, I'm going to buy a fiddle that I really can't afford (+lessons in Waltons), and I was wondering if you have any advice on playing in an appartment please? They showed me a rubber yokie you put on the bridge to mute it, but I don't know how efficient it is?

Have you ever used one? How good are they? Would it be realistic for me to play the fiddle in an appartment (at reasonable hours) if I have the damper on? My neighbours are decent folks so I have no reason to annoy them.

Thanks!

tomcollins97

Constant music/noise coming through walls at any time of day is extremely annoying. Also, hours that are 'reasonable' to, may not be reasonable to neighbours.

Ask yourself this, would it bother you if you neighbour was learning an instrumant and you could hear it through the walls?

stephenshields2

Everybody has to learn sometime.

Its legal to do whatever you want in your own house between the hours of 8am and 10pm, so go mad with the fiddle mate!!

tomcollins97

It may be legal but if the walls are thin it could be considered inconsiderate.

But, if you really want to learn and aren't best buddies with your neighbours you may as well go ahead

Oink

tomcollins97 wrote: »

Ask yourself this, would it bother you if you neighbour was learning an instrumant and you could hear it through the walls?

I must have been something right so far as I've never had a complaint from a neighbour my whole life. And I'm trying to keep it at that, hence the question. Thanks for the input though.

But back to the point, does anybody have actual experience of practicing with a damper (or whatever it's called), or of working around the issue somehow?

Thanks!

EDIT: Thanks Stephen. The thing is,I could just keep it legal and screw the neighbours, but I would like to try and keep noise down to a non-annoying level.

TheBandit

Get youself a violin mute

http://www.fiddleaustralia.com/images/ebony_violin.jpg

It does quite a bit to reduce the sound, this paired with walls should do enough so your neighbours can't really hear it.

Also i would advise against Waltons lessons, i would get private lessons as you learn a lot more and the whole lesson is focused on you. They're not too expensive either

PaulieBoy

TheBandit wrote: »

Also i would advise against Waltons lessons, i would get private lessons as you learn a lot more and the whole lesson is focused on you. They're not too expensive either

Waltons do private lessons, and they are quite good.
So do try restrict yourself to giving advice on that which you know about!

Oink

Thanks guys.

Unfortunately I forgot to leave my credit card at home, so looks like i might buy it this evening. and .

TheBandit

PaulieBoy wrote: »

Waltons do private lessons, and they are quite good.
So do try restrict yourself to giving advice on that which you know about!

Someone is obviously a big fan of Waltons. I wasn't aware waltons did private lesson but the point was to avoid group lessons, i don't think there is a need to mount the high horse all the same

Strings.ie

This is not the place to push your wares. Do it again and your access from this forum will be removed.

-feylya

Oink

I got me a fiddle and a mute and fiddlin lessons, and I'm all happy and broke .

Thanks for the advice everybody.

Mods, methinks 'tis time to lock this thread. Cheers.