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I joined PW last year and although I don't post often, I read it everyday and always am impressed with the answers and opinions. I have a serious problem. In a short version, my partner of 36 years bought me a Yamaha Grand Piano. I had played the harp for 40 years professionally and had to retire for physical reasons. Missing music was a major problem in my life. Since I had started as a piano performance major at Oberlin, I decided to try my hand at the piano again. It is wonderful!!!! I have a great teacher at UT. The problem: the practicing is driving my partner crazy. He "jokingly" complains it's nothing like the practicing of the harp, but what he fails to realize is that he was at work all day when I was practicing then. He is now retired and home all day. The house unfortunately is not large and has marble floors. I put a heavy rug underneath which has helped some. Out of deference to him, my practicing is inhibited. I need to play that two measures 25 times to get it in my hands and I know how annoying that can be. That's why they called it "practice rooms" at school. When I confront him, he denies that it bothers him. Any ideas at all?? I almost was thinking of finding another venue (maybe a church) to go to. But really would like to play this beautiful Yamaha. Sorry this is so long and I don't know if anyone can supply a solution, but any advice would be welcome.

maybe you can soundproof a room in your house for your piano. you may have to hire some professional to do the job and it's going to be very expensive. but in a long run, it would be worth it.

You might try putting a heavy quilt over the piano to muffle it a bit when you are practicing.

You enjoy playing the Yamaha, but you could, perhaps, practice elsewhere. Or get an electronic keyboard and practice on it, and then play, but not practice, on the Yamaha. Non-musicians have little idea of the kind of work that goes into musical mastery (or even non-mastery, which is where at least a few of us end up).

You could find a way to get him out of the house for a few hours a day while you practice. Maybe buy him a membership at a fitness club where he can sit in the sauna, lounge in the swimming pool, drink at bar, and watch the big screen TV all day.:)

X

Or, if you can't get him out of the house, consider trading in your piano for a Yamaha Silent Grand.
http://www.countrywidepianos.co.uk/yamaha-silent-grands.html

I tried closing the lid and covering the piano with a heavy quilt. It was still quite loud. I looked on line for a keyboard and that maybe will be the best answer. thanx for the input. And I don't know why Bruce thought this post was 8 months old. More like a couple of hours....

is it not possible to fit a silent system to an existing grand? I know it's possible for uprights...

If this is an upright, you can use an area rug, fastened to a wood frame and put it against the back of the piano.

It may take more than a rug, a closed lid, or a quilt over the piano to get its voice more the right size for your house. Couches, bookcases, window curtains, acoustic foam panels on areas of exposed wall or even the ceiling... there are a lot of things to try. Changing the position of the instrument within the room might make a difference (even simply turning it).

Many residences benefit from some acoustic treatment in the music room.

You didn't say how you can tell it's bothering your partner (though I don't doubt your perception). Still, he says not. Maybe something more subtle than confronting him about it would help you move together toward a comfortable solution, whether it's mitigating the loudness or working out a practice schedule. If you can work together on it, you can proceed by experiment to find out what combination works--- that's what everyone else does.

Among other things, your technician can voice the piano down (a bit at a time) so its voice better fits your space. If you play a lot, the hammer felts compact and the instrument becomes louder and brighter, so it will need voicing after a while anyway.

Not only your partner (and maybe your neighbors) are affected--- a too-loud instrument is not very good for your own hearing. In fact, one symptom of hearing loss is hyper-sensitivity to certain sounds. It is possible this could be bothering your partner more than what he's hearing from the music room? It is a very scary thing that some people feel uncomfortable about acknowledging or talking about. I don't know, it's just a thought.

I'm sure that you'll find a solution.

Is it possible that you're overestimating the annoyance factor to your partner? I understand your concern about his quote-unquote joking references to it, but maybe he's being truthful when he says it doesn't bother him. Are you sure it's driving him crazy instead?

My partner takes my practice in stride, and I'm thankful for that. Still, I feel very aware of the difference between practicing and playing and I'm very self-conscious about doing the kind of repetitions you describe. I can't imagine it being pleasant for anyone to listen to, but it's apparently not a problem.

Everybody's different, of course, and you know your partner well. I just thought I should raise the possibility that you're worried about something that's not a big deal to him after all.

Steven

"Honey, We're out of milk....could you go get some?"

LOL lilylady. That's what started this mess! Actually several suggestions are good. I think that discussing a schedule for me to do "the drill work" might work and keep my eyes out for a used digital piano. It could be that I was being too sensitive also. Although we are still adjusting to the move from a 5 BR ranch house of 30 years, to a single story 2 bedroom.......As always great advice from the folks on PW

You need to build yourself a nice new studio to go with your nice new piano.

Pshaw! and why not add a second grand, a personal technician, someone to turn the pages for you and someone else to rub your shoulders when they get tense!

I thought all Americans are rich?

You could simply take your partner at his word and practice accordingly. I returned to the piano five years ago after ten years as a child and teenager and twenty pianoless years of marriage. My husband is disabled and home all the time. When I started back I was very apologetic about the annoyance factor and he repeatedly assured me that, no three or so hours of piano every day didn't bother him. It took me at couple of years to finally believe him. What convinced me is that he can take an afternoon nap quite happily in the room next to my piano and if I want his opinion on something I have to ask him in to listen to it specifically. Otherwise his reply is, "Sorry, I didn't hear you." Your partner sounds like he's already been a prince about this. I suggest that you practice with normal consideration but without inhibition and allow him a chance to adjust to the new piano reality he generously helped to create. He's not going anywhere and neither is the piano so the sooner you, he and it reach detente the better.

National stereotyping is particularly annoying when it's so thoroughly baseless. But then it's meant to be annoying, isn't it?

Steven

You want annoying? We still remember all the SMOKES, chocolate and nylons your boys brought over here in '44. That was annoying.