Soundproofing Question

J

Jipps0525

Power User
So i live in a one bedroom apartment with my girlfriend. The bedroom is separated by a short hallway to the living room and the living room doesnt have a door. Just walk in/out. My girlfriend is starting to get annoyed at my several hours of guitar practice. And i normally play via headphones so shes getting bothered by the actual acoustic sound of the electric guitar when i play lol. Is there anything i can do to lessen the sound. Some sort of sheet i can hang in the living room entrance?
 
I'd get a new girlfriend personally. If your woman isn't supportive of your musical endeavors and all they entail, then she ain't really YOUR woman, your just her current fill in the blank.
I speak from experience, my wife saves up money for guitars, let's me go practice and play at all hours of the night, surprised me with an FM9, and comes to all my gigs, designs merch for the band, I could go on, but point being she's an asset. Is this woman being an asset to you? If not upgrade her, she'll do that to you first chance she gets by the sound of it. Either that or beat you into the shape she wants you to take, is that the future you want?
 
1) Buy her some earbuds for her phone so she can listen to something else
2) See 2nd option above
3) Install door between living room/bedroom with apartment mgm't approval citing hardship case
4) Purchase small white noise device to help girlfriend cope with the acoustics of your electric.

Amazon product ASIN B00MY8V86Q
Compromise in relationships involves communication. Maintaining peaceful relationships requires asking how you can better serve each others' interests. Two-way street, not a one-way. Speak with her and hear her side. Work towards a goal, with you taking the lead in a loving manner.
 
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To be fair sometimes it is at night when she is trying to go to sleep. The bedroom has a door but i guess i play loud lol. I could understand someone getting annoyed by it sometimes but i didnt think i was playing loud enough to
Be heard down the hall lol
 
Musikron said:
I'd get a new girlfriend personally. If your woman isn't supportive of your musical endeavors and all they entail, then she ain't really YOUR woman, your just her current fill in the blank.
I speak from experience, my wife saves up money for guitars, let's me go practice and play at all hours of the night, surprised me with an FM9, and comes to all my gigs, designs merch for the band, I could go on, but point being she's an asset. Is this woman being an asset to you? If not upgrade her, she'll do that to you first chance she gets by the sound of it. Either that or beat you into the shape she wants you to take, is that the future you want?
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There’s tough love and wisdom in these words.

Some partners are so insecure that anything besides complete focus on them is a threat. I feel lucky to have a wonderful woman who is part of my life, who encourages me to play and is proud of that side of me. At the same time I have a strong belief that my music is therapeutic for me, and I need to get that out. We’ve found a good equilibrium that we want to maintain and it keeps us both on an even keel.

Relationships are hard and need open communication and give and take. It hurts when the relationship stifles a part of us we see as being positive sides of ourselves.
 
Jipps0525 said:
To be fair sometimes it is at night when she is trying to go to sleep. The bedroom has a door but i guess i play loud lol. I could understand someone getting annoyed by it sometimes but i didnt think i was playing loud enough to
Be heard down the hall lol
Click to expand...
Can you adjust schedules to get a different playtime? My wife has made similar comments when I’ve decided to play with headphones when she goes to bed. As such, I get my playing done earlier and she gets an hour of chill time “aka watch whatever silly Netflix show I don’t like and/or The Bachelorette”
 
FiddlerTheDrum said:
Can you adjust schedules to get a different playtime? My wife has made similar comments when I’ve decided to play with headphones when she goes to bed. As such, I get my playing done earlier and she gets an hour of chill time “aka watch whatever silly Netflix show I don’t like and/or The Bachelorette”
Click to expand...
Technically. Yea i could but i love to play as much as possible. And im usually very productive at night so i love to optimize practicing then
 
My old practice spot was only partially sound treated. Long story, but I couldn’t do the rest of the space. The solution I came up with was buy a couple of photography backdrop stands. Don’t get the cheapest ones you find, but you don’t have to get the most expensive either. They can be set up in a few minutes and come with a storage bag when not in use that’s about the size folding outdoor chair. I then hung heavy weight packing blankets over them; go through the grommets on the end and in the middle use a couple heavy duty metal spring clamps from Home Depot. Takes about ten minutes each time you play, but isn’t permanent and takes up a little space in a closet.
 
Jipps0525 said:
To be fair sometimes it is at night when she is trying to go to sleep. The bedroom has a door but i guess i play loud lol. I could understand someone getting annoyed by it sometimes but i didnt think i was playing loud enough to
Be heard down the hall lol
Click to expand...
TBH, I used to own a white noise machine myself but gave it to someone in greater need. The machine or a modest floor or desk fan will accomplish the same.
FiddlerTheDrum said:
Can you adjust schedules to get a different playtime? My wife has made similar comments when I’ve decided to play with headphones when she goes to bed. As such, I get my playing done earlier and she gets an hour of chill time “aka watch whatever silly Netflix show I don’t like and/or The Bachelorette”
Click to expand...
This is sound advice. Adjusting one's practice schedule may allow for family members to receive the sleep they need, even though the OP's most creative time might be after 10 PM. The compromise might be you spend quality time with her before she goes to bed, and then put fan or noise machine in the hallway to mitigate acoustic sounds from headphone practice.
Jipps0525 said:
Technically. Yea i could but i love to play as much as possible. And im usually very productive at night so i love to optimize practicing then
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Again, adapting to her needs will help maintain peace within your household. If this doesn't work, and she still has a beef, time to consider more costly alternatives
 
AlanOU812 said:
My old practice spot was only partially sound treated. Long story, but I couldn’t do the rest of the space. The solution I came up with was buy a couple of photography backdrop stands. Don’t get the cheapest ones you find, but you don’t have to get the most expensive either. They can be set up in a few minutes and come with a storage bag when not in use that’s about the size folding outdoor chair. I then hung heavy weight packing blankets over them; go through the grommets on the end and in the middle use a couple heavy duty metal spring clamps from Home Depot. Takes about ten minutes each time you play, but isn’t permanent and takes up a little space in a closet.
Click to expand...
My former basement music room had something similar. Thick 6x6 foot grometted soundproofing moving blanket (amazon, IIRC) hung on a short curtain rod across the top of the doorway. This...

Amazon product ASIN B09VCN1YQB
 
Try hanging a thick blanket in the doorway, covering the whole doorway. Use drawing pins to hold it up.. That will obstruct some of the sound, and 'at least you're trying' right? Asides from small things like that, some of the other alternatives suggested here may end up better options :)

Good luck.

Pauly

Jipps0525 said:
So i live in a one bedroom apartment with my girlfriend. The bedroom is separated by a short hallway to the living room and the living room doesnt have a door. Just walk in/out. My girlfriend is starting to get annoyed at my several hours of guitar practice. And i normally play via headphones so shes getting bothered by the actual acoustic sound of the electric guitar when i play lol. Is there anything i can do to lessen the sound. Some sort of sheet i can hang in the living room entrance?
Click to expand...
 
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