Is this an issue for any of you? I practice in the dining room of our house. We've quite a lot of rooms so I would have thought that I'd be able to get a bit of solitude to practice. But apparently not!
There's nothing worse than practicing away and then suddenly realising that someone was in the room next door who could hear everything. But this made me think that listening to someone practicing piano must sound somewhat odd! The person who hears must often have no idea why person practicing suddenly stop and start various things. It's not too bad if someone hears you practicing a song that's already near complete. But often when I practice, I might suddenly decide to start playing a lick in a different key. Things like this, as well as hand independence exercises, and ear training, that must sound strange. I think the only way around this is to get a jack adapter 1/4' to 3.5 mm to put my earphones in to! I don't know how people who only have no electric pianos can practice!
For my set up, I have the keyboard facing out the window overlooking the valley. The thing is the door to this room is on the opposite side to the window. Outside of that door is a narrow hallway and the downstairs bathroom is opposite side of the hallway. What this means is that if ever there's visitors that need to go to the bathroom, that as they're about to enter it they'll likely see the back of my head as I'm right up against the window (come to think of it, the keyboard is set low so it's probably out of sight). They'll also likely hear silence as I might be writing down notes on paper. It's then kind of awkward as I wait for them to exit the bathroom knowing that they're more likely see me as they exit. There's been times when someone has been passing that I just played random chords as I knew it wouldn't sound as odd as what I would have actually been doing. I wouldn't quite be able to think when they're there.
Another time when I couldn't use the usual room, I went to the bedroom above the kitchen. I thought all was fine until my dad started giving out noises on the ceiling. I didn't know what he was talking about until I realised it was all the foot movements on the pedal! I can only imagine what that must have sounded like!
The room I mainly use is good but often when I enter at about 11 pm to start playing for about an hour before bed, is just when the folks will enter the room upstairs to go to bed. Sometimes I fool myself by turning down the volume of the keyboard, but before long I cut my losses and do something else.
Anyway please share your thoughts
Last edited by Visalia; 04/20/20 11:36 AM.
