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Posted: **Wed May 09, 2007 5:11 am**

I live in a Condominium complex and suddenly after 2 years of living there and practicing my congas, I got a letter from the management that a neighbour has complained about the 'bongo' noise. Isn't it strange that any sort of hand drumming is immediately labeled a 'bongos"

Naturally I am pissed as I try not to play too loud and never after 7pm.

I wonder if there are any suggestions as to what I can do? I notice that trap drummers are blessed with all kinds of silent practice pads. Will these work for congas?

At least I can practice new rhythms, rudiments, correct bad habits, hand movements etc

Posted: **Wed May 09, 2007 7:43 am**

Head over with a big a s s cowbell, knock on his door and whack him over the head with it.

Maybe you could try out one of Pearls wooden circular conga tops? The one you just put on your lap etc...

Posted: **Wed May 09, 2007 9:16 am**

The sweet neighbour problem probably everyone have here on this forum,...

Try to find some place or try to practice in the park or outside were there is no people,... if the weather is suitable! :p

I own a Gio conga pad but after all it is not big difference except the bass conga produce and conga pad doesn't !

ABAKUA have an excelent idea!

What i did was that i send all my sweet neighbours somewhere,... in person! It is not theirs business what i am doing at my home! And i know that i am not so loud!
Ever since there is no problem,.... but if again,....
Next step will be practicing percussion instruments at 7am

J

Posted: **Wed May 09, 2007 10:51 am**

Couple of suggestions from my experience

Check what's your local legislation. In my city, for instance, it is forbidden to make noise only after 11pm (but I'm never practising after 8pm anyway, because then my wife's at home). So maybe the they can't do anything against you legally. If you rent the place, check the contract too, of course.

Find out who complained, if you can, and talk to them. If it's none of your direct neighbours, they can piss off, because none of your direct neighbours complained:) If it's someone living directly above, near or below you, check if you can move your instruments to another spot where they won't be bothered so much.

Do not forget to tell them that they should not be too upset, because congas and bongo are not the loudest instruments you could possibly play - djembe, timbales are much louder, not to mention the full drumset.

If after all this you still want to muffle your instruments, it is much better to stuff something inside the shell (pillow in conga, towel in bongo) than cover the heads.

Edited By korman on 1178707977

Posted: **Wed May 09, 2007 11:05 am**

Derbeno wrote:I live in a Condominium complex and suddenly after 2 years of living there and practicing my congas, I got a letter from the management that a neighbour has complained about the 'bongo' noise. Isn't it strange that any sort of hand drumming is immediately labeled a 'bongos"

But hey, bongos ARE cool, man:) by the way speaking of "bongos" and noise, have you seen this one:
CHARGED - True Story Matthew McConuaghey's Naked Bongo Bust

Posted: **Wed May 09, 2007 12:15 pm**

Derbeno

Sorry, but you ain't got no rights in this situation and will never win this one, so get over it. Forget legal, Forget confronting your neighbor. None of those tactics will get you anywhere. And forget anybody ever knowing the difference between a bongo and a conga. Even some other musicians don't know what they're called! Play outside or cover 'em up. Eventually you'll move. Save all your rage for playing a long solo at full volume at 6AM on that day.

Posted: **Wed May 09, 2007 2:48 pm**

I think CongaTick is right about your lack of rights in this situation. Abakua's campanero method feels the best for now

, but after tomorrow, will probably decrease rather than increase your playing time unless they have congas in your local jail.

Peacefully coexisting with your neigbors is important for your longterm happiness, and takes some effort on your part. There is a good thread on this, called "Playing without being heard...", started in Feb this year (I can't figure out how to insert the link, but the URL is pasted at the bottom). Search all forums on "volume" and you will find it. Bottom line, talk with your neighbors, negotiate to play (full volume) when they are not home, put pillows or towels in your drums if you play at other times, use headphones if you play along with your stereo.

Some of the best conga players I know live and practice in apartments in NYC, and they find a way. You can too.

http://www.congaplace.com/cgi-bin....=volume

Posted: **Thu May 10, 2007 11:09 pm**

Following all the kind advice to me it is only fair I report back on this project.

I went to the local Guitar Center and tested the pads that trap drummers use. This proved no good as the neoprene felt funny on the hands and after less than a minute it began to slip away from the head.

Next I went to an upholstery store and bought a slab of 2x18x36 foam. I cut this to a 13 inch circumference for the Quinto and 15 inch for the Tumba. (I'm sure our metric brothers can do the conversion)

Slipped it inside the drum right up to the head and "bob's your uncle!" played hard, sound is reduced by I guess around 75 to 80% with a good feel to the hands. I moved the foam slightly down for a less muted sound but allowing a better feel. In both cases the foam stayed put. I held the foam small in one hand when inserting to prevent the hardware ripping it.

Back to practice in peace, if this fails (doubt it) I can still pay the neighbour a visit with my largest size campana as suggested by Abakua.

Mission completed!

Edited By Derbeno on 1178843022

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... G_0652.JPG

Posted: **Fri May 11, 2007 1:39 am**

I was gonna say throw a sheet over them and play, a blanket for more silence, quilt for maximum hush.

I guess what you got is cool unless the foam start falling if so use the blankets, works great and still sounds just as good. There is a guy on youtube.com that plays with blankets.

Posted: **Fri May 11, 2007 2:07 am**

Derbeno,
What a great idea! I am glad you created a solution that works, and is simple enough that those of us who have neighbor problems can copy your idea. Thanks to you and to Congaboard for providing the forum for you to share your problem and your solution with us.
Jorge

Posted: **Fri May 11, 2007 5:09 pm**

Bataboom wrote:There is a guy on youtube.com that plays with blankets.

Do you have the link handy? I'd be curious to see it.

Posted: **Sun May 13, 2007 2:13 am**

Posted: **Sun May 13, 2007 6:27 pm**

What I made sure to do is to talk to my neigbors when I moved in
and I told them I play drums, etc.

If you don't want to move I would recommend finding the neighbor
and discussing it politely, usually people are reasonable, especially
when they can identify with you and its not just "that damn drumming"
it would be "oh derbeno is practicing again"

but you know being reasonable doesnt always work

I often practice my conga with it on a folded blanket, muffles about 20% of the sound, mainly to be polite. I remember one guy recommending playing with knitted gloves..! havent tried it though,

my bongos arent as loud as the conga so I don't do anything to it, and
my neigbors also can't tell the difference between congas and bongos

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:21 pm**

My upstair tenant have shut me down..I can only play in the park or a gig..She called the popo on me

Posted: **Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:24 am**

MUDDY 323 ..."playing and practicing" are 2 different things....You eally cant "play" in an apartment, unless u have friendly neighbors that like the drum, or you can take 4 T-shirts and put 2 on each of them to "wear"..them over the heads....now u can "practice"...also play on a "rug" more muffled sound....I have answers to it all ..been there, grew up in the projects in 'Da Bronx', so I know first hand about people and drums....and no counting the amount of times i got run out of a city park for playing to...the life of a drummer M323....Bongosnotbombs approach may work also.....or try to find a time when nobody is in the building,so u can 'PLAY".....if their are elderly .living there ..fuggeddaboutit!....."JC" Johnny Conga....

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Noise Complaint by Neighbours - Any suggestion