Irritating other people vs. practicing

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>In my dorm, there are a few rooms set aside for music practice in the basement. They are (kinda) soundproofed, you have to get a key from the front desk, etc. I'm a drummer, so I use these rooms a lot.</p>

<p>However, the basement is also used for other things. There are a couple of other rooms for study groups, a small kitchen, the laundry room, pool/ping pong table, and some chairs that are also used for studying. Basically, there are almost always people down there, and often a handful who are studying. In addition to this, there are study rooms right above the music rooms, which apparently can hear as well.</p>

<p>Every time I go down to drum, I have someone come in and tell me I'm too loud, and ask me to leave since they can't study. They don't put it exactly like that, but that's the idea. I don't mind when it's something legitimate, like a club holding a meeting or whatever, but I'm getting really tired of it. At first I would just pack up early and head back to my room, since I generally don't like being an ******* when I don't have to. I'm at the point, however, where I'm just telling people to go find somewhere else to study if it bothers them. The rooms are really the only place I can drum - I'm not a music major, so I don't have access to the rooms there. I get that drums are loud, but there are other places to study if it bothers you, an option I don't really have.</p>

<p>Anyways, my question is this - should I worry too much about ****ing people off when I'm practicing? I really hate saying "sorry, I'm not going to leave", but I also have auditions in a few weeks that I need to prepare for. Thoughts?</p>

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<p>As long as you’re practicing in a room that’s designated as a music practice room, then I think you’re doing everything right here. You’ve looked into other spaces, but there aren’t any available. You’ve tried to accommodate other students, but you need to practice and there’s no where else you can go. They could easily go to the library to study, but you don’t have another space to practice. I say hold you’re ground. Apologize, be polite, but just say, you have an audition and there’s nowhere else you can practice.</p>

<p>One thought is to bring some earplugs with you that you can offer people if your playing is too loud, but that’s really going above and beyond. I know a couple that did that when they were flying with infants once =D</p>

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<p>I agree with baktrax. If the room you are in is designated a music practice room then the onus is on them to leave if they can’t study in the nearby rooms with the noise (assuming you’re not trying to be loud)</p>

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<p>I mean… I’m a drummer. It only really has one volume, unfortunately.</p>

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<p>^that was my assumption but wanted to generalize a little bit (e.g. electric guitarist who could change the volume on the amp)</p>