Friday, February 1, 2008

the piano debacle

I live in a condo building with great walls. I've never heard a thing from any direction. But, in December, the family next door got a piano for their small child. My beautiful silence was shattered by the sound of endless scales and Silent Night, played over and over, with the same cringe-inducing errors every time.

After a Saturday when I was flat on my couch with a head cold and listened to the piano for three brink-of-insanity hours, the condo board finally had professional sound testing done last week.

After I pestered the management for follow-up, I got a letter this week. The sound test showed the noise was intrusive, yada yada. Vindication. But then it ends with, "We have advised the residents not to play their piano until a solution to the noise transmission in place."

Solution? What solution to the noise transmission? You have people living on both sides, and above and below. The only noise solution is to return the piano to where you bought it and purchase a keyboard and headset to replace it.

RainyBow
________________

RainyBow update (4 hours later): Jinxed myself. I worked from home today, and at around 2pm, while I was in the middle of something important (of course), the piano began again. I thought I was going to cry.

I called and emailed to complain. The security guard was up in 2-3 minutes and just said, "Yeah, I'm hear about the piano that you're not supposed to be playing." Apparently they were told that if they play it again, legal counsel will be retained and action will be taken.

Assholes.

6 comments:

The CDM said...

Your lucky you didn't live near when I had my drums set up.

The Lorax said...

You can come by our pad and listen to not just a piana... but a tinny, out-o-tune piana. Then, I'll crank up my sythn and play honky tonk virtual piana along with the boyz.

When you return home, you'll think plunky neighbor piano isn't so bad. ;)

Good luck. I hate shared walls. Hate hate hate them.

Anonymous said...

That's not too bad. I once lived in an old Victorian house. I lived in one part, the landlord in another part and the landlord's son in the basement. The landlords son and his girlfriend liked to have sex. A lot. The girlfriend was a screamer. And a moaner. The walls were paper thin. Every single day, sometimes 3 times! I lived there for 2 years and I must say, it was a very interesting 2 years!

The Lorax said...

Oooo ooo, we had a screamer too in our Lindell Blvd apt in St. Louis long ago.

Felt like Michael J Fox directing the sexophonic symphony in Secret of My Success.

If I recall, she left her door open one day across from the elevator... she took out the trash when we were leaving... and all there was inside was a mattress.

Makes you wanna say "hhmmmmmmmm"!

Emory Mayne said...

"..son and his girlfriend liked to have sex. A lot. The girlfriend was a screamer. And a moaner. "

"... we had a screamer too"

HOO Hhooo!

Was always amused by an ardent Atheist calling out 'OMG' when 'swimming in a Sea of blankets' OR the most refined Ms Manners type young ladies, turning into absolute potty mouths, when likewise exercising. ... but a moaner and a screamer; gems, absolute gems!

Anyhooo...

I know Rainy has a perfect right to peace and quiet, but I can't help but thinking a songbird is being silenced in the forest.

Of course, that songbird does sound like 'caw cawing' crow!

complain away said...

Hysterical - I've heard the craziest of stories since I started bitching about the piano. It seems none of us is immune to the torture of those next door at some point.

And, coincidentally, Angry Jed just posted about rottenneighbor.com, yet another horrible American invention. Apparently, instead of asking the person/people next door to be more considerate, it's better to just bitch about him/her/them online, even pinpointing their house.

You may want to look up your address and see if you've annoyed anyone lately!