Rent to a Pianist - Crazy?
I have a prospective tenant for my top floor rental – a jazz pianist who plays at one of the swanky Manhattan hotels. She has a baby grand piano she would move in. The piano is set on top of carpet and she swears that she has never had a noise complaint from other tenants…
I have a prospective tenant for my top floor rental – a jazz pianist who plays at one of the swanky Manhattan hotels. She has a baby grand piano she would move in. The piano is set on top of carpet and she swears that she has never had a noise complaint from other tenants in her current building. She only practices in the apartment from 11-3 in the afternoons. Am I crazy for even considering this?? I’m only talking about noise at this point, sometimes I can hear people walking on the floor below me (vibration) so why am I even considering this tenant? Maybe b/c the sound of jazzy piano played well would not be so bad. What do you think?
I totally agree with lucille. She’s a Jazz pianist, not a heavy metal drummer (Wilco reference intentional). In renting to this pianist, you are helping to add beauty to the world that needs it. She sounds totally reasonable, and professional. And if she hasn’t had problems in the past, as she says, if you trust her, rent to her.
I realize my comment may sound sappy, but whatev.
kensingtonka,
Here’s a thread from a pianist bulletin board. Check the post about fiberglass backed ceiling panels.
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Forum/3/topic/003967/Number/0/site_id/1#import
If you try being reasonable and downstairs neighbors are not, then yes you have a right to music til 10pm, to hell with them.
Maybe the pianist looking for an apartment should check if there’s anything here
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/realestate/03habi.html
Musicians Preferred
Folks, are you guys serious? (Possibly) hearing jazz piano played by a pro is horrible? You’d rather listen to screaming children or parties or bar noise? For real? I hate to get old New Yorker on you guys, but first of all, this is a city. It’s full of people of all kinds. That’s what makes it great. Second of all, the arts being embedded throughout the city is part of what makes it unique. Unfortunately, too many musicians have been driven out of the city by insane costs. Music is a wonderful thing. Good grief. And yes, I’ve lived near musicians. I’ve been in apartments where I could hear a cellist, an opera singer, a flamenco guitarist…
The last two places I lived I could hear piano, and/or harpsichord practice and thought it was great.
Per your logic, neither are small kids. I was under assumption that when one decides to live in an apartment building in a city, they agree to accept a certain level of discomfort caused by living next to a large number of people. Her banging on the ceiling bothers me a lot.
FYI, so far we are listening to her, meaning stopping immediately when she calls or bangs on the ceiling. But…we have a right to enjoy some music in our home too between the hours of 8 am and 10 pm.
kensa, seems you should try and speak directly to her and come up with a specific time you can play. If she’s just a ball breaker then play anytime you like up to 10PM.
LARGE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS ARE NOT APARTMENT FRIENDLY!!!!!
If you want to play the piano, live in a house. The woman has 2 little kids, and she’s telling you that it bothers her. Pianos are loud. Have you considered listening to her?
As someone who will reply with a Different angle
What floor is this piano being moved to?
Baby Grand Pianos are some of the HEAVIEST and cumerbersome things to move
(take it from me I worked for a moving company here in NY for years)
They require a lot of expertise and if this person is moving this piano up the narrow stairs to a 3rd floor walk up – GOOD FRIGGIN LUCK
many times these pianos have to be hoisted up which can damage all sorts of things (piano, bldg facade, roof,windows)
this is a big ol UGH – if she’s a professional – she should pay $250 a month to rent some studio space in Sunset Park
Since we are on the topic, I am wondering what people think is reasonable to expect of a professional musician re: bending over backward.
We have a small piano at home (almost like a spinet). The piano stands on a rug. Our downstairs neighbors have 2 kids, ages 5 and 3, and the mom stays home with them, and practically at any given time it’s a nap time for one of them. Or, so she claims, when she calls as soon as my husband starts playing. Oh, and the kids’ bedtime is 7:30 pm, so no playing in the evening either. The kick is, he probably playing at most once per week; I am not even talking about regular practice for hours or giving lessons.
Now, I wonder at what point we should start ignoring the phone calls and banging on the floor. Additionally, any additional soundproofing suggestions that can be easily implemented?