<WBR>Jurgen<br> <br> All of the examples you cite, except for the "social" measure, are very good ideas,and they are in my book of tricks. But I've also learned that unless the sound of the piano is reduced to virtually nothing, some neighbors are still going to complain, for no other reason, than they want it dead quite ALL the time.  That is why I propose that the "social" measure is the first one that should be taken. Find times that are mutually agreeable to everyone, and everyone will be happy, without having to do drastic things to the piano. <br> <br> <div style="CLEAR: both">Wim<br> <br> -----Original Message-----<br> From: Jurgen Goering <pianoforte@pianofortesupply.com><br> To: pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org><br> Sent: Tue, 28 Oct 2008 1:04 pm<br> Subject: Re: foam baffles and silencing a piano<br> <br> </div> <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_d03e6783-39d6-4f56-bdeb-b3eeaa7ae72f style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; MARGIN: 0px; COLOR: #000; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff"><PRE style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><TT>Wim wrote: "<fontfamily><param>Courier</param><x-tad-smaller>Seriously, there is nothing that can be done to reduce sound, especially with a grand piano...." </x-tad-smaller></fontfamily>No one ever got far with such a defeatist attitude. Of course there are numerous measures that can help to reduce sound, and if they are not in your book, maybe they should be... Not all measures will be applicable to every situation, but by picking the ones that are feasible, you can mitigate a lot of problems. Here are a few spontaneous ideas: You can: - change the room acoustics - change the way the piano interacts with the room environment - change the way the piano sounds - take "social" measures Room acoustics can be changed by doing something about the decorating. Upholstered furniture, window coverings and even pictures on walls can help to reduce reverberation and cut down on volume. Carpet on the floor or even an area rug under a grand will make a difference. Moving the piano to a different position in the room can help. If it is an upright, place it against a different wall, especially if it was standing against the wall adjoining a different apartment. Perhaps the piano can even be moved into a different room so it is not above someone's bedroom. Foam in between the rim braces actually does cut down on the sound output. As does a lid cover, the heavier the better. Isolate the piano acoustically from the floor with special caster cups, as has been mentioned. A practice mute strip can be installed in a grand - I have seen it. The piano can also be voiced down to reduce its power, without turning the tone to mush Finally, it is a good idea to be talking to the neighbors and complainants. Let them know you take their issues seriously. Find a compromise with practice or playing times. Play scales and exercises when they are not at home as to not drive them crazy, and play your "real" pieces at hours when they may be able to hear you. Let them know you have taken measures and steps to reduce the impact of your playing. If push comes to shove, it is always beneficial if you can demonstrate that you have shown good will by investing in measures to reduce the impact of your playing on others.<fontfamily><param>Courier</param><x-tad-smaller> </x-tad-smaller></fontfamily> I hope this is a bit of food for thought. Feel free to pick it o=up in the next edition of your book... for a small royalty, of course :^) <smaller> Jurgen Goering </smaller> </TT></PRE></div> <div id='MAILCIAMA033-911549081d78d0' class='aol_ad_footer'><BR/><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px"></HR>McCain or Obama? Stay updated on coverage of the Presidential race while you browse - <a href="http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1211139166x1200680084/aol?redir=http://toolbar.aol.com/elections/download.html?ncid=emlweusdown00000002">Download Now!</a></FONT> </div>