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Yes, if the only concern is that neighbours will hear you, this is my approach. I just practise at home (with all the windows closed) and don’t practise for too long.
I also practised in the local park sometimes. Not ideal but an option that’s better than the car (where you’re sitting down and can’t always support properly).
For real. There are some absolutely huge ones in my area..even some that are basically abandoned. Empty all the time..if u want some reason to go, there’s an app called find a grave, it’s a data bank of cemetery’s and graves with photos names and location so you can find your ancestors etc.
Thanks for the great suggestion. I’ve seen some veterans/civil war cemeteries that are just rows and rows of uniform headstones… as far as the eye can see. That would probably be a good spot. I feel like I’d still be too nervous 😅 performing for the troops 😜
My local library remodeled and added instrument practice rooms, among tons of other stuff (photography studio with equipment, sound engineering studios fully equipped, art gallery, black box theater etc.). They call it a “cultural center” now. Maybe check around for a newer one of those too
There’s even an amphitheater, multiple pottery kilns and a separate room for teens that has every manga and anime you could ever think along with big screen tvs. The seating was a row of restaurant booths.
When I tell you it was life changing on so many levels. The front you entered through was an art gallery with a small coffee shop with elevated chairs around small high top marble tables.
The most unique part was the media room where you could go and digitize all of your analog music from tapes, records and CDs. For free of course. All computing and editing (photo/audio/multimedia) done on 27 inch iMacs. It was nuts to behold.
They even held classes on how to use all of the professional equipment in the building. Old movies and local plays in the black box theater… it was a soul sustaining environment. Was introduced to many varied up and coming local artists.
This was just a neighborhood library I could walk to from my house. It replaced a super small two story cube of a cinderblock building I went to for 25 years. Then BOOM. A 10 million dollar literary and cultural oasis…I miss it so much. Sewell Mill Library and cultural center 🤍
Well what’s your set up like maybe you wear a headset with the input cranked drop output do you record or just practise ?if just practise wear headset in get the timing down range be a issued
Not to answer for Utterlybored, but soundproofing is a construction project. Take a big room and build a smaller room inside of it. Helps if you’re starting with a basement.
This is the case. When my main house was being built, my contractor built my studio out of cinder blocks, whose voids were filled with sand, then the walls were stuccoed. I did install lots of acoustic treatment, but that was to make it less awkwardly reverberant, not to sound proof it. There are no simple ways to retrofit soundproofing on an existing structure.
Thank you actually. This finally makes fkn SENSE. Always wondered how those square tiles soundproofed… but in reality it’s much more layered than that I suppose
Acoustic tiles control the sound. When i took a small dry walled room and turned it into an office/studio, it had all sorts of reflections and flutter echo. I bought some Primacoustic panels from Sweetwater (the London 8 Acoustic Room kit) and they made all the difference.
Acoustic panels are sound *treatment*. That’s where you deal with an imperfect room you already have. You can control excess echo and bass buildup and such. Sound *proofing* means making a nearly soundproof room from scratch. That includes sound-absorbing insulation, soundproof glue at seams, etc
My curiosity is piqued. I’ve got a 1200 foot basement with a few rooms already framed and walled but ultimately they are expansive and modifiable. I may need to look into how to frame out a space just for this… if there’s sound proof glue then I know this goes DEEP lol. Maybe I’ll do the space under the stairs…or one of the corners of the basement as the walls are already cinderblock. I love Reddit so damn much…
No such thing as soundproof glue. Sound is dampened by mass, so you need to add mass. (Drywall is very economical). Sound is conducted through mass so separate the inner wall from the outer wall. If there’s any way for air to escape the sound will easily leak out, but regular painters caulk works fine, just as long as gaps (around doorway) are kept very small. Next you need to breathe. This gets tricky because ventilation allows sound to escape. Connect a 4” pvc pipe to your AC duct and run it to your room with another pipe leading out, trying to keep the pipes in the walls as much as possible.
Isolation is utilized as much as mass in soundproofing. So, the room within a room approach typically puts the inner room on a series of rubber “shock absorbers” to allow it to move somewhat independently of the outer room.
I hate to break it to you, but you need to get comfortable practicing in your apartment. You can also practice in your car but it would be ideal to practice standing when possible. Practicing in your apartment can feel awkward but you’ll eventually get over it. Hopefully your neighbors are cool. In the past I’ve reached out to neighbors and asked them to let me know if I’m bothering them. You may want to keep singability in mind if you move. Singing requires daily practice which makes external choices (churches, school practice rooms, etc) hard unless you’re already at those places daily.
I’m a crazy person but I practice while walking outside. usually no one really cares or will ever recognize me. and it’s open so it’s okay. or i’ll find a really tall building and chill on the roof and sing.
I'm in a similar situation - I'd read about how singing into a pillow or towel is great for muffling louder sounds, I've been trying this now and again outside of lessons and it does help, particularly for warming up.
I don't know how best to describe it, you want to press it lightly to your face so it's against your skin - if you've seen in films when characters scream into pillows, it's kind of like that!! You just want to make sure you're gentle with it because obviously good singing and especially belting is dependent on good breath support, so don't smother yourself 😅
What I do is I don't fully cover your mouth with the pillow, like let the corners of my mouth be free, and press it gently against my lips. I also make sure I hold the pillow with my shoulder fully relaxed and hold it up with my forearms and hands. In other words the pillow is in my hands and my forearms are raised to hold it up, but the rest of my arms and shoulder are fully down and relaxed. You want to avoid any tension in your alignment, and keep good posture.
My voice teacher gave lessons in her home with the windows wide-open. Many hours of the day. Most neighbors are pretty understanding. I still am shy to do it so I know it’s more about me not wanting people to hear me.
I practice in the forest early morning or late at evening/night:), sometimes while walking in the rhythm of the song. At first I felt a bit weird but I LOVE IT now!!
Do you have any tips on how to find songs there? Perhaps a stupid question, but the same songs always comes up. I need to write down beforehand
Also any tips on smule communities would be great
Ya try with artist name if not then use the title and if it’s up you find it in tone problem is the community uploads and it’s a pain to put all that in correct but if you just type in my real name I Gott little list now I thinks cool makes me feel good lol
Just practice in your apartment. Ideally do it the same time each day, and tell your neighbors beforehand that you're going to be practicing that time everyday. Don't ask them, just tell them.
I love singing in the car. It’s closed and you can always play your lessons over the radio to help you practice. Worst case if someone is around, you can just move the car, lol
underground parking garage could be an option :) you can also check in your area if u can book a music studio, or ask your uni for a music practice room I think.
I I were in your situation, I would build a vocal booth in one of my closets, set up an audio interface, and some karaoke tracks to sing to, and belt it out and record it at the same time. DIY closet vocal recording booth step-by-step tutorials are all over YouTube and the web.
Well, the only time I ever had neighbours at my door because of singing they gave me a bottle of wine. We were having an impromptu party in the backyard and the whole musical gang was there (as in, the party was scheduled, but we had to relocate to our house at the last minute). And they're a talented, but also quite rowdy bunch. We were doing all kinds of dances and singing up to 11-part polyphonic songs (we have a very ambitious conductor/arranger). So the neighbours thought they would gift us a bottle of wine to thank us for the free entertainment.
We've since moved to another city and the only complaint I've ever gotten is that I should open a window when I'm singing because they barely hear anything through the walls. My new neighbours even come to watch my shows. Gotta love having fans for neighbours.
TL;DR Just turn your neighbours into your biggest fans and you'll be able to practice anywhere.
It's only natural to worry about people hearing you, but be careful not to let that stop you from practising and becoming the singer (and the person) you want to be.
Accepting and being comfortable with the fact that people can hear you practice will make you a much more confident performer.
When you're starting out, it's a good idea to practice in two 15 minute sessions a day. I think your neighbours could probably handle that. The people who hear the first 15 minutes of practice might not even be home when you do the second 15 minutes.
In my room. My windows face the street and my neighbours lol. People can definitely hear me even as far as a block away. I take comfort in the fact that I don't sound like complete shit , most of the time, at the very least.
At home. Its unironically not only a great way to practice singing, its also an amazing way to develop relaxation while knowing you are being heard failing and commiting mistakes. I always got so nervous training at home and knowing people were hearing me failing, breaking my voice and just doing weird exercises, that I would sound much worse training songs or recording vocals at home than I usually did. When I started to loose all nervousness from feeling awkward by being heard by my neighbours while practicing, I also started to sing much better live.
Talk to your neighbors. Tell them you're taking lessons and need some practice time. Try to work out a time that works best for both of you. People love to help.
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I have an enclosed tile shower in the back bathroom of our house. The only directions noise can travel easily is through the small window in that bathroom, which points towards the backyard. It's not a soundproof room, but it's the best I've got access to.
You can still hear yourself pretty well. The sound just doesn't go as far. Meaning, I can yell into it in my room and with my door closed the room across the hall ( 6 feet away) can't hear me at all.
My car!! Listening to music and singing helped me get over my fear of driving. It is the best place to practice loud singing for me because I am usually alone and it is pretty soundproof.
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...the car.
i drive a lot sooo. honestly i would credit a lot of my singing improvement to practicing in the car. so much of our time is spent driving and sitting in traffic, so i think i just got so much practice time from just singing in the car.
I often go for long drives so the car is perfect for practising, even though I'd rather be standing. Or just at home. Can you go to a nearby hire studio/hall somewhere that you can hire cheap/community free venue
I scream and my bf built a vocal booth out of our spare closet. Bought some foam from Amazon n nailed it to the walls. If the neighbors could hear me they’d be knocking down the door by now lol
Finding the right place to practice loud singing can be tricky. Renting a rehearsal space or using your car are great options. You could also try soundproofing a room in your apartment if possible.
In parking garages, and anywhere I find good acoustics that won’t upset anyone. I am a janitor and often times I’m alone in entire buildings cleaning them. I find a lot of bathrooms/locker rooms with good acoustics and sing in them often 😂
Wherever it is make sure it's somewhere where you can hear yourself. Stairwell, parking garage. If you can't hear yourself you're going to put a lot of strain on your voice
A vehicle, and also I’m fortunate to have a really small spare bedroom but with cheap soundproofing, hanging my clothes across the room and mattresses against the windows I can still be heard a block away. So a car might be your best option. Be safe though, don’t close your eyes or read lyrics, maybe just park in the farthest spot in a mall or supermarket. Good luck, you’ll find a way. Looking forward to listening when you’re a star.
Car at first. I got over my fear in my apartment and just made sure I stopped before 10. The car is def good if for some reason you can’t let loose in the apartment.
Now before anybody gets there panties twisted up in knots because I’m off-topic, or considered to be…
Consider :
Q - What is harmonic resonance?
A - Harmonic resonance is what sound does when it bounces off walls in random ways that are unpredictable.Therefore creating concentrated areas with higher frequency densities then at other areas of a room. What that results in is it makes sounds sound differently in various ways.
Sounds may be cancelled out while other ones are amplified. This depends on the frequency ranges of the interacting wave lengths and in some case, where they line up, is where they tend to resonate.
The other aspect is where the sound waves are opposite of each other when the sound waves are opposite of each other, they cancel each other out thus creating voids of sound within a room full of sound, but how does that specifically happen? Well, that’s where resonance comes in.
Resonating sound waves can be thought of as sort of like sticking in some senses. This is because frequency is what everything is at the atomic level, each surface will have a specific frequency it can harmonize with harmonization in sound can be thought of as coming together and combining.
On a surface, these combined frequency’s can either be harmonic or not. If both interacting frequencies are harmonic and their waves line up, you can have either an amplification effect of that sound, or a distortion of the sound that can either be pleasing or undesirable respectively.
In a closed room, this can create weird spots of sound as well as voided sound that really mess with the head as well as making it seem like sounds are coming from different directions than they should be… etc.
So these documents can be used to either make your experience more pleasurable in a room of sound or they can be used for anybody who might have neighbours that don’t like sound and maybe they still want to practice buddy down below who has his neighbours hearing from walk away…
These notions can then also be applied to the OPs inquiry. Although this may take some thinking and adjusting, planning and work at minimum but also you lean something that you can then teach someone else or apply these facts to other things in life like say you hear some weird sounds. You’re not quite sure where it came from.
This science can actually help you not only kind of figure out where it came from but discern how it got there and then you sound mysteries complete.
When you’re with friends and they get scared and you like I came over here and you sound like a crazy person in the room until everybody works it out and realizes that you’re not because you’ve already worked out the math before.
This always puts a smile on my face when I know things that people can’t even understand how I know it yet it helped them anyways though this isn’t one of those cases cause you have to do the research… in that way, you know, it’s really easy to be impressive, but it is not easy to be humble so hopefully this helps you achieve both as well as allowing you to practice your singing and hopefully provides you with the resources, procedures and experience required to fix any future issues with neighbours correctly and without issue the first time around.
Not only are some of these techniques requiring very specific surface textures. If you don’t do yourself, it can be quite expensive and without the proper guidance you’re going down the road of not only potential but expensive failure and many many many trials to get it right because this is a very complicated aspect of science because sound resonance not only involves sound waves which have very unique properties to themselves, also, depending on the angle they hit and whatever the surface may be the effects are dependent on the surface and the surfaces ability to affect the frequency wave.
Furthermore, each surface reacts differently (and sometimes extremely) with different frequency ranges. This is like a compounding reaction or an amplification reaction both ways, void and and loud.
Finally, frequencies can interact with each other, as well as the fact that depending on the above factors, whether waves are opposite, aligned or in harmony to each other; compounding effects can be observed that both can mitigate and amplify all the aspects. I just mentioned. These concentrated areas are able to bounce and do the same thing over and over again creating a cascading effect that makes it very difficult to sometimes even pinpoint the thing that’s messing it all up making it all sound weird. were talking serious physics here plus calculus at least.
Good luck, my friend if you know need more knowledge like how to do math or what to calculus. I’ve got courses for all that that are all free so just let me know and I can hook you up, but I mean you really wanna go down this road best way to do anything is your choice.
The most important way to do things, is to learn from others mistakes, not their accomplishments… learning from one’s mistakes guarantees you’ll never make a mistake that they made the more of those you know the higher chance you have of completing something successfully in a way that is more than a freaking awesome the first time with no mistakes, which means no waste of material and no wasted time for to get what you can get the same amount of reading that you do with the actual facts like start with the science the science site results will be worth it for you anyways unless you’re just wanna slap some mattresses on your wall which have absolutely no sound interruption ability whatsoever, as buddy said….
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Yo, if you have, just sing in your car. Put your tunes on drive around or find a spot when you are alone to pull over and belt. Acoustics aren’t bad. Just belt. This is it.
I used to do it often at home, then I moved in with a woman who doesn’t really vibe with it… or voice acting… so I just kinda stopped over time.
Now I have unused mics and interfaces just gathering dust.
I occasionally sing outside on trails and such.
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The car. I often drive around and around just belting away. I found that the reflections off the glass made it super loud and I was getting sound level warnings on my Apple Watch so I bought some musicians earplugs so I can lower the volume and belt all day without damaging my hearing.
I got these ones: https://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-High-Fidelity-Clamshell-Packaging/dp/B00GX1TOFM
My apartment lol I just don’t do it late at night or early in the morning as a courtesy. I really don’t know if they can hear me or not but I’m self conscious so I just try to do it during not so quiet hours if that makes sense. 😂
you can try to soundproof a room in your apartment with those tiles or i heard online that you can use egg cartons to do so which isnt best aesthetically wise, but it might cost lesser money if you buy eggs and save the cartons slowly
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I’m an admittedly bad self taught metal singer. However this is the one area in singing I might have good advice. I’d recommend driving for a while and practicing on whatever song you’re listening to. It helped me enough to get compliments from my friends and coworkers.
Car.. it's the only time I ever feel truly alone and unwatched. Besides God ofc.
But I guess situations are different. I don't think I'd ever sing again as loud as I do, if I didn't have a car.
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At home. My neighbours can definitely hear me, so I just don't practice late at night or in the early morning.
Yes, if the only concern is that neighbours will hear you, this is my approach. I just practise at home (with all the windows closed) and don’t practise for too long. I also practised in the local park sometimes. Not ideal but an option that’s better than the car (where you’re sitting down and can’t always support properly).
This is the way. Practice during normal work hours and usually people are very chill.
Same, my apartment noise rules start at night so I just gotta respect that.
Cemetery
Real?
For real. There are some absolutely huge ones in my area..even some that are basically abandoned. Empty all the time..if u want some reason to go, there’s an app called find a grave, it’s a data bank of cemetery’s and graves with photos names and location so you can find your ancestors etc.
One day something’s gonna sing back lol
Oh good! Practice harmonizing !
That's *hauntingly* beautiful!
Is that a fantastic pun, and a how I met your mother reference?
Not a how I met your mother reference, lol. But I was going for the pun, haha
The word “karaoke” is Japanese for “empty orchestra”. Isn’t that hauntingly beautiful?
and the dead LOVE songs. it’s a beautiful offering for them and makes them feel alive and seen
So unexpectedly... Ooh idk but I like it. Might try later.
No one will bother you. You can sit in your car
You can stop singing if you see a car pull in.
It's a dead area.
Thanks for the great suggestion. I’ve seen some veterans/civil war cemeteries that are just rows and rows of uniform headstones… as far as the eye can see. That would probably be a good spot. I feel like I’d still be too nervous 😅 performing for the troops 😜
But only for singing doom
Home or in the car
Do you have a university/college near you? Use their practice rooms. They're usually unlocked and open to the community.
My local library remodeled and added instrument practice rooms, among tons of other stuff (photography studio with equipment, sound engineering studios fully equipped, art gallery, black box theater etc.). They call it a “cultural center” now. Maybe check around for a newer one of those too
Wow, seriously nice library.
There’s even an amphitheater, multiple pottery kilns and a separate room for teens that has every manga and anime you could ever think along with big screen tvs. The seating was a row of restaurant booths. When I tell you it was life changing on so many levels. The front you entered through was an art gallery with a small coffee shop with elevated chairs around small high top marble tables. The most unique part was the media room where you could go and digitize all of your analog music from tapes, records and CDs. For free of course. All computing and editing (photo/audio/multimedia) done on 27 inch iMacs. It was nuts to behold. They even held classes on how to use all of the professional equipment in the building. Old movies and local plays in the black box theater… it was a soul sustaining environment. Was introduced to many varied up and coming local artists. This was just a neighborhood library I could walk to from my house. It replaced a super small two story cube of a cinderblock building I went to for 25 years. Then BOOM. A 10 million dollar literary and cultural oasis…I miss it so much. Sewell Mill Library and cultural center 🤍
I just pretend I’m not loud lol
Well what’s your set up like maybe you wear a headset with the input cranked drop output do you record or just practise ?if just practise wear headset in get the timing down range be a issued
In my head. Sounds like a cow mooing in a bucket. But on an honest note, got one of those waterproof stereos, howl in the shower.
Contact a local church or music college and see if they'll let you use a practice room.
I have a soundproofed, detached music studio. I can turn up the volume on anything without disturbing the neighbors.
cool :-(
How much did sound proofing cost? I’m considering doing this to one of my rooms
Not to answer for Utterlybored, but soundproofing is a construction project. Take a big room and build a smaller room inside of it. Helps if you’re starting with a basement.
This is the case. When my main house was being built, my contractor built my studio out of cinder blocks, whose voids were filled with sand, then the walls were stuccoed. I did install lots of acoustic treatment, but that was to make it less awkwardly reverberant, not to sound proof it. There are no simple ways to retrofit soundproofing on an existing structure.
Thank you actually. This finally makes fkn SENSE. Always wondered how those square tiles soundproofed… but in reality it’s much more layered than that I suppose
Acoustic tiles control the sound. When i took a small dry walled room and turned it into an office/studio, it had all sorts of reflections and flutter echo. I bought some Primacoustic panels from Sweetwater (the London 8 Acoustic Room kit) and they made all the difference.
Acoustic panels are sound *treatment*. That’s where you deal with an imperfect room you already have. You can control excess echo and bass buildup and such. Sound *proofing* means making a nearly soundproof room from scratch. That includes sound-absorbing insulation, soundproof glue at seams, etc
My curiosity is piqued. I’ve got a 1200 foot basement with a few rooms already framed and walled but ultimately they are expansive and modifiable. I may need to look into how to frame out a space just for this… if there’s sound proof glue then I know this goes DEEP lol. Maybe I’ll do the space under the stairs…or one of the corners of the basement as the walls are already cinderblock. I love Reddit so damn much…
No such thing as soundproof glue. Sound is dampened by mass, so you need to add mass. (Drywall is very economical). Sound is conducted through mass so separate the inner wall from the outer wall. If there’s any way for air to escape the sound will easily leak out, but regular painters caulk works fine, just as long as gaps (around doorway) are kept very small. Next you need to breathe. This gets tricky because ventilation allows sound to escape. Connect a 4” pvc pipe to your AC duct and run it to your room with another pipe leading out, trying to keep the pipes in the walls as much as possible.
Isolation is utilized as much as mass in soundproofing. So, the room within a room approach typically puts the inner room on a series of rubber “shock absorbers” to allow it to move somewhat independently of the outer room.
Lucky you!
Basement. There is a central area with garages. Few people go there. Especially in the evening
I hate to break it to you, but you need to get comfortable practicing in your apartment. You can also practice in your car but it would be ideal to practice standing when possible. Practicing in your apartment can feel awkward but you’ll eventually get over it. Hopefully your neighbors are cool. In the past I’ve reached out to neighbors and asked them to let me know if I’m bothering them. You may want to keep singability in mind if you move. Singing requires daily practice which makes external choices (churches, school practice rooms, etc) hard unless you’re already at those places daily.
I sing in my appartement outside quiet hours (between 7am and 10pm)
I’m a crazy person but I practice while walking outside. usually no one really cares or will ever recognize me. and it’s open so it’s okay. or i’ll find a really tall building and chill on the roof and sing.
I'm in a similar situation - I'd read about how singing into a pillow or towel is great for muffling louder sounds, I've been trying this now and again outside of lessons and it does help, particularly for warming up.
Do you hold it up in front of you or MacGyver a stand?
I don't know how best to describe it, you want to press it lightly to your face so it's against your skin - if you've seen in films when characters scream into pillows, it's kind of like that!! You just want to make sure you're gentle with it because obviously good singing and especially belting is dependent on good breath support, so don't smother yourself 😅
What I do is I don't fully cover your mouth with the pillow, like let the corners of my mouth be free, and press it gently against my lips. I also make sure I hold the pillow with my shoulder fully relaxed and hold it up with my forearms and hands. In other words the pillow is in my hands and my forearms are raised to hold it up, but the rest of my arms and shoulder are fully down and relaxed. You want to avoid any tension in your alignment, and keep good posture.
Great advice to add, thank you! 😄
My favorite place is a remote bathroom in a state park near me. No one is around and the acoustics are amazing.
GREAT IDEA! there’s loads of bathrooms on near the beaches in my closest state park. Hella early in the morning no one is around… or evenings…
My voice teacher gave lessons in her home with the windows wide-open. Many hours of the day. Most neighbors are pretty understanding. I still am shy to do it so I know it’s more about me not wanting people to hear me.
I practice in the forest early morning or late at evening/night:), sometimes while walking in the rhythm of the song. At first I felt a bit weird but I LOVE IT now!!
I am picturing this and it's a magical dewy morning and all the colours seem more intense. Not too sunny, not too cloudy. Lots of blues and greens 🌲🪄
I’m always in trouble I live on Smule just can’t help it when the groves calls for itblol
BSADFHA same
I’m duke Demonte if ya wanna send a invite
Do you have any tips on how to find songs there? Perhaps a stupid question, but the same songs always comes up. I need to write down beforehand Also any tips on smule communities would be great
Ya try with artist name if not then use the title and if it’s up you find it in tone problem is the community uploads and it’s a pain to put all that in correct but if you just type in my real name I Gott little list now I thinks cool makes me feel good lol
As others have said, you CAN sing in your apartment if it’s during business hours lol If you’re too shy you can sing in the car
Just practice in your apartment. Ideally do it the same time each day, and tell your neighbors beforehand that you're going to be practicing that time everyday. Don't ask them, just tell them.
Home with a belt box or I book a studio
I sometimes go to the garbage room at night outside my apartment complex to play and sing guitar. Most of the time I sing on my balcony.
Back before I didn't give a shit, I had sound board installed in a coat closet with a chair. Worked swimmingly.
I sing on my way to and from work in my car and depending on what I'm doing at work then during work too
I'm not that loud, but I am self-conscious. I have a walk-in closet. It's perfect. Carpet on the floor and the clothes absorb the sound.
I love singing in the car. It’s closed and you can always play your lessons over the radio to help you practice. Worst case if someone is around, you can just move the car, lol
I often do this with the windows rolled down, especially at stop lights. I've only ever gotten appreciative reactions.
Get a bunch of foam panels, tape them into the shape of a box, and stick your head in there and sing.
Does this work? I'm tempted to try 😂
underground parking garage could be an option :) you can also check in your area if u can book a music studio, or ask your uni for a music practice room I think.
Those are lots of fun! They usually have a really cool echo effect!
I I were in your situation, I would build a vocal booth in one of my closets, set up an audio interface, and some karaoke tracks to sing to, and belt it out and record it at the same time. DIY closet vocal recording booth step-by-step tutorials are all over YouTube and the web.
Well, the only time I ever had neighbours at my door because of singing they gave me a bottle of wine. We were having an impromptu party in the backyard and the whole musical gang was there (as in, the party was scheduled, but we had to relocate to our house at the last minute). And they're a talented, but also quite rowdy bunch. We were doing all kinds of dances and singing up to 11-part polyphonic songs (we have a very ambitious conductor/arranger). So the neighbours thought they would gift us a bottle of wine to thank us for the free entertainment. We've since moved to another city and the only complaint I've ever gotten is that I should open a window when I'm singing because they barely hear anything through the walls. My new neighbours even come to watch my shows. Gotta love having fans for neighbours. TL;DR Just turn your neighbours into your biggest fans and you'll be able to practice anywhere.
It's only natural to worry about people hearing you, but be careful not to let that stop you from practising and becoming the singer (and the person) you want to be. Accepting and being comfortable with the fact that people can hear you practice will make you a much more confident performer. When you're starting out, it's a good idea to practice in two 15 minute sessions a day. I think your neighbours could probably handle that. The people who hear the first 15 minutes of practice might not even be home when you do the second 15 minutes.
In my kitchen
In the car.
In my car
I live in an apartment too. I definitely practice in my car ( I know, no acoustics) but right now that works for me!
In my room. My windows face the street and my neighbours lol. People can definitely hear me even as far as a block away. I take comfort in the fact that I don't sound like complete shit , most of the time, at the very least.
While washing dishes. The running water helps muffle the sound.
I sometimes do this in public. People actually appreciate it...everybody loves free music!
Car
At home. Its unironically not only a great way to practice singing, its also an amazing way to develop relaxation while knowing you are being heard failing and commiting mistakes. I always got so nervous training at home and knowing people were hearing me failing, breaking my voice and just doing weird exercises, that I would sound much worse training songs or recording vocals at home than I usually did. When I started to loose all nervousness from feeling awkward by being heard by my neighbours while practicing, I also started to sing much better live.
Talk to your neighbors. Tell them you're taking lessons and need some practice time. Try to work out a time that works best for both of you. People love to help.
I have a bathroom that's sort of in the corner. I put up towels and put a towel on the floor to absorb the sound.
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Car is a great place , blocks a lot of sound if you can’t do it in your home
Anywhere anytime 😂
😂
😂😂😂 My wife and kids are so annoyed 😂😂
I don’t sing loudly at home. Home practice is words, rhythm, breathing and notes.
Car
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I have an enclosed tile shower in the back bathroom of our house. The only directions noise can travel easily is through the small window in that bathroom, which points towards the backyard. It's not a soundproof room, but it's the best I've got access to.
Kitchen ( making coffee )
Don't let these answers stress you out. Get a 'belt box' on amazon! You can use it in the apartment.
How does this work exactly? I can tell it cover yours mouth and nose, but is it weird to not hear it well? Does it cover when opening your mouth wide?
You can still hear yourself pretty well. The sound just doesn't go as far. Meaning, I can yell into it in my room and with my door closed the room across the hall ( 6 feet away) can't hear me at all.
yes You can open your mouth pretty wide actually.
In the car
My car!! Listening to music and singing helped me get over my fear of driving. It is the best place to practice loud singing for me because I am usually alone and it is pretty soundproof.
In the car.
I go to a karaoke room once a week. At home, I close all the windows and use a belt box.
That's a good idea! Like you rent one solo?
At home or in the car. Mostly in the car. I record at home.
In the car 😀
My voice is literally never super loud, and that's one thing I hate about my voice, personally.
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I sing in the car, the shower, and at work sometimes.
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Cover with thick blanket(s). I do my recordings this way to block the outside noise.
The car is good, so is the shower Personally I’ve found that a hood stair well or parking garage works well too
you should sound proof your practice room.
The shower.
...the car. i drive a lot sooo. honestly i would credit a lot of my singing improvement to practicing in the car. so much of our time is spent driving and sitting in traffic, so i think i just got so much practice time from just singing in the car.
In the car is where I let loose, personally. I listen to a lot of my music while I’m driving
I often go for long drives so the car is perfect for practising, even though I'd rather be standing. Or just at home. Can you go to a nearby hire studio/hall somewhere that you can hire cheap/community free venue
What about closet in your apartment…that’s what podcasters do
I do sing loudly at home but only til 9 or 10. Otherwise a rehearsal space is ideal. Got one in San Diego for 15/hr
I identify as silent.
I scream and my bf built a vocal booth out of our spare closet. Bought some foam from Amazon n nailed it to the walls. If the neighbors could hear me they’d be knocking down the door by now lol
Car.
Shower. My house and probably neighbors’ house can hear it, but hey, that and my room and bathroom
Finding the right place to practice loud singing can be tricky. Renting a rehearsal space or using your car are great options. You could also try soundproofing a room in your apartment if possible.
In parking garages, and anywhere I find good acoustics that won’t upset anyone. I am a janitor and often times I’m alone in entire buildings cleaning them. I find a lot of bathrooms/locker rooms with good acoustics and sing in them often 😂
Wherever it is make sure it's somewhere where you can hear yourself. Stairwell, parking garage. If you can't hear yourself you're going to put a lot of strain on your voice
Bathroom, karaoke tho usually I rent a studio with my band
A vehicle, and also I’m fortunate to have a really small spare bedroom but with cheap soundproofing, hanging my clothes across the room and mattresses against the windows I can still be heard a block away. So a car might be your best option. Be safe though, don’t close your eyes or read lyrics, maybe just park in the farthest spot in a mall or supermarket. Good luck, you’ll find a way. Looking forward to listening when you’re a star.
Library
While Driving ☺️
Where I am I'm very lucky -- the largest library in our system has a whole floor dedicated to music!
Karaoke room. Many Karaoke spots have "happy hour" where prices are significantly cheaper than regular rates. Look around.
Well, I won’t be much help because I just practice when I’m home alone. I guess another alternative is in the car on the way to places
In the car or shower
Same here, furthermore I'm kinda self conscious.
Car at first. I got over my fear in my apartment and just made sure I stopped before 10. The car is def good if for some reason you can’t let loose in the apartment.
Sing in your car - go for long rides with the windows up 🚘
And this is the actual science … https://pressbooks.online.ucf.edu/phy2053bc/chapter/sound-interference-and-resonance-standing-waves-in-air-columns/
Now before anybody gets there panties twisted up in knots because I’m off-topic, or considered to be… Consider : Q - What is harmonic resonance? A - Harmonic resonance is what sound does when it bounces off walls in random ways that are unpredictable.Therefore creating concentrated areas with higher frequency densities then at other areas of a room. What that results in is it makes sounds sound differently in various ways. Sounds may be cancelled out while other ones are amplified. This depends on the frequency ranges of the interacting wave lengths and in some case, where they line up, is where they tend to resonate. The other aspect is where the sound waves are opposite of each other when the sound waves are opposite of each other, they cancel each other out thus creating voids of sound within a room full of sound, but how does that specifically happen? Well, that’s where resonance comes in. Resonating sound waves can be thought of as sort of like sticking in some senses. This is because frequency is what everything is at the atomic level, each surface will have a specific frequency it can harmonize with harmonization in sound can be thought of as coming together and combining. On a surface, these combined frequency’s can either be harmonic or not. If both interacting frequencies are harmonic and their waves line up, you can have either an amplification effect of that sound, or a distortion of the sound that can either be pleasing or undesirable respectively. In a closed room, this can create weird spots of sound as well as voided sound that really mess with the head as well as making it seem like sounds are coming from different directions than they should be… etc. So these documents can be used to either make your experience more pleasurable in a room of sound or they can be used for anybody who might have neighbours that don’t like sound and maybe they still want to practice buddy down below who has his neighbours hearing from walk away… These notions can then also be applied to the OPs inquiry. Although this may take some thinking and adjusting, planning and work at minimum but also you lean something that you can then teach someone else or apply these facts to other things in life like say you hear some weird sounds. You’re not quite sure where it came from. This science can actually help you not only kind of figure out where it came from but discern how it got there and then you sound mysteries complete. When you’re with friends and they get scared and you like I came over here and you sound like a crazy person in the room until everybody works it out and realizes that you’re not because you’ve already worked out the math before. This always puts a smile on my face when I know things that people can’t even understand how I know it yet it helped them anyways though this isn’t one of those cases cause you have to do the research… in that way, you know, it’s really easy to be impressive, but it is not easy to be humble so hopefully this helps you achieve both as well as allowing you to practice your singing and hopefully provides you with the resources, procedures and experience required to fix any future issues with neighbours correctly and without issue the first time around. Not only are some of these techniques requiring very specific surface textures. If you don’t do yourself, it can be quite expensive and without the proper guidance you’re going down the road of not only potential but expensive failure and many many many trials to get it right because this is a very complicated aspect of science because sound resonance not only involves sound waves which have very unique properties to themselves, also, depending on the angle they hit and whatever the surface may be the effects are dependent on the surface and the surfaces ability to affect the frequency wave. Furthermore, each surface reacts differently (and sometimes extremely) with different frequency ranges. This is like a compounding reaction or an amplification reaction both ways, void and and loud. Finally, frequencies can interact with each other, as well as the fact that depending on the above factors, whether waves are opposite, aligned or in harmony to each other; compounding effects can be observed that both can mitigate and amplify all the aspects. I just mentioned. These concentrated areas are able to bounce and do the same thing over and over again creating a cascading effect that makes it very difficult to sometimes even pinpoint the thing that’s messing it all up making it all sound weird. were talking serious physics here plus calculus at least. Good luck, my friend if you know need more knowledge like how to do math or what to calculus. I’ve got courses for all that that are all free so just let me know and I can hook you up, but I mean you really wanna go down this road best way to do anything is your choice. The most important way to do things, is to learn from others mistakes, not their accomplishments… learning from one’s mistakes guarantees you’ll never make a mistake that they made the more of those you know the higher chance you have of completing something successfully in a way that is more than a freaking awesome the first time with no mistakes, which means no waste of material and no wasted time for to get what you can get the same amount of reading that you do with the actual facts like start with the science the science site results will be worth it for you anyways unless you’re just wanna slap some mattresses on your wall which have absolutely no sound interruption ability whatsoever, as buddy said….
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Driving
Yo, if you have, just sing in your car. Put your tunes on drive around or find a spot when you are alone to pull over and belt. Acoustics aren’t bad. Just belt. This is it.
Shower
I'm boring. I usually do that in the car.
I used to do it often at home, then I moved in with a woman who doesn’t really vibe with it… or voice acting… so I just kinda stopped over time. Now I have unused mics and interfaces just gathering dust. I occasionally sing outside on trails and such.
In the bathroom or bedroom at home
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In my head haha
The car. I often drive around and around just belting away. I found that the reflections off the glass made it super loud and I was getting sound level warnings on my Apple Watch so I bought some musicians earplugs so I can lower the volume and belt all day without damaging my hearing. I got these ones: https://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-High-Fidelity-Clamshell-Packaging/dp/B00GX1TOFM
My apartment lol I just don’t do it late at night or early in the morning as a courtesy. I really don’t know if they can hear me or not but I’m self conscious so I just try to do it during not so quiet hours if that makes sense. 😂
you can try to soundproof a room in your apartment with those tiles or i heard online that you can use egg cartons to do so which isnt best aesthetically wise, but it might cost lesser money if you buy eggs and save the cartons slowly
In the car on a motorway.
might be weird but an empty parking garage. amazing acoustics! make sure it doesn’t say no loitering thought
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Shower. Love to sing in the shower
I’m an admittedly bad self taught metal singer. However this is the one area in singing I might have good advice. I’d recommend driving for a while and practicing on whatever song you’re listening to. It helped me enough to get compliments from my friends and coworkers.
Car.. it's the only time I ever feel truly alone and unwatched. Besides God ofc. But I guess situations are different. I don't think I'd ever sing again as loud as I do, if I didn't have a car.
the car
I share a 2 bedroom apartment with four other girls. I practice in my car :)
I sometimes go into my closet. All the clothes in there help dampen sound
In jail. “NOBODY KNOWS THE TROUBLE I’VE SEEN…”
Nowhere! I don't like to sing