[SaxTMan]

I've taken my soprano to hotels a couple of times. It never occurred to me to ask for permission. I figure half an hour of practice at no louder than mf, no later than about 7.30pm, is no more antisocial than having the television on moderately loud at the same time.

It might make a difference what you play. If the walls are thin, playing tunes is probably easier for others to live with than long tones (unless you're working on subtone, perhaps) or scales.

Well you've been lucky and also you have not a good sense.... what for you are "good ours" for practice may be a "good our for rest" for people who will catch a plain, who have other time schedule from other country or other region....it's a hotel!

 

[JazzFox]

I spent most of the summer of 2007 in a hotel room and to practice, I simply did so in subtone. It worked out well, never had a complaint, and I got really good at subtone playing.

 

[Scott Ramminger]

I do it all the time with a tenor. Just try to be quiet about it. I figure if I am no louder than the average TV volume it should be ok. Only once have I been called by the front desk after I got a bit over exuberant. It was kind of late at night. And they offered me a conference room. I politely declined and just stopped because it was getting pretty late. I sometimes practice into an open closet, figuring the hanging clothes will help absorb some of the song. Or the drapes. If I can, I also try to pick a time when I think most people will be out of their room.

 

[Bebopalot]

My opinion has changed on this. I used to play in rooms and finally started thinking like an adult.

You've all come up with some great reasons to stay away from hotels with musicians in them. I pay money to rent a room so I can hear some guy blowing a saxophone in the next room? And it's supposed to be ok because it's not late or he's doing it in the closet? OOOfa! :faceinpalm:

Even though I am a sax player, I wouldn't want to put up with someone practicing while I am in a hotel room. How about waiting for an appropriate place and time for that horn? If you just can't wait, play in your car or at the bus stop or in a music store. People stay in hotel rooms to rest. Not to put up with us sax players that think everyone should put up with their noise.

 

[jetmech]

Ever consider that some of the people in said hotel rooms are there on business working midnight shift and sleeping during the day? That is the case for me 90% of the time. Not everyone is on the same schedule.

 

[SaxTMan]

Ever consider that some of the people in said hotel rooms are there on business working midnight shift and sleeping during the day? That is the case for me 90% of the time. Not everyone is on the same schedule.

+ 1, see my comment above

at least ask before play [rolleyes]

 

[dshook]

Here's an idea: Turn up the TV really loud and then practice. People will complain to no end about someone practicing, but a blaring TV doesn't seem to bother anyone and can cover the sound nicely.

 

[SaxTMan]

Here's an idea: Turn up the TV really loud and then practice. People will complain to no end about someone practicing, but a blaring TV doesn't seem to bother anyone and can cover the sound nicely.

that is a thing to be done in a home, not a hotel

 

[martinm5862]

Find the linen closet.

 

[doublereeds]

When I traveled with my daughter (sax player) this summer, I usually got her a conference room to practice. That usually works. At one hotel all the conference rooms were full. I ended up finding a large closet in the area near the conference rooms and asked the kitchen staff if she could practice there. They said no problem, and that they liked the music.

 

[DaveR]

I learnt a whole CD's worth of quartet music by just practicing the fingerings in hotel rooms on a two week tour through Japan, Korea and Hong Kong.

 

[dshook]

that is a thing to be done in a home, not a hotel

Nah, works great in a hotel too!

 

[RandyJ]

I'm in a hotel suite right now, rehearsed yesterday afternoon and will go over some new compositions again this afternoon with my quartet.

Been doing light rehearsals in hotel rooms for over 30 years and very seldom (once or twice during a year with an average of 120 days in a hotel room) have had to move into a conference room or have been asked to stop.

Of course we are not "practicing" just rehearsing at room level volume.

 

[Fader]

Practice in the hall (hide behind the ice machine) at full volume. When you hear a door open be very, very quiet. Change floors often. Use the stairwell. When the door opens exit and take the elevator to another floor. Stay one step ahead of the man. Call the front desk occasionally and complain the trumpet player is making it hard for you to hear the saxophone....ask for a rebate when you check out because it was so noisy.

 

[Sigmund451]

Dont practice next to my room please.
If you are good enough to gig you should already be good enough.
If you're not you can wait until later to work on your chops.

Try busking. You can get paid to practice.

 

[Bebopalot]

Practice in the hall (hide behind the ice machine) at full volume. When you hear a door open be very, very quiet. Change floors often. Use the stairwell. When the door opens exit and take the elevator to another floor. Stay one step ahead of the man. Call the front desk occasionally and complain the trumpet player is making it hard for you to hear the saxophone....ask for a rebate when you check out because it was so noisy.

Yes. Blame the trumpet player. It works for just about any musical problems.

 

[cosmosis]

If you are good enough to gig you should already be good enough.
If you're not you can wait until later to work on your chops.

Well I disagree with that. Regardless of skill level, practicing should be encouraged imo.

 

[Rackety Sax]

I like the idea of practicing on the roof. That way, if they corner you, you can always jump.

Seriously though, I sometimes wonder if I, or some of you, live in an alternate universe. How the heck are you supposed to practice effectively in a car? What sort of hotel let's you practice on the roof - and do the guests shout out requests for "Melancholy Baby" from the parking lot? What does it mean for a quartet of instrumentalists to rehearse at "room level" in a hotel room without disturbing others? And how can a TV that's loud enough to drown out a sax not drive others to distraction?

Here's hoping I don't cross paths with some of you on my next hotel stay.

 

[Bebopalot]

I like the idea of practicing on the roof. That way, if they corner you, you can always jump.

Seriously though, I sometimes wonder if I, or some of you, live in an alternate universe. How the heck are you supposed to practice effectively in a car? What sort of hotel let's you practice on the roof - and do the guests shout out requests for "Melancholy Baby" from the parking lot? What does it mean for a quartet of instrumentalists to rehearse at "room level" in a hotel room without disturbing others? And how can a TV that's loud enough to drown out a sax not drive others to distraction?

Here's hoping I don't cross paths with some of you on my next hotel stay.

It depends on what kind of car you have, how badly you "must practice" and what horn you are practicing. Full sized vans are the most comfortable but it's possible in many cars.

I don't think any hotel in the U.S. would give you access to the roof. I don't get that either. I seriously doubt they would let you use a conference room. Maybe if you paid for it's use.

There is no way you can rehearse in a hotel room without making someone horribly annoyed. Even if you are good enough to be considered the second coming of Coltrane, you have made someone hate saxophones. If I can hear the couple in the next room quietly going at it all night long, a saxophone would be insane.

T.V.'s played at normal levels can sometimes be super annoying in the next room. I can't imagine doubling the annoyance with a saxophone on top of it. Of course if you are at a top of the line hotel where the walls, floors and ceilings are nice, thick cement the whole argument is moot.

 

[Sigmund451]

I stayed in a hotel in Paris that had no tv. It was paradise. No noise!