Best approach to counter noise complaints.

[funkymook]

My local pub/music venue has just been officially advised one local resident has been keeping a log of loud music and has complained.

Obviously compromises must be made - has anyone had experience of how best to phrase a reply and be seen to be offering a solution?

I'm thinking of advising that live music will end at 11pm and DJ's will be routed via a limiter/compressor set to a reasonable level (from the log it appears it's bass from the DJ sets that's the problem).

Any hints, tips, legal advice etc would be welcome.

[lazersounds]

Tell the misrable sod to move lol ;)

But to be serious, the suggestions you have already said or the venue to install their own sound system with built in compression, I work at a wedding venue and I plug my mixer directly into a rack which limits how loud I can go, is very expensive mind, and not gonna be something a landlord can probably afford.


Its does a great job, no sound can be heard outside and if anyone moans to turn the music up, I just explain that i'm limited. No watching the meter all night and no chance of being cut off, just cut down lol

I was under the impression nothing could be done until 11pm anyway which is why many venues ask you lower the volume after this time, not 100% on this though

[funkymook]

Tell the misrable sod to move lol ;)

But to be serious, the suggestions you have already said or the venue to install their own sound system with built in compression, I work at a wedding venue and I plug my mixer directly into a rack which limits how loud I can go, is very expensive mind, and not gonna be something a landlord can probably afford.


Its does a great job, no sound can be heard outside and if anyone moans to turn the music up, I just explain that i'm limited. No watching the meter all night and no chance of being cut off, just cut down lol

I was under the impression nothing could be done until 11pm anyway which is why many venues ask you lower the volume after this time, not 100% on this though

First thing I checked was the 11pm point - but frequently occurring noise at any time can be viewed as a nuisance apparently.

[Jonathan Ford]

I had a similar problem in a restaurant I used to co-own. While looking at dealing with the problem at source through limiters etc., it's also worth looking at the building itself to work out where the noise is escaping from. We hired a consultancy called Vibrock (http://www.vibrock.com/consultancy.php?id=26&page=noise-services) who advised some simple measures that helped. For example, changing the angle on some wall mounted speakers, we lined the fire doors with sheet steel which reflected the majority of noise back into the building, put some acoustic tiles in the ceiling. As long as they show that they are willingly engaging with the process, the local authority is likely to be reasonable

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Martin, I have experience of this and it's almost an exact same scenario.
I have been DJing at my local now for around 8 years with no problems at all.
There used to be one guy who lived over the road that complained whenever and wherever possible. The pub is opposite a police station and next door to the council offices.
The funny thing is, the guy used to complain on a regular basis BEFORE the pub ever had Discos or live music.
In the end the guy moved away and the complaints stopped.
Funny thing is, at the end of the car park there used to be a car showroom but that got knocked down and houses were built on the plot. There has not been 1 complaint as far as I know and those houses are nearer to the pub than the house where the guy used to complain.
About a year ago the pub installed a sound limiter to show the council that they were aware that volumes could be loud. I went in one day and pumped up the volume so that the settings could be set on the limiter. It was stupidly loud and much louder than I would normally have it but the council were happy after doing checks.
The rules state (in this pub) that Discos have to finish at Midnight (unless it's Christmas Eve or New Years Eve) and Karaokes and Live Music have to finish at 11.00pm.

I think the best bet would be for the venue to install a limiter so it shows that they are aware of the volume and are doing their best to co-operate?

[Creature]

from the log it appears it's bass from the DJ sets that's the problem

You have answered your own question ! Turn the bass down :)

[funkymook]

You have answered your own question ! Turn the bass down :)

Yep, no getting away from that. My question was how to best present it to the Council. They'll be looking for a bit more than a vague promise, a pro-active plan of action would be better. Just seeing if there's any points we haven't thought about already.

[ukpartydj]

Isn't measuring the Db coming out of your speakers when the mixer is at max and turning the volume knob on your speakers until it reaches the maximum allowed Db and never setting them past this point good enough to ensure that you are taking reasonable steps to ensure the volume is being monitored?

I understand the pwer cut off ones for venues with many different DJ's but when you're dealing with just one or two surely the above method would be good enough?

[Creature]

Yep, no getting away from that. My question was how to best present it to the Council. They'll be looking for a bit more than a vague promise, a pro-active plan of action would be better. Just seeing if there's any points we haven't thought about already.

Just been thru this with one of few pubs i still do - before each gig dj has to sign a waver saying that heagrees to start to turn down the bass at 10.30pm and by midnight have bass turned off. I found an easier solution I just take a smaller rig, turn the bass on graphic knob on mixer to 11 oclock - problem solved, mind you we did work with the council on this one and they sent someone to monitor it at a booking. Between us we came up trumps.

the other options sound boards in front windows - work really well at one venue i dj at.

if carpark area is at front off ub were complaint is coming from and it has gates - close them - - make a surprising difference.

Another venue has there own db meter that they use at various locations inside and outside the pub - making notes in an exercise book - that idea came from an enviro health officer.....

the front door - hopefully you have a 2nd door and its kept closed, except when people walk thru it.

At the end of the day enviro health/council put the onus on you to solve the issue - talk to your envro health officer, strike up a good working relationship wth him/her, ask them questions - listen to the ideas - discuss a plan of action.

what ever you do dont get on the wrong side off them as they will make your life hell.

[Creature]

Isn't measuring the Db coming out of your speakers when the mixer is at max and turning the volume knob on your speakers until it reaches the maximum allowed Db and never setting them past this point good enough to ensure that you are taking reasonable steps to ensure the volume is being monitored?

No because if the venue is empty or partially full it will be too loud - the same as when the venue is full up and people dancing it will be to quiet!

[ukpartydj]

No because if the venue is empty or partially full it will be too loud - the same as when the venue is full up and people dancing it will be to quiet!

I see what you're saying however I'm not suggesting once you've measured the maximum Db in an empty room you always make sure your mixer is playing out at it's max. you just know that your music cannot breach that Db level even if you where to turn it up to 11! If the music is too quiet then tough as you'd be breaching the set levels.

[Corabar Steve]

Never ceases to amaze me. People move in near to a pub & then expect there to be no noise!

[Excalibur]

Never ceases to amaze me.

Your surprise at finding out that many of the Great Unwashed have an IQ in the order of magnitude of their shoe size is truly touching. :D

Once upon a time, many many years ago, there was a small village hall. At one end, it backed onto ( or was joined to, I forget ) another property. This property came up for sale, and was sold at a very advantageous price, because it was pointed out that functions often took place next door, with a commensurate noise nuisance.

For many years, I and other Entertainers had set up at the end of the hall nearest the other property, with no problems whatsoever. After the new tenant had moved in, he decided that noisy functions were just not on. ( Conveniently forgetting that this was the reason he'd saved so much money buying the place. )

Noise abatement measures were put into place. This is where it gets better.

Most of us know that speakers are designed to throw noise at the punters, while leaving the DJ in relative peace. ( Asuming he/she has placed his cabs in front of him/her. ) Not this aggrieved neighbour. He insisted that rather than us setting up near his house, and pointing the noise away from him, we were to set up at the far end, to get the noise source as far away from him as possible.

This meant we moved twenty yards at most, and pointed the cabs directly at his house!! :eek::D:D