Shin Min Papers Wrote An Article Complain About me Drumming

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The Reporter a Female, came to my home one night. At the time I was having a Rehersal with one of my Band “Antaeria”. I Reherse with 3 Bands on a Monday, Thursday and also Friday, Saturday I have to work and Sunday is my Off-Day leaving me 2 nights after work that I can Practice Drumming at Home that is – Tuesday and Wednesday, time of Practice is only 7pm to 8pm or 8.30pm (1 to 1 ½ hrs).

The neighbour 1st made many complains to the Police….I saw the police stood outside my Door, I continue playing then I stop and ask the Policeman ‘Can I help You Sir” and Police reply “Nothing really”…so I continue drumming (I assume here that the police came up to check if I was drumming too loudly though – time allow to drum might be till 10pm latest (as people need to sleep)….but I have already been very (automatic here) only drum 7pm to 8.30pm at most (to compromise on my very own part) as a neighbor not forsaking I too need to do some practice in a week as a Learning Drummer.

When the neighbours found that I’m still continuing my drumming after repeated reports to the police who find me doing nothing really as against the law. They went to see the HDB. 2 HDB Officer then came to my home. One of them says “I think you’re not allow to keep a Drum Set at home as he feels that it’s not a Musical Instrument like a Piano or Guitar” - - - A Drum is also a Musical Instrument it’s a Percussion Instrument right. HDB Officer says – Yes there are 3 drummers in this 4 Blocks facing each other here – but if the complain is against you – we have to stop you – but the rest (the other 2) they can drum ( I believed this is their policy just doing their job here). We came because this neighbour got very angry and Bang their table – because the police took no action against me as I am still drumming (that means they want me to stop drumming forever here – I assume)

With this I went to “Meet The People Party” to see the people there. I spoke to them about my problem and my passion in Drumming. They told me “1st - I’ve the Option to drum at my CC there – Mr Lim Boon Heng allows me so” but the CC I know have a lot of activity, not necessary I can drum there on any night eg Tuesday and Wednesday here… and also I spoke to one of the people there at the Meet The People Session and he says - - “I do have a right to drum …BUT … I must Always Try To Compromise with my neighbours – that is the right thing to do ethically too not that I cannot drum”……That is a reasonable statement.

After a few weeks, HDB send me a letter, telling me the same thing (cause in the letter it didn’t says I cannot drum” but as any neighbour they must compromise with each other so that a peaceful neighbourhood and good relationship can be achieved – Harmony is the key” and I do Agree with them here of course. So I call the HDB Officer and told them “Can you kindly ask the neighbour to speak to me personally – as I wont know when for instance a day that they don’t feel well on a particular day while I was drumming, or the kids are actually having test tomorrow, exam etc as I do not kids at all, (hoe would I know if they don’t tells me so) - - - - why not, sure I will compromise….The HDB Officer says to me “But Eric the neighbour doesn’t wants to speak to you personally and we HDB are not to disclose this to you”.. Then what can I do now I told them? …. They say “yah it’s difficult”

So My fellow Softies – I have indeed on my very own part tried my very best to strike a compromise with my Neighbours didn’t I here? And furthermore I only drum at most 1 ½ hrs only 2 times a week 7pm to 8.30, closed my doors and drum softer than usual, controlling the sound and where it is still consider early not late in the night (my own practice) – isn’t this a compromise and understanding on my part? But of course a Drum is a Drum – sure got sound just softer that’s all.

This neighbour, who doesn’t wants to talk to me directly (after complaining to the Police & HDB as above) and no action taken they feel as I am still drumming Twice a week – then call up the Shin Min Paper Reporter where they came to my house. I was not around that night so they pass a Name Card to My maid. When I came home, I called her and told her the above as quoted and how this happens.

The Report written in Chinese published 2 days ago (though I am not well versed with it) was translated to me by my colleague….The Reporter did not wrote exactly what that had actually happened in this case (say I play 10 years according to my neighbour how could that be – I was not playing drums for 8 years ( as I’ve no interest that time though I own the drum Yamaha Stage Custom and it was rusted so badly cause my interest was Fishes that time and Orchids) and had only took Drum lesson 2 years ago like when I join Soft, they write what they wants to write (only a small part in the last few sentences of what I actually said was posted - - - - eg (I will compromise of course but the neighbour will have to speak to me cause I wont know when I am disturbing them, but the compromise will not be – that I stop drumming forever as it is my Passion) – Compromise has to take 2 hands to clap – a give and take situation on both ends. It cannot be only –a one-sided affair.

Whatmore was that – The picture of my Home (as in the Newspaper was taken without my knowledge and consent) – I didn’t know too – till I saw the Papers – the Reporter snap it secretly – my dad and maid didn’t knows too. They quoted in large print (I think in Chinese it means – I say MP says I have a right to drum - - - but behind these words ley, that they and HDB had said to me - that I must compromise on my part – they didn’t put it down? (this will cause a Misunderstanding) Those things that they told me the Compromising part and that the HDB told me that the neighbour doesn’t wants to talk to me – how come they dont put it out, those things that they say I have to compromise on my part with my neighbour and me myself automatic – they never say it) - - - - why can’t they just put it in a neutral way (It seems the neighbour is the one that is not compromising and being reasonable with me too – They don’t state – is it because they are the one who complain against that why? – though yes – only the last part, which was only a small fraction of it.

This was what happens to me.
 
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ok, noted.

Hope there wont be another everitt road saga, musical edition this time round. Perhaps a clarification with shin min will do good than what we can combine here, in saying

with this kind of thread round here, its too easy for some to jump in and blast the neighbour/shin min, without looking from a non musician point of views and causing a biased views on the neighbour

imho
 
Your neighbours might have a little baby who needs to sleep at that hour you are drumming...
 
Your neighbours might have a little baby who needs to sleep at that hour you are drumming...

that's why they need to talk it out mah :(
going through a third party (police, hdb) will not solve this issue

ts will never know about what they need if they are unwilling to communicate.
 
well.....some Neighbour quite Jialat..

If u were stayed around my neighbourhood it shouldnt b a problem....

cause all is Friendly and understanding...
Very peaceful place here
 
i have diminished respect for people who refer to a 3rd party instead of meeting the relevant individual, directly. cowards.
 
Honestly if it was me I couldn't be bothered to give a shit and continue drumming whenever I feel like it, until the neighbor comes to see me in person and try to compromise on the situation. That's what being civil is about. Calling up the newspaper wasn't too smart on his/her part, unless the neighbor wanted to piss you off. It's pretty much a bastard thing to do, and you shouldn't need to go out of your way to show courtesy if your neighbour doesn't even want to talk to you about it.

though if drumming's really your passion and all that you might wanna think about soundproofing your room.
 
bro for now the neighbour is not your main issue. The authorities have already found nothing wrong with your actions, and i personally feel that ur compromises are in abundance already. stopping at 830 is very early already.

I feel your main issue for now is with Shin Min paper. Call them up and demand an explanation. You could make this public by writing in to another paper, Straits Times or Today or something if calling them yields nothing. Putting pictures of your house, what the hell man.
 
as far as i read about playing musical instruments, the cut off time is 12am - 6am so you're definitely cool on this part. But as far as drumming goes, my ex drummer also practices at home and we used to go to his house for jam sessions. His neighbour threatened his parents that she will call the police if he continued playing as the drum beats are driving her nuts.

We personally felt the noise aren't that bad until one day we came for practice and our drummer started his insane drumming without us. The 'thud thud thud' was indeed annoying if u stand at a non-musician's point of view.

It'll be hard to come to a give and take scenario for this situation as the neighbour obviously isn't someone with a good attitude. If they were, they should have come personally to talk to you or your family first before going straight to the police without warning.
 
I need to hold myself back from flaming the neighbours man seriously. RD I dunno how you manage to keep your cool but i respect that. If I were you I would have gone out of my way to find out who those ridiculous cowardly neighbours are and probably end up creating more trouble:mad:
 
Dude get your drum room soundproofed, of course take the budget route and use simple absorptive materials like rockwool, thick curtains etc. Your drums might sound even better than it is after treating the room.
 
I have a neighbour who plays the trumpet every Saturday. Bugged me like mad...so one day, I upgraded to a Marshall amp...and starting jamming with him...he gave up on his trumpet. I am wondering now if my amp can be turned up loud enough to jam with the guy playing the piano downstairs...
 
thats why i will nvr own a acoustic drumkit, way too much trouble. better to get an electronic one ...........but u really must extra-soundproof yr room precisely bec u drum so often. surely ppl will get a bit annoyed.................most ppl are assholes but thats no reason to continue ignoring their basic right to peace n quiet right? hehehe
 
as a neighbour myself who 'suffers' from an upstairs drummer (i have never made an issue of it altho he plays past 11pm sometimes, i believe he is improving too), i think the main issue is isolating your kick. despite your carpet treatment and all, you may have to build a platform or something if your neighbour still thinks it is insufficient. what i hear most nights is the loud thud of the kick pedal hitting the floor or something, not the bass drum. i don't really hear the snares and toms from him it really is just the kick pedal.

but having said that, some folks have a very low tolerance for noise.

my downstairs neighbour has complained about my guitar playing and music. she is not very understanding. i've actually gone down to do a sound test to see what is the maximum allowable sound level she can tolerate, and realized to my dismay she has bat ears. nonetheless, we have come to an agreement that i can blast till 8.30pm thereabouts. thereafter they have sought my cooperation not to go beyond. which i think is reasonable since she sleeps at 8.30pm!!

i am sorry that your situation has escalated to the newspapers, police, MPs and HDB. hope some amicable resolution follows from this somehow.
 
I just call and spoke to The Deputy Director Of I dont know if its (SPH or Shin Min) telling him the above situation as stated.

He told me, yes you have told my Reporter all these but there is no way, we write all the details in the Papers, so my reporter wrote some. But I said "The important facts (that's is my part that is I am willing to compromise ) and the statement so big written/printed by them as in " The MP says I can Drum " wmissing out the behind statement that I've also quoted that ( I must compromise on my part with my neighbours for good relationship) as in I myself must be automatic here lah (as in Playing softer as best as I can, closing the doors, 7pm to 8.30 twice a week and being reasonable is not stated at all) and the facts to proof that I initiated the compromise (by calling HDB personally myself after receiving the letter to tell the neighbour to speak to me personally if that particualr day is not an ideal day for me to drum due to certain circumstances - I will not drum) is of no use because the Officer told me the neighbour doesn't wants to speak to me (so to speak they dont wanna compromise in this case and just want me to stop drumming completely)- now who is not compromising here .... it looks now as if I am unreasonale now (which is not the true case). This is what I said to the Deputy Director of the Press 15 minutes ago.

The Deputy Director told me - don't worry yes, even though you have stated all these to us (as he said - we cant put everything all the Details down) but I know you're a reasonable person Eric..

Just let the News be - - - but I can help you here ( by Option 1) - The best to him is - we will ask and tell the one who complain to speak to you personally (they try their best).......(2nd Option) not so good (They do another interview and re-write the whole thing) - which he advice me is not good for me - though they know - I did compromise and I am drumming within reasonable time here ut that they have to publish as long as a complain come in? ...Like that one har?

I also told them when his Reporter took pics of my home , they never had my consent and permission (not a right and good thing to do) before publishing - but I'm ok with this nevermind lah - as I know they need News - but please lah- state the "important facts" that I've told them actually above as minusing certain sentence I've quoted can means another thing when people read it - as these are the most important things they miss out (with or without intention on their end I dont know here really) but what can I do. They write and publish what they wanna publish - and now I know that - Not everything told to me will be published in it's exact manner(even I've told them ) and they the press, I guess have the right to minus certain point if they want since it's their Paper ( cause Director told me - I know all these are what you said to my Reporter - - but dont worry lah - we cant put everything down) ... wah Scary lah Next time I see Reporter - - - I Run.nnnnnnnnn Far Away - - - - - - Facts can be distorted in people minds (in the way they perceived it) if it is not clearly stated completely in the manner it should be (like a Police Report - they will write everything very clearly in details) that should be the way mah....cause people will perceived it very differently based on how it is written even Phrase (worst when many facts are minus out and not stated clearly) lah.

In the end - this is the outcome.

PS: The Deputy Director is a very nice man really...when he speak to me.
 
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I think the Big issues here is not bout the drumming

Is about our neighbour Having respect

At least they could say to you face to face rather then called the Police.

n it really piss me of if my home appear on the newspaper without my consent
 
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