Noisy work environment?
  • ValerieOestry
    Posts: 39
    Does anyone else work in a noisy environment and find it problematic? What steps have you taken to remedy it? I find that it is hard to concentrate on Scripture and prepare the music when others are talking consistently in the office hallway, in their offices without doors shut, etc., on a consistent basis. Because of the way the offices are constructed, there is no way to get away from it, even by closing my door. The pastor is hardly ever here so addressing it is a problem and one of the people talking is the office manager's wife :-( So I need out-of-the-box ideas from other liturgical musicians on how to handle the noise. And no, there is no other place for me to go in the building. Sigh. Thanks.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Practice time on the organ?
    Thanked by 1ValerieOestry
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,982
    Ear plugs. They got me through years of horrid elementary and middle school music performances.
    Thanked by 3ValerieOestry Carol francis
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Noise-cancelling, over ears headphones (ie. Bose/Sony/Sennheiser) and Brian Eno's MUSIC FOR AIRPORTS.
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen ValerieOestry Andrew_Malton
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    Print off a blank form and fill it in in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
  • ValerieOestry
    Posts: 39
    Practice time on the organ?


    Now if I can figure out a way to practice 6 hours a day, even on days of adoration, and still get all my work done.....
  • francis
    Posts: 10,827
    earplugs... i use these and they will nearly block out a jet engine...

    https://www.amazon.com/Macks-Ultra-Soft-Foam-Earplugs/dp/B0051U7W32/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1532648822&sr=8-3&keywords=earplugs&th=1

    I even use them at "selected" Masses where the music is too distracting
    Thanked by 1CharlesW
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,982
    I used to wear earplugs when we had diocesan in-service programs. The music was wretched, the sermons insipid, the presentations simplistic and the flute playing teacher from 100 miles away was always flat.
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    As one who holds a degree in flute, I concur with the preponderance of flat flutes; drives me batty. One of my dearest choristers, now passed on, owned a seriously expensive and brilliant Muramatsu instrument which s/he had the head joint fully in, but was still flat in quarter tones that drove me crazy. The ironic thing is that flute pitch precision can be corrected easily by the use of.....the cleaning rod! But sometimes I want to take a diamond cutter and blowtorch and just physically shorten the head joint!
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen Carol CharlesW
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,982
    I don't play flute but was lucky enough to attend a college where the flute teacher was highly regarded in the region. I know what good flute sounds like. It is a beautiful instrument properly played.
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • igneusigneus
    Posts: 390
    When working in a "sonically distracting" (not necessarily noisy) environment, I put on headphones and listen to heavy metal. Usually only "new potentially interesting noise" is distracting for me, well known noise is not.
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
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