Living with an instrument comes with perks and precautions
Daisy Howard, a freshman studying chemical engineering, stores her French horn in Glidden Hall most of the week.
The trip home, however, creates logistical problems.
“On Fridays I have studio and then I have English then calculus. … It takes up a desk in my English class,” Howard said, of her instrument. “I just sit it in a seat, and everyone accepts the fact that my French horn is now a student in the class.”
Students who have a passion for playing music are free to express their creativity on campus, but finding the place and time to practice is not always the easiest task.
In addition to the problem of finding space in crowded rooms — and dealing with roommates — being considerate of others or finding alternative spots to play can be troublesome for some musicians.
Sounds travels with ease throughout the residence halls, Howard said, noting that a Wilson Hall resident commented about hearing someone playing the flute — another instrument she plays — even though that person lives on the other side of the building.
Students living on campus must keep noise at “an acceptable and courteous level” at all hours of the day, according to Ohio University’s Student Housing Handbook.
For Noah Wilkinson, a freshman who plays guitar and has not yet declared a major, arguments with his roommate are kept to a minimum because of their mutual love for music and respect for each other.
“I try to practice when it’s appropriate, but my roommate plays bass, and he’s into music, so he’s very understanding of when I’m trying to practice, and when he’s trying to get some work done, I respect that,” he said.
Jake Tisdale, a freshman studying media arts and studies and a drum player in the band Kvetch, has taken a different approach to practicing in the residence halls. Instead of getting his entire band together in a single residence hall room, the group uses the study room in the basement of James Hall as a practice space and keeps some of its equipment there.
“As long as you don’t be ridiculous about it, I don’t think it’s really a problem,” he said.
If students are studying in the room, the band will wait, Tisdale said.
Howard frequently practices her flute and French horn in Wilson Hall and makes use of the piano in its lobby.
“I’ll play in the lobby; I just annoy people with my instruments,” she said, laughing.
While she has only received one complaint about playing the piano, she said most people seem to enjoy the melodies created by the instrument.
Off-campus residences have similar rules for instrumentalists. One complex, River Park and River’s Edge on South Green, has quiet hours and noise regulations that must be abided by. There have not been any recent problems with musicians in the building, said Ashley Gall, the business manager of the complex.
“If they’re just playing guitar in their apartment, as long as they keep it at a reasonable volume, it’s not disturbing, and it’s just peaceful enjoyment in their apartment, then there is nothing that says they can’t,” Gall said. “If it is excessive, we would have to tell them to stop.”
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