Acoustics

[cjsmith]

I can hear the nearby high school band -- percussion only -- through my chimney.

Comments

[evilegg.livejournal.com]

Or you might be crazy.

[genderfur.livejournal.com]

Might be all that's practicing?

I remember in my high school, the percussion section used to go marching thru campus regularly. Just them, very much at their whim. Good stuff.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Better than the woodpecker we had on the metal flue cap atop our chimney early one morning. :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

They do seem to practice alone frequently. There is nothing like the sound of a percussion section figuring itself out. :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

The voices tell me I'm sane. Everybody else is crazy.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Hah! This sounded like rain directly on the flue plate right here in the room. Then I stuck my head in the fireplace, and wow, it was amazingly clear.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

The woodpecker woke us up - it was like a machine gun.

Was the band percussion section at least good?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh man, that must have been pretty nasty. The barrel of a chimney would make a great sound chamber.

It's late enough in the school year that they're beyond the "absolutely horrible" stage. Depending on atmospheric conditions, we get treated to a whole lot of band practices -- usually sailing in through our second-story windows and pouring into our living room -- so we're kind of getting the hang of what times of year the band is good and what times it's not.

[bendoutdoors.livejournal.com]

The first spring in our house we experienced the lovely melodic hammering of a woodpecker on the highest metal chimney cap on the house. Unfortunately that particular chimney leads directly into the master bedroom. And the woodpeckers prefer early morning serenades (5:30am-ish). The only way to solve the problem was to stuff insulation up the flue. Good thing we never use that particular fireplace! It's now become a rite of spring to step outside to listen to (and watch) a woodpecker on each house around us competing with each other for who can make the loudest noise. But only after they awaken us...

[jb98.livejournal.com]

I love hearing band practice! Lucky you :)