I have a Roland electronic drum kit, and have had complaints from my neighbours upstairs, who I guess can hear it. It's not that loud to me, of course, and I can't imagine it's as loud as my guitars, but perhaps it vibrates the floor up there. I am worried that I'm not going to get to play with my new toy because of the neighbours. I have read a million things I can do, but I live in military base housing, so it's not as though I can start building rooms within rooms — I have to be economical and not tear the house apart.
Mark Johnson
Editor Paul White replies: As you suspect, what is likely to be bothering your upstairs neighbours the most is structural vibration. I'd suggest setting up your electronic kit on a sheet of chipboard that's resting on a sheet of two‑inch furniture foam. At least that doesn't require any alterations to the fabric of the building. It sounds as though you're quite limited as to the soundproofing work you can undertake, but if you do want to go further, my Basic Home Studio Design book, available from SOS Mail Order for £5 plus postage and packing, investigates some additional ideas.