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I play some instruments, including a semi-hollow electric guitar. I live in an apartment, so I have to carefully control the volume and which hours I play, I th

I play some instruments, including a semi-hollow electric guitar. I live in an apartment, so I have to carefully control the volume and which hours I play, I think this is a major difficulty for music in general nowadays. The electric guitar requires an amplifier, and to use an amplifier in a low volume requires strict discipline. Sometimes I use over-ears headphones which while gives me a more clean sound it does not have the same feeling, and you cannot share the music with other people. It's specially bad when I'm playing with other people. Apartments/Condos in US have paper-thin walls, they are becoming more common, it creates an extra difficultly to learn to play instruments, specially drums, bass and electric guitars.

6stringmerc 10y ago
The trouble you describe is, kid you not, one of the foundations for the technique Wes Montgomery developed of brushing with his thumb. I can genuinely say that for about $100 a person can get a PC or Mac sound card that enables 1/4" guitar line-in, probably comes with ProSumer level amp modeling and a DAW license, a set of headphones, and explore a world of tone and recording and jamming along. I also completely agree that doing so is very, very different than filling a room with the din of a jangly tune or distorted growl. Finding a practice space though is as old as I can remember, because between parents, room mates, neighbors...police...people tend to like listening to music but not the practicing part it takes to get good haha.