Courtasy

Interesting thread (the gun thing would be an interesting side thread about worldwide cultural differences; this forum is a rare and great opportunity for most to interact with foreigners and get different viewpoints)
Back on topic though I don't think the uke carries that far, unless you're really strumming hard or amped up loudly. Most of us are afraid of pissing off our neighbors and afraid of confrontation.
I think of my brother who played drums in high school band and had a full drum set - feel sorry for the neighbors. But he wouldn't play after dinner.
Something like a banjolele or actual banjo (w/ picks) would probably carry a longer ways
As for playing on the wall in San Juan, man, that sounds beautiful and perfect. Tgat sounds like what your uke was meant for. Do it!
 
In a big, open, public park, I see nothing wrong with playing your uke. People go their to enjoy the outdoors, surely the sounds of children playing is as loud as someone quietly plucking away on a uke. You have as much right to use that public space to entertain yourself as they do, right?

Now, if you find a wide open park and go sit down on the same bench as someone quietly reading and start playing, then you are certainly imposing, whether they say anything or not. So much of this thread really is about "reading the room" and taking social cues. If you find yourself wondering "is this ok?" then you probably realize that it might not be, and you should act accordingly. We live in a world where many people seem to lack self-awareness (talking loudly on phones in the store, etc.).



As for the gun stuff, it has no relevance in this thread, and I'm baffled as to why various folks felt compelled to tell us that they have firearms, and which ones specifically they are. :uhoh:
 
Interesting thread (the gun thing would be an interesting side thread about worldwide cultural differences; this forum is a rare and great opportunity for most to interact with foreigners and get different viewpoints)
Back on topic though I don't think the uke carries that far, unless you're really strumming hard or amped up loudly. Most of us are afraid of pissing off our neighbors and afraid of confrontation.
I think of my brother who played drums in high school band and had a full drum set - feel sorry for the neighbors. But he wouldn't play after dinner.
Something like a banjolele or actual banjo (w/ picks) would probably carry a longer ways
As for playing on the wall in San Juan, man, that sounds beautiful and perfect. Tgat sounds like what your uke was meant for. Do it!
Well, one of my goals was to be a street performer, and I wanted to do it here in Old San Juan. Also, it is so far out of my comfort zone. But I have since had people, my wife included, sort of infer that street musicians are just panhandlers with a different spiel. So now I have this big complex about it. But I posted a thread on that some time ago and of course, uke players think differently. But regardless, I'm a little apprehensive about just going out busking. But there are two things. First of all, I could be a street performer who doesn't put out the hat so to speak. I don't think that I need the couple of dollars that I might get from people passing by. I could just give my music away. That would be nice. The other thing is the San Sebastian Festival in January. I live on Calle San Sebastian, and during the festival street performers are on every corner. I could busk right outside our front gate. So right now, I'm thinking of breaking the ice at the San Sebastian Festival.
 
Taking a cruise in DEC. and PR will be one of the stops. Let's meet at the wall and jam [safety in numbers]
I know it's against cruise ship policy, but I've taken a uke on every cruise [at least a dozen] . Even on crowded boats there are out of the way places where I've sat and played. Never had problems, and actually had a few compliments. if anyone ever complained, I'd stop.I play and sing softly on board.

PS.And speaking of courtesy, my pet peeve is people loudly yaking away on their phone in a restaurant when you are trying to enjoy a meal. Unless I'm on the phone.
 
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Taking a cruise in DEC. and PR will be one of the stops. Let's meet at the wall and jam [safety in numbers]
I know it's against cruise ship policy, but I've taken a uke on every cruise [at least a dozen] . Even on crowded boats there are out of the way places where I've sat and played. Never had problems, and actually had a few compliments. if anyone ever complained, I'd stop.I play and sing softly on board.

PS.And speaking of courtesy, my pet peeve is people loudly yaking away on their phone in a restaurant when you are trying to enjoy a meal. Unless I'm on the phone.
When are you in San Juan? I would love to jam on the wall with you, but I'll be in Iowa with my family for the holidays. I'm usually here in October, then back to the states for Thanksgiving and Christmas. After Christmas we come down here and stay until the middle of April or first of May.
 
I was not courteous in my youth when playing recorded music in my parents house or at my first apartment.

I am not always courteous in my car when playing radio//CD//Sirius music. As with when on my kickscooter and playing Pandora, I figure I am moving past quickly enough that it is a momentary irritation. Neither activity - driving and scooting - is good for headphone use

I live on two acres with a river running in front of my house, so no neighbors there. Neighbors on the left have an empty lot between us. Neighbors on the right have two lots between us. Strumming inside is fine as I can't be heard outside - according to my husband when he comes home while I am playing.

Even with all that space outside, though, THEY CAN HEAR ME when I play my acoustic ukulele outside. It is amazing how much sound travels on the riverbank where I live. I can clearly hear the neighbors on the other side of the river at times. If I play outside, it is during the week when everyone is at work.
 
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My oldest possession is a Peterson Briar I paid 2L and a Bob for in Bath when I was a teenager. I doubt there are many here who can relate to that in anyway.

That took me back. Peterson was my father's choice for many years until he quit.

Handguns are strictly controlled in this country and the Police have them "available" but don't normally wear them. Their union currently wants to change this. That would worry me as their skill level generally is not great. My most modern example holds 13 rounds of 45ACP., the security requirements are such that I couldn't get at it in a hurry or without making considerable noise...

Since consideration is the topic, the club does not shoot on Christmas day or at other times that might upset the neighbours.
 
re. "IamNoMan"'s comment "but it's part of our culture"...

There are a lot of things that have been and continue to be part of some group's culture that are either immoral, amoral, stupid, obsolete, or wisely illegal. Try female genital mutilation, slavery, head-hunting, cannibalism, human sacrifice, and torture of prisoners for the top of the heap. All of these have been deemed to be culturally acceptable at one point...several...most?... seem to still be going on. So I just don't go for "our culture" as being a very valid reason for anything that is beyond question and is OK.

Shooting guns in the air...now that one is really stupid. What goes up comes down, and yes, a falling bullet can kill, has killed, and will kill again. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebratory_gunfire

A falling uke, however, is another matter. Not sure what terminal velocity is.
 
Courtesy is as subjective a subject as one can have. Is it tolerance to other's social and cultural norms? Is it putting up with one's neighbor, even if the neighbor's attitudes and opinions are 180degrees from your own? Or is it expecting your neighbor to condone with what you believe is "civilized behavior" regardless of their social and cultural norms?

The "gun" references don't bother me at all, as the context was understood for what was meant.

These forums cross a lot of national borders where laws, history and beliefs are not only different internationally, but often quite different intra-nationally. Compound that with the fact that English is the predominate language. However, there are many dialects within the English language, and slang, colloquial sayings, analogies and specific definitions often are different among the dialects. The fact that we all just read text devoid of body language and voice inflection impedes true understanding of the printed message.

In keeping with the topic, I now defer to my forum neighbors...
 
In keeping with the topic, I now defer to my forum neighbors...
This thread has gotten so off-topic in general that I suspect it will get closed soon.

Politics and heated discussions about guns and such aren't why most of us come here, and I don't think that's what the OP intended.
 
This thread has gotten so off-topic in general that I suspect it will get closed soon.

Politics and heated discussions about guns and such aren't why most of us come here, and I don't think that's what the OP intended.
The OP says that I like it when something takes a life of its own. I'm not a controlling person. I say, ride it out. But then, it probably isn't my call.
 
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