When I first came to Germany in the 1980’s you couldn’t take a shower after 10 PM because the noise of the water pipes would disturb your neighbors. They also had working toilets on each landing of the stairwell and many folks still remembered having to go outside. That was the tail end of an earlier era, and thankfully the pipes and plumbing are vastly improved, but there are rules regulating when and how much noise you can make. These rules also protect music making at home, particularly by professional musicians, or Berufsmusiker as we are called there.
It’s important to know them and we will get to that soon, but in some ways it comes down to the same things any singer deals with in the US: getting along with your neighbors, or at least tolerated. There are House Rules (Hausordnung) in rental agreements and before you sign a lease you should know and understand them. You do have rights as a professional musician but it’s best to know what you’re getting into. Talk to your neighbors to let them know you’re a singer and to find out if they have needs and preferences which you can accomodate (ie: small children and nap times, night jobs or odd sleep schedules and the like). You have your rights and necessities but it’s better to work things out with a personal touch. As a coach/accompanist friend who is working at the Deutsche Oper Berlin said, “If you have lousy neighbors, you’re ****ed”. But if you know the rules Germans will actually respect you more, and know that they can’t just roll over you, so here they are.
Ruhezeit: The time when you have to be quiet and not practice.
– Nationwide: Every Night from 10PM-7AM
– Sundays and Legal Holidays: All Day
– Remember, this includes every public holiday, which vary from State to State, and are often religious
Exception: As a singer, if you have a job or concert, you can warm up at home, even on a Sunday, but keeping it short is a good idea.
Workday Afternoons:1PM to 3PM
This is the maximum. It can vary by City or State, but usually by only a half hour or so..
This is an important one, and many Americans have trouble adjusting but you’ll get along much better if you observe it.
Two terms you should be familiar with:
Lärmschütz: Noise Protection
This regulates the use of things like jackhammers, electric saws and the like.
Zimmerlautstärke: Room loudness.
This refers to the ‘normal’ amount of noise in a living room. Generally considered to be up to 40db. You’ll get this a lot, and it’s probably in the Hausordnung. However, even amateur musicians are allowed to practice for several hours per day, and professional musicians can practice or teach, except during Ruhezeit. This does vary from city to city, and you may have to talk to your landlord.
If you have problems with this, a good resource is the local Mietverein-Renters’ Associations. They’ll refer you to a lawyer with expertise in this field. They charge a yearly fee but usually cover legal consultations. I generally did my full voice singing starting about 10AM, and wouldn’t go much past 7PM. You can probably mark and pick out melodies anytime, but if a neighbor complains during Ruhezeit, it’s best to stop and respect the rights of others and these days there’s a lot you can do with headphones!