Why does the pounding bass of the neighbours' music give me a headache, when I would be able to enjoy it if I were sitting in the same room?

Well, close, I think. It’s the bass out of context. Music isn’t just base and treble, it is, or very often is, a very complex and delicate balance of notes, rhythm, instruments, tones, etc. That’s one of the reasons orchestras have conductors and recording studios have highly skilled sound mixers. To help everyone and the music achieve that balance. Also, bass is a very physical thing, I think, a low vibration. Separated from the other elements it effects you more physically maybe.

I have the exact same problem. My crazy neighbor plays her music so loud, I can make out the lyrics. It’s bass, the beat everything. But, I love to play my music crazy loud too.

I think you’re right, something to do with the treble or vibration I guess.

Bass sound waves are low frequency waves that can hitch rides on drywall, floor boards, foundations and even the dirt between homes and travel sub-sonically quite further than high-end frequencies that can be reflected by hard surfaces or absorbed by fabrics and cushions. Bass sound waves will resonate harmonically and borrow surrounding surfaces to additionally vibrate them and amplify the sound to where it seems that your whole world has become a tympani drum.

When you’re hearing it from your neighbour, you are most likely doing something——you’re occupied with something else (for example, you may be watching t.v., enjoying the outdoors on your deck, busily trying to prepare dinner, etc.). So the loud pounding bass detracts and interferes with what you are doing at the moment, and it’s nothing but irritating, annoying.

Also, you may just be hearing the pounding of the bass, and not the music itself, so the loud pounding is like the drill you hear outside when people are doing road work. Even if you hear the neighbour’s music, it may be not to your taste.

When you listen to the loud bass of the music in your own setting, you are listening to it solely for enjoying the music, and you’re not occupied with something else. In addition, you like your own music.

Even when I play my favorite loud music with a heavy bass, and I switch over from listening to it solely to doing something unrelated, like fixing my sink (for example), I start to get annoyed and got to turn it down or shut it off completely. That’s when even my own loud bass music becomes a little too much for my ears! lol

There’s a difference between wanting to listen to something on your terms, and having it pounded into you at somebody else’s whim.
Sort of like intercourse.

@woodcutter, you had me until the intercourse comment. Gross.
But the sense of having to listen to something not of my choosing is annoying.

@woodcutter and @dappled_leaves

O.K. Now you’ve gone and done it. Game on.

I was going to let woodcutter’s comment slide because 1) I have, at the very least, a severe tropical storm, possibly a Category 1 possibly a Category 2 hurricane, who knows, headed my way and have bigger fish to fry 2) have been self-medicating with Malbec to reduce my anxiety level regarding the above mentioned storm and am now officially “chilled out” and 3) I really like @woodcutter

but

@woodcutter

having intercourse “pounded into you at somebody else’s whim.” is called rape. Rape is not a metaphor. It is a violent crime. It is a sexual assault. It is a criminal assault on body, person, dignity and spirit. It is not comparable, in any way whatsoever, to someone’s pounding base coming from another apartment.

@dappled_leaves woodcutter’s comment was not “gross.” It was, at the very least ignorant and insensitive and the most sexist and offensive.

That being said, now that I’ve torn you a new one, in my own way, @woodcutter, I guess you will probably find it hard to believe that I still really do like and respect you, and that you may think that I am overreacting and being unfair. I understand that. I don’t think you meant any harm. I’m just calling it like I see it, and whether or not I am seeing it as it is, is debatable.

I blame the Malbec.

Aw hell it’s not the first time you wigged out on me here we all know you love me:p

@woodcutter LOL. I am LOLing because I don’t know what the txt abbreviation for “huge, affectionate grin” is, and I have a very big one on my face right now. :-)

Edit:lol. I guess the abbreviation for “huge affectionate grin” would be HAG. What else would it be?

I think you got it there, works for me.