How do you record wall-banging by neighbor? (apartment, construction)

[MumzE]

Dear Forum,

Can anyone recommend a recording device that picks up wall-banging? I've tried with my cell but it doesn't do it justice.

Thanks for any information.

[Fubarbundy]

External microphone?

[MumzE]

My phone mic doesn't really pick it up even though it's really loud and shakes the wall. I know that some mics actually work to mute out those noises, whereas I need something that picks it up.

The walls are thin in the building and there isn't any sound-proofing. If I do anything at all, the neighbor bangs the wall like a madman (and sometimes it's just in the middle of the night when I'm doing nothing but sleeping and it wakes me up). I hear everything he does but I don't do that to him or file complaints because I realize, like any sane person would, that it's not his (or my) fault, it's the shoddiness of the building.

I tried talking with the neighbor, to get him to stop banging, but he reacted irrationally. Now I want to figure out a way to accurately record him banging (if he continues) because he told our landlord that he isn't banging and I need them to do something about it.

There's nothing we can do about the thin walls, but I can't deal with him banging when I'm not making a racket.

If anyone has experience with this, please offer up some tips.
Thanks!

[livingsinglenyc]

I have no advice but I'd be curious if anyone found anything that actually works.

[D. Scott]

The external microphones recommended would be the only option. This guy simply pounds on the wall for no reason at night? Hes either nuts or doing it out of spite. Anyone on the opposite side of him? Maybe they are experiencing similar problems.

[stormgal]

Yeah, sounds like this person has a mental issue!

[livingsinglenyc]

It may be the sound from another apt travels to your neighbors but they are convinced that it is you making the noise so bang on the wall. I use my hammer to bang when my neighbor has his parties so he knows I hear them but he obviously doesn't care and continues.

[HellUpInHarlem]

The new lottery buildings are cheaply built with shoddy construction. Sh it sucks really

[Clarallel]

There are, of course, machines called "tape recorders." But I'm not sure you need to record it. A decibel counter would be handy, and you can just keep a written record of the frequency and duration.

[MumzE]

He might be. I don't throw parties, I don't play loud music with base etc.. and in fact couldn't be more opposite. The most mundane everyday tasks provoke him to banging. He'll do it at 5PM, 8PM -- this is not even a response to late night noise because I'm not even up past 10. I put away laundry in my dresser -- bang bang. I read a story to my son -- bang bang.

Then he comes in late, slams his front door -- which is really loud and shakes the common wall and wakes me up. Then he slams around the apartment and it sounds like he punches the wall a few time. Again, I've never complained about this for years. But his banging against my "noise" has become unnerving and so I thought I'd try to communicate with him and hopefully resolve the issue but nope.