Noise reduction from neighboring properties - ideas?

Basically, I think "one" is in the garden because one wants to hear nature, the "outside" (birdsong, buzzing of insects, chirping of crickets ...) as opposed to the "inside," and music, from my point of view, is not a sound that belongs to nature.

You or one forgets that a residential area is not "nature." Anyone who wants pure nature probably has to go to nature reserves or forests. New development areas or general residential areas, accessed by a road, are urban. Some of them have a suburban or village character, but it is a community of several, so more than just me and my family.

By the way: simply enjoy the entire Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in its fullness, and with all your senses: the hustle and bustle, the day's work, all the usual things on the street, from the dog walker, trotting runners, motorized shoppers, buzzing lawnmowers, sweeping hours, crying children, Makita radios, the clinking of two beer bottles from neighbors on the street, repairing a Bulli, the beeping of children’s scooters, the grumpy mother-in-law next door ... all of this is also pleasant as a whole. Like a beehive. Only the bass is disturbing. And the diesel riding mower. And Celine Dion :p

One must not forget either: one also makes noise oneself. Not everyone finds crying babies pleasant. Maybe the Makita radio was just a reaction? ;)

He is not doing an open-air concert but has a construction site radio on..... If you go over there and ask him to turn it off, then you are not far from being the annoying goat ...

That's how it is, and somewhere mutual consideration also has its limits. I can hardly forbid the neighbor to listen to music with a radio in his own garden, on his own property, at moderate volume. I think the only thing that could really help the OP here would be a therapist (maybe they can change something in the "mindset") or at least a 1000 sqm large property. At least then the risk of noise disturbance is minimized. I know, unfortunately, none of these are solutions that can be implemented in the short term... :(

I always say, anyone who is sensitive to noise shouldn’t move to the countryside. Or they should spend a lot of money on noise protection, then the house must be made entirely of reinforced concrete and have noise protection windows class 5. Otherwise, relaxing won’t work.

In the city, it is not quieter either. On the contrary. More people, more traffic = more noise.

Only the typical machinery noise of the countryside is then absent.

Depends a bit. I think in a residential area in the city it is definitely quieter.

In the countryside you have many agricultural machines, kids riding mopeds or lawn mowers up and down half the day, wood splitters, chainsaws, construction noise from private ongoing building activities, truck traffic from local companies, and many tinkerers and hobby carpenters.

City people think differently.

I can't listen to music while playing video games either. I can't concentrate then.

I feel you! My husband always makes fun of me when I turn the music down while parking.