Instruments and ensembles, rankedHow loud are musical instruments?

Piccolo, drums, trumpet, violin, piano, bagpipes and whole orchestras, ranked by the loudest level measured at the player’s ear or a few metres away, with the NIOSH safe time for practice and performance.

Loudest: 96–118 dBAPiccolo
Last on the list: 85–102 dBBagpipes
At a hearing-risk level: 8 of 885 dBA or a 140 dB peak, at the loud end

Bars run from the quietest to the loudest figure measured; the dashed line marks 85 dB, the NIOSH 8-hour limit. The tag is the NIOSH daily limit at the loud end.

Musical instruments, loudest first

1
Piccolo
The smallest instrument in the orchestra can reach 118 dB at the player's ear.

96–118 dBA3 m, and near the player's right ear
14 s
2
Marching band
Inside the band block, a trumpet player hears up to 112 dBA during a game.

91.2–112.3 dBAworn by a trumpet player inside the band block
52 s
3
Drum kit
An acoustic kit hits about 103 dBA at the drummer's ears, with peaks above 140 dBC.

93.4–109.9 dBAat the drummer's ears (2 cm from the ear canal)
1 min 31 s
4
Trumpet
A trumpet at full blast reaches about 108 dB at 3 m.

86–108 dBA3 m (HSE); at the player's ears (orchestra study)
2 min 22 s
5
Violin
Under the player's chin, a violin can reach 105 dB at the left ear.

80–105 dBA3 m, and at the player's left ear
4 min 43 s
6
Piano
Gentle practice sits at 60 to 90 dB; a pianist hammering fortissimo reaches 105.

60–105 dBA3 m
4 min 43 s
7
Symphony orchestra
A full orchestra at fortissimo reaches about 100 dB, with percussion peaks far higher.

86–102 dBA3 m
9 min 27 s
8
Bagpipes
One Highland piper fills the air with 85 to 90 dB; a band of six pushes past 100.

85–102 dBwithin several feet of the pipers
~9 min 27 s

Reading these numbers

Musicians hear their own instrument from centimetres away, so the level at the player’s ear is often higher than anything the audience hears, and the quietest instruments are not always the safest: a violin sits under the jaw, right next to the left ear. These are sound levels, not peaks: a drum kit also throws peaks above 140 dBC at the drummer’s ears. A full day of rehearsals adds up quickly: try a practice day in the noise dose calculator.

Questions

What is the loudest musical instrument?

Of the 8 instruments and ensembles on this list, the piccolo reaches the highest level: 96–118 dBA, 3 m, and near the player's right ear. The smallest instrument in the orchestra can reach 118 dB at the player's ear.

Which instruments can damage a player’s hearing?

At the loud end of their measured ranges, all 8 reach a hearing-risk level (85 dBA or more, or a peak of 140 dB or more): piccolo (96–118 dBA, 14 s a day), marching band (91.2–112.3 dBA, 52 s a day), drum kit (93.4–109.9 dBA, 1 min 31 s a day), trumpet (86–108 dBA, 2 min 22 s a day), violin (80–105 dBA, 4 min 43 s a day), piano (60–105 dBA, 4 min 43 s a day), symphony orchestra (86–102 dBA, 9 min 27 s a day), bagpipes (85–102 dB, ~9 min 27 s a day). Times are the NIOSH daily limit at the loud end of each range.

Every figure links through to its own page, with the measurement conditions and verbatim quotes from each source. General information, not medical advice.