Does the intensity level of an instrument influence a musician's preferred listening levels?
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Date
2010-06
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Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
Noise induced hearing loss studies have shown that musicians are at a considerably greater risk of hearing loss because of their constant noise exposure with music, through band/orchestra rehearsals, private practices, and performances. The available literature on music and hearing discusses associations of the spatial relations of performers, as well as music technology of the MP3 players with intensity levels, but little information targets the intensity levels of the individual instrument.
The purpose of this study was to determine if specific musical instruments had a relationship with preferred listening levels of musicians. This study recruited 6 players of 4 different musical instruments: the woodwinds- saxophone and flute, and the brass-trumpet and tuba. The sound pressure level of his/her instrument was measured at maximum level of intensity the musician could play. Also, the research participants listened to an unfamiliar song at their preferred level of comfort and be asked to repeat the procedure and adjust the music to the maximum level they can tolerate. The results were recorded to verify a range of loudness that each participant found comfortable to listen to, and the collected listening data was compared with the intensity levels of the musical instruments that they play. I hypothesized that flutists would prefer to listen to maximum intensity levels because their instrument’s sound source is closer to the ear and possibly more intense than the other three instruments.
The results were that there was no relationship between an instrument and preferred listening levels, however there seemed to be a positive linear relationship between an instrument’s intensity level and a maximum listening level a musician was able to tolerate.
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Third place Denman forum
Keywords
hearing, music, intensity, listen, iPod, sound, noise, hearing loss