You are currently viewing How Can Music Teachers and Band Directors Protect Their Hearing?

How Can Music Teachers and Band Directors Protect Their Hearing?

Music teachers and band directors can protect their hearing with flat-attenuation “musician” earplugs, quiet breaks between loud classes, smarter room setup and a yearly hearing test. NIOSH has measured band directors’ daily noise above its recommended limit, so this is a real everyday concern, not just a concert-night one. The good news is that well-fitted filtered earplugs turn the volume down evenly, so the music still sounds like music.

Quick answer

  • Is a teaching day loud enough? Often. In one NIOSH evaluation, a band director’s full-shift average was 90 dBA, above NIOSH’s 85 dBA limit.
  • What to wear: NIOSH recommended flat-attenuation “musician” earplugs, which lower sound evenly across frequencies.
  • Other helpers: quiet breaks, more distance from the loudest sections, bigger rehearsal rooms and an annual hearing test.
  • Big Ear’s pick: The One, with interchangeable 9–30 dB filters; 25 or 30 dB for marching band, 9–20 dB for quieter settings.

How loud does a music classroom get?

Louder than a lot of teachers expect. In a 2012 NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation of school music classes in Alabama, noise levels in fifth and sixth grade band and music classes mostly ranged from 80 to 100 dBA, with a few moments above 100 dBA. Indoor marching band rehearsal was the loudest, reaching 110 dBA.

The band director wore a noise dosimeter all day. His full-shift average came to 90 dBA, which exceeded the NIOSH recommended exposure limit of 85 dBA. The same report found the band-room rehearsal average was 2 dBA higher than the same rehearsal held in the larger cafeteria.

Another NIOSH publication, Reducing the Risk of Hearing Disorders among Musicians, describes a band director whose exposure across six classes and rehearsals (228 minutes) was 92 dBA, a dose of 461%. It also notes that sound levels during most band rehearsals it reviewed ranged from 91 to 97 dBA, and went past 100 dBA many times.

Class (NIOSH 2012 evaluation) Length Director’s average (NIOSH method)
Fifth grade band 25 min 90 dBA
Sixth grade music 30 min 91 dBA
Sixth grade band 30 min 92 dBA
High school marching band, cafeteria 42 min 95 dBA
High school marching band, band room 51 min 97 dBA

Why does a full teaching day matter more than one loud class?

Because hearing risk is about loudness and time together. NIOSH’s limit is 85 dBA averaged over an eight-hour workday, and for every 3 dBA increase, NIOSH recommends cutting the time in half. A teacher who moves from beginning band to jazz band to marching rehearsal stacks those doses into one day.

The NIDCD lists playing in a band among the activities that can put people at risk for noise-induced hearing loss. It also explains that long or repeated exposure at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss, and that loud noise can cause tinnitus, a ringing, buzzing or roaring in the ears.

If you notice ringing after rehearsals that is new, keeps coming back or is getting worse, please see a doctor or audiologist. The same goes for any sudden change in your hearing.

What kind of earplugs work best for music teachers?

Flat-attenuation earplugs, often called musicians’ earplugs. The 2012 NIOSH report recommended them for the band director and explained that these protectors lower sound evenly across frequencies “to maintain sound quality.”

That’s the part teachers care about. NIOSH’s hearing protection guidance describes flat-attenuation plugs as reducing noise equally across all frequency bands, so the whole ensemble gets quieter together instead of some sections fading more than others.

NIOSH also warns against overprotection. Too much reduction makes it harder to hear what’s happening around you, and for a teacher that means hearing students’ questions. It suggests aiming for just enough reduction to bring exposure down to about 75–85 dBA.

The NIOSH musicians’ publication goes a step further and mentions custom-fitted musician earplugs for teachers and students, and suggests asking an audiologist about custom-fitted earplugs that suit your setting.

What else can band directors do besides earplugs?

Earplugs work best alongside a few simple habits. These ideas come from the two NIOSH reports above:

  • Give your ears quiet time. NIOSH notes ears typically need about eighteen hours of quiet after loud exposure. Use breaks in a quiet space when you can, even five minutes in the office between classes.
  • Add distance. Increasing the space between students and the director, and rethinking where the loudest instruments sit, can lower overall exposure.
  • Choose the bigger room. NIOSH suggested holding marching band rehearsals outdoors when possible, or in larger indoor spaces, ideally with sound-absorbing materials.
  • Play softer in rehearsal. When it fits the music, practice at lower levels during individual and group rehearsals.
  • Get a yearly hearing test. NIOSH recommends annual hearing evaluations, ideally with an audiologist who understands noise in music. Testing helps catch changes early.
  • Teach it. NIOSH also suggests educating students and parents about noise and hearing.

How does Big Ear handle hearing protection for music teachers?

We build The One for exactly this kind of day. It’s a filtered custom earplug with interchangeable flat-attenuation filters of 9, 15, 20, 25 or 30 dB. The filters swap in seconds, with no new mold needed. The One has an NRR of 25 dB with one filter installed.

Our filter guidance is simple. For marching band, we recommend the 25 or 30 dB filter. For quieter settings, the 9, 15 or 20 dB filters are the usual picks. If you teach both kinds of classes in one day, that’s where the kits help.

The One kit Price What’s included Good fit for
Standard $224.95 1 filter set One main teaching setting
Select $299.95 2 filter sets A director who teaches quieter classes and marching band
Premium $574.95 All 5 filters, hole plug, solid plugs, tactical piece and a case Teachers who also perform, travel or want every option

The Select is our best value: for $75 more than the Standard, you get a second filter set, so one pair covers two noise levels. A lighter filter for choir or general music plus a 25 or 30 dB filter for the field is one setup worth asking us about.

For students, our marching band page covers The One for the field. For younger kids who just need quiet, Full Stop Super-Soft ($168.95, NRR 32 dB) is made for adults and children in soft platinum-cure silicone.

Every pair is hand-built in the USA. Build time is 40 business days from the day your impressions reach our lab, and order shipping is $10. You get our 30-Day Fit Warranty and a 12-month warranty against manufacturing defects (loss isn’t covered). Custom products can’t be returned, since each pair is made for your ears.

How do you get fitted around a school schedule?

Our free Home Impression Kit ships in 2–3 business days. Making the impressions takes about 10–15 minutes at home with a helper and a guided video, so you can do it on a weekend instead of during a planning period. Return postage is paid, and if an impression can’t be used, we send a second kit free.

With a 40-business-day build, it helps to order well ahead of band camp or the first day of school. We keep your impressions on file for up to ten years, so replacing a lost pair later is easy.

Frequently asked questions

Will earplugs stop me from hearing wrong notes?

Flat-attenuation filters lower sound evenly across frequencies, so the balance stays close to normal. Start with a lighter filter for small groups and see what feels right.

Which filter should a band director use?

For marching band, we recommend 25 or 30 dB. For quieter classes, 9, 15 or 20 dB. The Select kit gives you two filter sets in one pair.

Do choir and orchestra teachers need hearing protection too?

It depends on the room and the group. NIOSH measured music classes mostly between 80 and 100 dBA. A sound level meter app can give you a rough idea, and a lighter filter often makes sense.

How often should music teachers get a hearing test?

NIOSH recommends a yearly hearing evaluation, ideally with an audiologist who understands noise exposure in music.

Ready to protect the ears you teach with?

Order with a free Home Impression Kit, try Find my pair, or see our musician earplugs and filter guide. Questions? Call us at (719) 271-4528. We love talking with music educators.

Sources