Abstract

Researchers have extensively examined the effects of noise exposure on hearing loss in professions such as industrial workers and military personnel. However, despite experiencing practical evidence of the same effects, little attention has been given to professional musicians, especially drummers. Percussion instruments, in particular, produce impulsive noise that is known to be more harmful than continuous noise of equal energy. Furthermore, metrological constraints limit the accurate assessment of the risk of hearing loss in such cases. In this preliminary study, we aimed to evaluate the noise exposure of drummers, specifically those playing rock and jazz music. Sound signals were acquired using high-pressure microphones placed near the ears of playing drummers. An extremely high sampling rate was utilized to analyze time-domain signals accurately. Several metrics were calculated to assess their noise exposure. Our findings indicate that drummers are potentially exposed to high sound pressure levels, including impulse noise that is equivalent to those found in industrial settings or shooting ranges.