How loud is a piccolo?
The piccolo is one of the loudest orchestral instruments for its player: the UK HSE lists 96 to 112 dB at 3 m and 102 to 118 dB near the player's right ear, with peaks up to 126 dB.
- Level
- 96–118 dBAA-weighted sound level
- Daily limit
- 14 s a dayNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 28,184× energyabout 21.9× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. HSE representative levels for piccolo (96 to 112 dB at 3 m) and piccolo near the player's right ear (102 to 118 dB).
The piccolo is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the flute family, and its mouthpiece sits right beside the player's right ear. HSE's representative levels give 96 to 112 dB at 3 m with peaks of 120 dB, and 102 to 118 dB near the right ear with peaks of 126 dB.
The flute is similar but slightly lower: 92 to 105 dB, and 98 to 114 dB near the right ear.
How long is safe?
NIOSH recommends no more than 14 s a day at 118 dBA (38 min at 96). OSHA's legal limit is 9 min 54 s.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96 dBA | 38 min | 3 h 29 min | 12 min | 38 min |
| 118 dBA | 14 s | 9 min 54 s | 5 s | 14 s |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Protecting your hearing
Piccolo and flute players benefit from musician's earplugs, especially in the right ear, and from not sitting directly in front of brass or percussion.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- Live band in a pub (103–105 dBA): this has about 2× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Tractor pull (99.7–108.6 dBA): this has about 1.9× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Crying baby (99–120 dBA max): it has about 1.8× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Thunder (100–120 dBA max): it has about 2× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 28,184× its energy and sounds about 21.9× as loud.
Questions
Is the piccolo louder than the flute?
Yes. HSE lists the piccolo at 96 to 112 dB at 3 m against 92 to 105 dB for the flute.
Why does the piccolo affect the right ear?
The mouthpiece sits beside the right ear; HSE lists 102 to 118 dB near the player's right ear.
Sources
- Sound advice: Control of noise at work in music and entertainment (HSG260), Health and Safety Executive (UK). Supports: dB_low: 96-112 dB at 3 m.
Piccolo 96–112* 120
Checked 2026-11-02. - Sound advice: Control of noise at work in music and entertainment (HSG260), Health and Safety Executive (UK). Supports: dB_high: 102-118 dB near right ear.
Piccolo (near right ear) 102–118* 126
Checked 2026-11-02. - Sound advice: Control of noise at work in music and entertainment (HSG260), Health and Safety Executive (UK). Supports: flute near right ear.
Flute (near right ear) 98–114 118
Checked 2026-11-02.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.