Klarinet Archive - Posting 000072.txt from 2002/09

From: w8wright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: Re: [kl] FW: [kl] Too Loud
Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2002 11:16:08 -0400

<><> Bill Daniluk wrote:
This [the Tuba Mirum in Berlioz's Requiem] may be a special case, but I
find it hard to believe that modern orchestral practice is any louder
than this (1836, if my dates are correct).

Just for the record, the *duration* of loud sound is central to hearing
damage.

Example: Ten seconds at a certain level --- such as a climactic 'fff'
phrase --- may not be harmful, whereas forty minutes at the same sound
level --- such as a band or orchestra 'blasting it out' for a full
movement or set --- could be.

OSHA isn't the final authority, of course, but OSHA regulations
illustrate the effect:

90 dB limit = 8 hours
92 dB limit = 6 hours
....(etc)....
115 dB limit = 15 minutes

Cheers,
Bill

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