Only feet away from the fields where the Hawkeye Marching Band practices every week, she is constantly bombarded with the thundering horns and the piercing piccolos.

"I often find myself keeping time with the beat," she said. "I tell my friends that my life has a soundtrack now."

But as the Iowa football season - and the marching band practices - progress, both local residents and band members are at risk of hearing loss, experts say.

Research from Duke University shows the decibel levels usually reached during a marching-band practice exceed workplace recommendations from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

"Sometimes, it's painfully loud," Luttinger said.

The research doesn't surprise the student marchers and band directors, who undergo two-hour practices every Tuesday through Thursday.

"There are 290 students; it's going to be loud," said Kevin Kastens, the director of the band.

Each marcher is given a pair of earphones to combat the sometimes harmful noise levels, but they are only worn during indoor practices, Kastens said.

The director said he has never received any formal complaints about the noise and added that playing outdoors, combined with how far each band member is spread out from each other, helps to dissipate the noise.

But the ear plugs received often go unused.

"I don't wear ear plugs because I like to get the most comprehension of what I'm hearing," said UI senior Zach Spittler, a bass drummer. "I haven't thought about it, but we are loud."

Fellow band members Lindsay Tigh added that she isn't too worried about the decibel levels.

"I've been doing this since eighth grade," the UI sophomore said. "Sure it gets a little loud, but they give us earplugs during practice."

Residents, however, receive no ear plugs and are forced to fend for themselves. The marching band's tunes can be heard for several blocks in each direction.

"It's loud," said Joan Burns, who lives near the field where the band practices. "If I had children that needed to have nap times, it would be a problem."

But despite the noise, she said, she loves having the band nearly playing in her back yard.

"The only time it bothers me is when the other team uses it" before football games, added resident Claire Ashman. "If it's not the 'Iowa Fight Song' that wakes me up, I'm not happy."

By Danny Valentine