What is an Instrument Level?

Instrument level refers to the electrical signal produced by instruments such as electric guitars, bass guitars, and some keyboards. It is stronger than a microphone-level signal but weaker than a standard line-level signal.

Because instrument-level signals have different electrical characteristics, they often require special inputs designed for high-impedance sources. These inputs are commonly labeled “Hi-Z” or instrument inputs on audio interfaces, amplifiers, and mixing consoles.

If an instrument-level signal needs to be connected to professional audio equipment that expects microphone-level signals, a direct injection (DI) box is often used. The DI box converts the instrument signal into a balanced, lower-impedance signal suitable for microphone inputs and long cable runs.