Detection of inharmonicity in dichotic pure-tone dyads

Hear Res. 1992 Aug;61(1-2):161-6. doi: 10.1016/0378-5955(92)90047-q.

Abstract

Thresholds for the detection of quasi-sinusoidal frequency ratio fluctuations were measured with stimuli consisting of dichotic dyads of simultaneous pure tones. The two component tones of each dyad were slowly modulated in frequency, in such a way that the ratio of their instantaneous frequencies oscillated (or not) around some standard frequency ratio (SFR). As in a previous study [Demany and Semal (1988) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 83, 687-695], it was found that smaller oscillations could be detected when the SFR was precisely an octave (2/1) than when it was slightly smaller or larger (2/1 +/- 50 or 100 cents). Similar 'harmonicity effects' were obtained here for SFRs in the vicinity of a fifth (3/2), a twelfth (3/1), or a double octave (4/1). However, these harmonicity effects were generally less pronounced than those observed in the vicinity of an octave. Each of our four subjects provided evidence for a central sensitivity to the octave harmonicity, but the same consistency could not be found with respect to other kinds of harmonicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Audiometry, Speech
  • Auditory Threshold / physiology*
  • Humans