PSYC 212 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: International Phonetic Alphabet, Basilar Membrane, Vocal Tract
20 Mar 2014
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Document Summary
Musical instruments produce complex tones which conform to a harmonic series. These produce a single pitch perception: musical pitch and timbre. Pitch processor in auditory system examines spatial arrangement of wave patterns on basilar membrane. Ex: string has fundamental frequency, but also vibrates at series of higher harmonic frequencies, each contributing to complex tone. Each harmonic component produces travelling wave in basilar membrane, all have fixed distance relationship to each other. Each successive harmonic = more and more towards base. Brain registers spatial relationship: spatial pattern of peak wave activity on basilar membrane forms critical factor in producing single pitch sensation by a complex musical tone (how the brain does this is unknown) 2:1 frequency ratio = fundamental interval of musical pitch, called octave. Move one octave higher = double frequency. Musical pitch spans 7 octaves (though human hearing spans 10 octaves)
