What the study found
Contemporary popular music with electronic elements can intentionally use a single harmonic complex tone to create multiple or ambiguous pitch perceptions. The study found that synthesized harmonic tones in the musical sequences conveyed more perceived pitches than acoustic tones.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors suggest that, in contemporary popular music with an electronic component, harmonic tones can convey multiple ambiguous pitches. They also indicate that the set of perceived pitches depends on both the listener and the listening conditions.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used examples from the work of electronic artist Vitalic and from widely used electronically mediated tones. They conducted two listening tests: one on how many simultaneous pitches people perceived in sequences of quasi-harmonic tones, and another on manual pitch transcription of selected sequences.
What worked and what didn't
In the sequences studied, synthesized harmonic tones were associated with a greater number of perceived pitches than acoustic tones. Multiple ambiguous pitches were associated with prominent upper partials and specific autocorrelation profiles.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe detailed limitations beyond noting that perceived pitches vary by listener and listening conditions. The findings are limited to the musical sequences and tones examined in the study.
Key points
- A single harmonic complex tone can produce multiple or ambiguous pitch perceptions in electronic popular music.
- Synthesized harmonic tones produced more perceived pitches than acoustic tones in the studied sequences.
- The researchers used Vitalic examples and widely used electronically mediated tones.
- Two listening tests were conducted: pitch-count judgments and manual pitch transcription.
- Prominent upper partials and specific autocorrelation profiles were linked to multiple ambiguous pitches.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Electronic harmonic tones can suggest multiple pitches
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