Regularity of spectral pattern and its effects on the perceptual fusion of harmonics

A single even harmonic added to an odd-harmonic complex may be judged as perceptually more salient than the odd harmonics themselves (Roberts & Bregman, 1991). It is proposed that this effect occurs because the even harmonic is inconsistent with the regular spectral pattern formed by the odd-harmonic complex (the base). Therefore, a reduction in the regularity of the base spectrum should reduce the even—odd difference. Spectral regularity was reduced either by removing base components, or by including components in the base that were inconsistent with its original pattern. Subjects listened to (primarily) harmonic complex tones and rated the clarity of one of the harmonics, cued by a preceding pure tone. Both removing components from the base and including extraneous components in the base reduced the even—odd difference. The results suggest that it is easier to segregate a harmonic from a periodic complex tone when it does not form part of the regular pattern of spectral spacing defined by the other harmonics.

[1]  Brian Roberts,et al.  Spectral pattern and the perceptual fusion of harmonics. II. A special status for added components? , 1993, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[2]  A S Bregman,et al.  Fusion of simultaneous tonal glides: The role of parallelness and simple frequency relations , 1984, Perception & psychophysics.

[3]  S. Pinker,et al.  Auditory streaming and the building of timbre. , 1978, Canadian journal of psychology.

[4]  Brian Roberts,et al.  Spectral pattern and the perceptual fusion of harmonics. I. The role of temporal factors , 1993 .

[5]  H. Duifhuis,et al.  Audibility of high harmonics in a periodic pulse. , 1970, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[6]  M. Scheffers.  Simulation of auditory analysis of pitch: an elaboration on the DWS pitch meter. , 1983, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[7]  L. F. Willems,et al.  Measurement of pitch in speech: an implementation of Goldstein's theory of pitch perception. , 1982, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[8]  H. Duifhuis,et al.  Audibility of high harmonics in a periodic pulse. II. , 1971, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[9]  A. Bregman,et al.  Effects of the pattern of spectral spacing on the perceptual fusion of harmonics , 1990 .

[10]  J. L. Goldstein,et al.  Evidence for a general template in central optimal processing for pitch of complex tones. , 1978, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[11]  P J Bailey,et al.  Spectral regularity as a factor distinct from harmonic relations in auditory grouping. , 1996, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[12]  Albert S. Bregman,et al.  The Auditory Scene. (Book Reviews: Auditory Scene Analysis. The Perceptual Organization of Sound.) , 1990 .

[13]  B. L. Cardozo,et al.  Pitch of the Residue , 1962 .

[14]  S McAdams,et al.  Hearing a mistuned harmonic in an otherwise periodic complex tone. , 1990, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[15]  W. Hartmann.  Pitch Perception and the Segregation and Integration of Auditory Entities , 1988 .

[16]  D. J. Hermes,et al.  Measurement of pitch by subharmonic summation. , 1988, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.