Effect of frequency region on pitch discrimination

Abstract

The ability to discriminate between pairs of signals having different “missing” fundamental frequencies was measured. The listeners' task was to distinguish a “standard” four‐component complex from one composed of the same four harmonics, but a slightly different fundamental frequency. The complexes occupied one of three frequency regions. They were composed of the 3rd through 6th (low), 12th through 15th (moderate), and the 16th through 19th (high) harmonics of fundamental frequency. Several fundamentals were used, the median value being 250 Hz. Thresholds were determined as a function of the duration of the signal. Durations ranged from 20 to 190 ms. For both high and moderate frequency regions, discriminability improved steadily with the duration of the signal. For the low‐frequency region, thresholds decreased rapidly as the duration was increased from 20 to 32 ms. However, for these signals, increasing the signal duration beyond 32 ms led to little additional improvement in performance. [Work supported by NIH and UC Chancellor's Patent Fund.]