Perception of musical pitch with electrical stimulation of the cochlea.

Abstract

For cochlear implant users to obtain enjoyment from music, it is essential that they be able to perceive melodic pitch. Previous studies have indicated that the ‘‘pitch’’ or timbre of pulsatile electrical stimuli varies with the repetition rate or intracochlear site of delivery, but generally pitch has been defined loosely as a tonal quality that can be ranked in terms of ‘‘sharpness.’’ In a recent series of experiments, a user of the Nucleus 22‐electrode implant was asked to judge or adjust the musical interval between pairs of stimuli. The electrical parameters investigated included the frequency of sinusoidally amplitude‐modulated pulse trains, as well as pulse rate and active electrode position. The subject was able to judge the pitches using only the interval names (‘‘fifth’’ ‘‘octave,’’ etc.), and without specific training, the guidance of familiar melodies, or rhythm cues. The results showed that rate or modulation frequency could convey musical pitch over a range of approximately two octaves, and ...