Pitch of the residue for nonsimultaneous harmonics

Abstract

When three nonsimultaneous harmonics of a fundamental were presented to six trained observers at 50 dB SL, pitch perception was based on spectral frequency in quiet, but based on fundamental frequency when white noise was present (signal 6 dB above threshold in noise). Harmonics were of 40 ms duration, with 10 ms ISI. Harmonics of 200 Hz (600‐800‐1000 Hz) were paired with harmonics of 100 Hz (720‐900‐1080 Hz) for observers' 2AFC judgments of lowest pitch. Thus the stimulus with the higher fundamental (200 Hz) had relatively lower frequencies, while the stimulus with the lower fundamental had relatively higher frequencies. With close to 100% observer reliability pitch judgments in quiet were based on spectral properties and those in noise on residue. When subjects subsequently adjusted a tone to match the lowest pitch heard in such nonsimultaneous three‐component stimuli, spectral pitch matches occurred in quiet while residue pitch matches occurred in noise. When a pitch‐shift stimulus (650‐850‐1050 Hz) wa...