The spectral shape of the dominance region for ripple noise pitch

Abstract

The repetition pitch and pitch strength of ripple noise depends on information in a spectral region located three to five times the reported pitch. A quantitative measure of the shape of this spectral dominance region for repetition pitch was obtained using a pitch strength, discrimination procedure. Listeners discriminated between two pitches of ripple noise. The pitch strength of the two stimuli was decreased until the listeners were at threshold in their ability to make the pitch discrimination. The pitch strength required for threshold was determined as a function of low‐ or high‐pass filtering the ripple noise using filters with a variety of cutoff frequencies. This function described the spectral dominance region for a variety of ripple noise conditions. The dominance region had a bandpass characteristic with a center frequency at four times the reported pitch, and the low‐frequency roll off in pitch strength was shallower than the high‐frequency roll off. The shape of the dominance region was proportional to the repetition pitch of the ripple noise. Thus, pitch strength was strongest when the spectrum contained energy at four times the reported pitch, weaker when only high‐frequency energy was present and weakest when only low‐frequency energy was present. These results will be discussed in terms of the recent models of pitch perception, especially the Peripheral Weighting Model. [Work supported by NSF.]