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Design and Characterization Methodology for Efficient Wide Range Tunable MEMS Filters
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Harmonic segregation through mistuning can improve fundamental frequency discrimination.

Joshua G W Bernstein1, Andrew J Oxenham

  • 1Army Audiology and Speech Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 6900 Georgia Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20307, USA. joshua.bernstein@amedd.army.mil

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|December 3, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Mistuning harmonics improved fundamental frequency (f0) discrimination, especially when only high-numbered harmonics were present. This suggests pitch perception benefits from auditory segregation, not just spectral resolution.

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Area of Science:

  • Auditory Neuroscience
  • Psychoacoustics
  • Speech and Hearing Science

Background:

  • Fundamental frequency (f0) discrimination is crucial for perceiving speech prosody and musical pitch.
  • Previous research indicates f0 discrimination declines with decreasing f0, particularly when only higher harmonics are present.
  • The role of harmonic resolvability versus perceptual grouping in f0 discrimination remains debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between harmonic frequency resolution and fundamental frequency (f0) discrimination.
  • To examine the effect of mistuning harmonics on f0 discrimination.
  • To determine if spectral resolution of individual harmonics is necessary for accurate f0 discrimination.

Main Methods:

  • Participants performed f0 discrimination tasks with bandpass-filtered harmonic complexes.
  • Harmonics were presented either diotically or dichotically.
  • Odd harmonics were systematically mistuned by 3% to assess perceptual effects.

Main Results:

  • f0 discrimination worsened significantly when only harmonics above the tenth were presented.
  • Mistuning odd harmonics dramatically improved f0 discrimination, especially in dichotic conditions.
  • Mistuning did not improve individual harmonic frequency discrimination, suggesting pitch perception relies on grouping.

Conclusions:

  • f0 discrimination can be enhanced by perceptual segregation based on inharmonicity.
  • Poor performance with high-numbered harmonics is not solely due to peripheral spectral limitations.
  • Accurate f0 discrimination depends on auditory filter bandwidths but not necessarily on individual harmonic spectral resolution.