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Tuning properties of the auditory frequency-shift detectors
Laurent Demany1, Daniel Pressnitzer, Catherine Semal
1Laboratoire Mouvement, Adaptation, Cognition (UMR CNRS 5227), Universite de Bordeaux, 146 Rue Leo Saignat, Bordeaux, France. laurent.demany@u-bordeaux2.fr
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|September 11, 2009
Summary
The auditory system can detect pitch changes even when the initial tone is masked. Automatic frequency-shift detectors (FSDs) optimally respond to frequency shifts of approximately 120 cents.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Psychoacoustics
- Signal Processing
Background:
- Previous research demonstrated pitch change detection despite informational masking.
- This suggests the presence of automatic frequency-shift detectors (FSDs) in the auditory system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the optimal frequency shift magnitude detected by FSDs.
- Investigate the sensitivity of automatic pitch change detection.
Main Methods:
- Listeners were exposed to sound sequences with masked initial tones (chords) and a final pure tone.
- Varying interstimulus intervals (ISI) and frequency distances (Delta) between tones were used.
- Participants judged if the final tone was higher or lower than a chord component.
Main Results:
- Optimal performance in detecting pitch direction occurred when the frequency shift (Delta) was approximately 120 cents (1/10 octave).
- This optimal detection magnitude was consistent across different chord properties and ISIs.
Conclusions:
- The auditory system's automatic frequency-shift detectors (FSDs) are most sensitive to frequency shifts around 120 cents.
- This finding provides a precise measure of the FSDs' optimal operating range.
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