Auditory Perception of Complex Sounds.
Abstract
The studies summarized in this report concern auditory perceptual processes that underlie several aspects of complex pattern recognition -- whether of speech, of music, or of environmental sounds. These patterns differ from each other according to the characteristics of individual sound events and also characteristics of the pattern sequences themselves. Among the sound characteristics, we have focussed on pitch, quality and duration. we find that spectral properties of complex tones can be changed to yield changes in both apparent pitch and quality, that individuals differ with respect to relative performance on those dimensions, and that both pitch and quality or timbre can play similar grouping roles in auditory systems. Most of the experimental work has concerned timing of successive sounds in sequences. We find that at slow rates, listeners detect equally well small temporal offsets or jitters at different positions in the sequence. Increasing the frequency of one of the tones, or increasing the duration of one or two of the successive intervals produces changes in performance at or near the changes. Some of these timing effects are also manifest in the rhythmic aspects of spoken sentences.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 30, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA190528
Entities
People
- Ira J. Hirsh
Organizations
- Central Institute for the Deaf