Physics of Music, Lecture 5:

Human Perception of Sound

Prof. Charles Hyde-Wright
Reference materials

The Physics of Sound, R.E. Berg, D.G. Stork

The Science of Sound, T.D. Rossing

Laboratory Projects in sound

perception & discrimination

Just Noticeable differences in pitch

Temporal sequence
Right-Left, or Superposition
Pitch perception
Shortest duration sound
Missing fundamental
Masking noise
Psycho-perceptual scale of intensity
Direction and distance perception (of sound)
Right-left time difference
Right-left intensity difference
Reverb

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

Peripheral
Auditory
System

Outer Ear: Sound Collection

Middle Ear: Mechanical
Transducer
Inner Ear (Cochlea):

Frequency to position (fourier

analysis)
Mechanical vibration to nerve
impulse

Auditory Nerve, Brain, Mind

Pitch & Timbre Sensation

Right-Left synthesis
Sound Identification (danger,
music, speech)

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

Middle Ear, Ossicles

Hammer (attached to eardrum), Anvil, and Stirrup

(terminated on Oval Window
of Cochlea).
Lever system converts low
pressure--large amplitude
vibrations of eardrum to
large pressure--small
amplitude vibrations of
cochlear fluid.

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

Cochlea: Conversion of mechanical

vibrations to nerve impulses

Fluid filled tube, divided in half longitudinally by Basilar Membrane.

Sound vibrations in fluid cause the basilar membrane to vibrate.
The Basilar Membrane is tapered in width and in thickness along 3.5
cm length.

Waves on a string: v =[F/]1/2.

Basilar Membrane, Tension and density change with position:

Narrow, stiff near Oval Window. Large and floppy at Helicotrema

Simple sound oscillations produce

localized vibration
Low Frequencies near Helicotrema.
High Frequencies near Oval Window.

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

Project Proposal for Math

Students:

Study Cochlea physiology and

mechanics in a little more detail
Use math packages on computer (e.g.
MathCad) to solve Wave Equation of
simplified model of Basilar Membrane
Can you demonstrate localization of
pure tones?

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

Musical Pitch:

Each Octave is a factor of 2 change in

frequency (Not an equal additive change):

A = 55 Hz, 110 Hz, 220 Hz, 440 Hz, 880 Hz,

1760 Hz, 3520 Hz,

Musical Third is a 1.25:1.0 ratio:

C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C

e.g. A:F = 220:176, 440:352,

Equal Tempered Tuning:

Twelve equal half steps in an octave

C#:C =D:C#= D#:D = C:B
Twelve equal factors make 2:1 for one octave
Musical half step = 21/12 = 1.0595

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

Localization of Vibration on
Basilar Membrane

B. Membrane contains 30,000

hair/nerve cells along 35 mm
length
Each octave is an equal shift of
3.5 mm
Each pure tone is localized to a
Critical Band of 1.2 mm.
Each pure tone excites 1300
hair cells covering a 15%
frequency range (< minor third).

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

Auditory Processing

Each auditory nerve cell is a little

Fundamental (A=1760 Hz)
oscillator, tuned to respond to vibrations
and two Overtones
in a narrow frequency band
corresponding to the nerves position on
on Basilar Membrane
the Basilar Membrane.
Each auditory nerve cell fires on/off in
phase with sound stimulusprovided the
amplitude of vibration of the hair/nerve is
above threshold.
Brain receives frequency & phase
information from firing of nerves and
frequency information from pattern of
0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35
which nerves fire.
Position on Membrane
Expect brain can resolve position and
(mm)
width of pure tone distribution to 1/20 of
full width = 0.06 mm frequency ratio
1.01 29 cents:
Just Noticeable Difference (JND)
Vibration Amplitude
(arbitrary units)

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

Exponential Thinking
(Powers of 10)

Professors teaching Phys 332 = 1 = 100

Students in Class
= 15 = 1.5x101
Students enrolled at ODU = 17,000= 1.7x104
Population of South Hampton Roads:
6
1 Million People = 10
Population of India
9
1 Billion People = 10
U.S. Federal Budget:
12
1 Trillion Dollars = 10
Any number is a mantissa (value between 1 and 10)
times a power of 10.

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

10

Exponents dont have to be integers

2 = 100.3010
0.3
0.3
0.3+0.3
0.6
4 = 2 x 2 10 x 10 = 10
=10
8 = 2 x 2 x 2 100.9
We like to work with powers of 2:

Inches, , , 1/8,
Coins & Currency

1 , 5 , 10 , 25 , 50 , $1, $2?, $5, $10

Euro

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

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Euro Coins & Currency

European Currency
1c, 2c, 5c,
10c, 20c, 50c
1E, 2E, 5E
10E, 20E, 50E
Repeating pattern of
factors of 2 (or 2.5)

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

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deciBell Scale of Sound

Intensity Ratios

A intensity ratio I/I0 is measured in deciBells

by

deciBell scale = 10 Log(I/I0)

([deciBell value]/10)
(I/I0) = 10
3dB = factor of 2 intensity change
deciBells multiply:

25 Sept 2002

6db = 2 factors of 2 = factor of 4 intensity ratio

10dB = factor of 10 intensity ratio
20dB = factor of 10(20/10) = 102 = 100 intensity ratio
70dB = factor of 107

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

13

Sound Intensity vs Frequency

and deciBell Scale (log-log scale)

25 Sept 2002

Prof. C.E. Hyde-Wright

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