Pitch identification and discrimination for complex tones with many harmonics

摘要: Four experiments are reported that deal with pitch perception of harmonic complex tones containing up to 11 successive harmonics. In particular, the question is raised whether percept missing fundamental mediated only by low‐order resolvable harmonics, or it can also be conveyed high‐order harmonics cochlea fails resolve. Melodic interval identification performance was found remain significantly above chance level even if range extended from 20th 30th. Just‐noticeable differences (jnd) in were increase increasing order, but off when all 12th. These results consistent notion existence two distinct neural mechanisms auditory system, are, principle, compatible a single central‐spectrum mechanism uses interspike histograms auditory‐nerve fibers as inputs.