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6441

 
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I thought this might amuse and educate, relative to a couple of older discussions here about perfect pitch, pitch perception, etc.
There are four groups of tones. Which is higher, in each pair? If you want to make a game of it, just comment "ok, ready" or whatever until a few have had time to try it. NO SPOILERS!
Or, I could put the answer far below the player. Do the test and write down your answers.

https://soundcloud.com/randulo%2Ftones-test























































1st pair : A4 (440 hz) Second tone is higher
2nd pair: Both tones are 440 hz
3rd pair: Second tone higher (first is 440)
4th pair: Second tone is lower. First is 880 (A5)
 
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I wonder how much of a psychological element there is to this. I think I can detect a slight rise in volume on a couple of notes, which might or might not be related to a pitch change, but I can't tell.There is an expectation that there is going to be a pitch change. Also the final pair is at a higher volume. Not sure if this is related to the higher register of the tone?
Also, in the middle of the picture is a pole with an arrow head, pointing up, which is a bit distracting. Purposeful or playful?
 
No, it's a random image. I can change it. It didn't occur to me that it would show with the waveforms.
As for the volumes, again not on purpose. The idea of an octave at the end was just to mix things up.
Yes, there could easily be some kind of psychological elements here.
Listen with good headphones.
I could do another file later.
 
The differences are much smaller than in the 'tone deaf test' linked to in a previous post. It was interesting and fun to do. I'm happy to say, I got this test right 1st time too :).

Without any knowledge of the subject, my gut feeling is that for any note (or interval?), there is a small range of tonal differences that audiences accept in the overall 'blend' without feeling that a band or instrument is playing 'out of tune'. And the comes a point where audiences notice that 'something sounds a bit false' Maybe a subject for a different thread. :)

6441 said:
I thought this might amuse and educate, relative to a couple of older discussions here about perfect pitch, pitch perception, etc.
There are four groups of tones. Which is higher, in each pair? If you want to make a game of it, just comment "ok, ready" or whatever until a few have had time to try it. NO SPOILERS!
Or, I could put the answer far below the player. Do the test and write down your answers.

https://soundcloud.com/randulo%2Ftones-test























































1st pair : A4 (440 hz) Second tone is higher
2nd pair: Both tones are 440 hz
3rd pair: Second tone higher (first is 440)
4th pair: Second tone is lower. First is 880 (A5)
Click to expand...

6441 said:
I thought this might amuse and educate, relative to a couple of older discussions here about perfect pitch, pitch perception, etc.
There are four groups of tones. Which is higher, in each pair? If you want to make a game of it, just comment "ok, ready" or whatever until a few have had time to try it. NO SPOILERS!
Or, I could put the answer far below the player. Do the test and write down your answers.

https://soundcloud.com/randulo%2Ftones-test























































1st pair : A4 (440 hz) Second tone is higher
2nd pair: Both tones are 440 hz
3rd pair: Second tone higher (first is 440)
4th pair: Second tone is lower. First is 880 (A5)
Click to expand...
 
@MikeMorrell these were done quickly asfor grin, but now that I listen again, I think the tones are too short in the first group. Anyway, they were pretty close and it is,n't an easy test. I'm not sure I'd know for certain without the tuner in front of me!

Will check yours @jbtsax tomorrow. Christmas dinner and all :)
 
MikeMorrell said:
there is a small range of tonal differences that audiences accept in the overall 'blend' without feeling that a band or instrument is playing 'out of tune'. And the comes a point where audiences notice that 'something sounds a bit false' Maybe a subject for a different thread. :)
Click to expand...
No question, most of the audience will go on a vibe of the general musical context, the visual, and all the trimmings. A quarter tone is 50 cente cents, right? The tones in these quick and dirty tests are within about 15-25 cents excat as noted the quarter tones at the ned in the three.

I was at an Itzhak Perlman concert in Paris once and at the intermission, a bunch of violin students were talking about how his "F# was a little flat" in such and such a spot. I was wiping the tears from my face, and would have gladly slapped them around.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My tuner tells me that difference between tones on the last pair of the first set is approximately 18 Cents, so well done to those who can determine that! I still can't hear a difference!
 

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