Publication
Title
On the perception of disharmony
Author
Abstract
Our hearing system works roughly like a calculator for Fourier series, decomposing a sound waves in basic frequencies and then activating respective nerve channels. This relatively easy architecture of our sound perceiving system accounts for the fact that we can filter different sources and thus also that we can focus on a single sound of interest. Consequently, our brain is trained to assess an incoming stem of frequencies (1/n) to a single source, as if the input source is produced by a periodic sound wave. This understanding of our sound system is successfully applied in the development of what is one of the first and well known artificial cognition system: a cochlear implant, bypassing the system physical detection of sound. Two or more sound pitches that have relative fractional frequencies, are considered pleasing or “harmonic”. Although music is a cultural product, evoking individual emotions, perception of harmonics is largely a collective and individual phenomena. This also witnesses the peculiar and intriguing architecture of our sound system. So the question arises whether fractional frequencies is systematically necessary for perception of harmony; are two sound pitches played at substantially irrational (i.e. non fractional frequencies) perceived as non-harmonic? The golden ratio is the most irrational number in the sense that it has the most slowly converging continued fraction expansion. In this work, we present a hypothesis to generate non-harmonics. Insights can be used to enhance inputs in artificial hearing, by displaying different sound pitches at clearly distinguishable frequencies.
Language
English
Source (book)
Proceedings of IHSI 2020: Intelligent Human Systems Integration 2020, February 19–21, 2020, Modena, Italy
Source (series)
Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 1131
Publication
Cham : Springer , 2020
ISBN
978-3-030-39511-7
978-3-030-39512-4
DOI
10.1007/978-3-030-39512-4_31
Volume/pages
p. 195-200
ISI
000643768600031
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 11.03.2020
Last edited 30.10.2024
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