Absolute pitch is disrupted by a memory illusion

2021 ◽  
Vol 149 (4) ◽  
pp. 2829-2835
Author(s):  
Diana Deutsch ◽  
Miren Edelstein ◽  
Kevin Dooley ◽  
Trevor Henthorn
Keyword(s):  
Absolute Pitch

A Unique Asymmetrical Stroop Effect in Absolute Pitch Possessors

2012 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 272-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilach Akiva-Kabiri ◽  
Avishai Henik
Keyword(s):  
Selective Attention ◽  
Stroop Task ◽  
Stroop Effect ◽  
Congruency Effect ◽  
Absolute Pitch ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Color Naming ◽  
Reading Task ◽  
Pitch Processing ◽  
Reverse Pattern

The Stroop task has been employed to study automaticity or failures of selective attention for many years. The effect is known to be asymmetrical, with words affecting color naming but not vice versa. In the current work two auditory-visual Stroop-like tasks were devised in order to study the automaticity of pitch processing in both absolute pitch (AP) possessors and musically trained controls without AP (nAP). In the tone naming task, participants were asked to name the auditory tone while ignoring a visual note name. In the note naming task, participants were asked to read a note name while ignoring the auditory tone. The nAP group showed a significant congruency effect only in the tone naming task, whereas AP possessors showed the reverse pattern, with a significant congruency effect only in the note reading task. Thus, AP possessors were unable to ignore the auditory tone when asked to read the note, but were unaffected by the verbal note name when asked to label the auditory tone. The results suggest that pitch identification in participants endowed with AP ability is automatic and impossible to suppress.

Absolute Pitch and Its Frequency Range

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej Rakowski ◽  
Piotr Rogowski
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Random Order ◽  
Absolute Pitch ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Music Students ◽  
Frequency Range ◽  
Musical Scale ◽  
Loudness Level ◽  
Pure Tones ◽  
Upper Boundary

AbstractThis paper has two distinct parts. Section 1 includes general discussion of the phenomenon of "absolute pitch" (AP), and presentation of various concepts concerning definitions of "full", "partial" and "pseudo" AP. Sections 2-4 include presentation of the experiment concerning frequency range in which absolute pitch appears, and discussion of the experimental results. The experiment was performed with participation of 9 AP experts selected from the population of 250 music students as best scoring in the pitch-naming piano-tone screening tests. Each subject had to recognize chromas of 108 pure tones representing the chromatic musical scale of nine octaves from E0 to D#9. The series of 108 tones was presented to each subject 60 times in random order, diotically, with loudness level about 65 phon. Percentage of correct recognitions (PC) for each tone was computed. The frequency range for the existence of absolute pitch in pure tones, perceived by sensitive AP possessors stretches usually over 5 octaves from about 130.6 Hz (C3) to about 3.951 Hz (B7). However, it was noted that in a single case, the upper boundary of AP was 9.397 Hz (D9). The split-halves method was applied to estimate the reliability of the obtained results.

Absolute pitch ability is not associated with advantage in musical tension processing

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linshu Zhou ◽  
Fang Liu ◽  
Tang Hai ◽  
Jun Jiang ◽  
Dongrui Man ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Detection Threshold ◽  
Absolute Pitch ◽  
Discrimination Threshold ◽  
Pitch Change ◽  
Letter Naming ◽  
Direction Discrimination ◽  
Pitch Direction ◽  
Lower Accuracy ◽  
Tonal Hierarchy ◽  
The Stability

Absolute pitch (AP), a superior ability of pitch letter naming in the absence of a reference note, has long been viewed as an indicator of human musical talent and thus as evidence for the adaptationist hypothesis of music evolution. Little is known, however, whether AP possessors are superior to non-AP possessors in music processing. The present study investigated whether the AP ability facilitates musical tension processing in perceptual and experienced tasks. Twenty-one AP possessors and 21 matched non-AP possessors were tested using novel melodies in C and non-C contexts. Results indicated that the two groups provided comparable ratings of perceived and felt tension for melodies in both contexts. While AP possessors demonstrated lower accuracy with longer reaction time than non-AP possessors in naming movable solfège syllables for pitch in the pretest, their tension rating profiles showed a similar tonal hierarchy as non-AP possessors in regard to the stability of the ending tones of the melodies in both major and minor keys. Correlation analyses suggested that musical tension ratings were not significantly related to performance in pitch letter, movable solfège syllable naming, pitch change detection threshold, or pitch direction discrimination threshold for either group. These findings suggest that pitch naming abilities (either pitch letter or movable solfège syllable naming) do not benefit processing of perceived or felt musical tension, providing evidence to support the hypothesis that AP ability is not associated with advantage in music processing.

scholarly journals Perceiving Music Through the Lens of Synaesthesia and Absolute Pitch

Perception ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 030100662110344
Author(s):  
Solange Glasser
Keyword(s):  
Music Perception ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Absolute Pitch ◽  
Potential Relationship ◽  
Current Thinking ◽  
Music Literature ◽  
Behavioural Evidence

Synaesthesia and absolute pitch (AP) are two rare conditions that occur more frequently within populations of artistic professionals. Current thinking surrounding synaesthesia and AP and their relationship to music perception form the focus of this article. Given that synaesthesia has rarely been discussed in the music literature, the article surveys and consolidates general neurobiological, psychological, and behavioural evidence to summarise what is currently known on this topic, in order to link this back to the conditions that most relate to music. In contrast, research on AP is now well established in the music literature, but the important gap of linking AP to other conditions such as synaesthesia has yet to be fully explored. This article investigates the potential relationship between synaesthesia and AP for musicians who possess both conditions by systematically comparing the definitions, classifications, prevalence, diagnoses, and impacts on music perception of synaesthesia and AP and provides insights into the varying states of the literature and knowledge of both conditions. In so doing, this article aims to facilitate a greater understanding of music and auditory forms of synaesthesia and their interaction with AP and encourage increased research effort on this important topic.

Absolute Pitch as a Learned Phenomenon: Evidence Consistent with the Hick-Hyman Law

1994 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasba Simpson ◽  
David Huron
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Absolute Pitch ◽  
Reaction Time Data ◽  
Western Music ◽  
Frequency Of Occurrence ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Expected Frequency ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Additional Support

An analysis of reaction time data collected by Miyazaki (1989) provides additional support for absolute pitch as a learned phenomenon. Specifically, the data are shown to be consistent with the Hick- Hyman law, which relates the reaction time for a given stimulus to its expected frequency of occurrence. The frequencies of occurrence are estimated by analyzing a computer-based sample of Western music. The results are consistent with the view that absolute pitch is acquired through ordinary exposure to the pitches of Western music.

scholarly journals Increased Volume and Function of Right Auditory Cortex as a Marker for Absolute Pitch

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 1127-1137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Wengenroth ◽  
Maria Blatow ◽  
Armin Heinecke ◽  
Julia Reinhardt ◽  
Christoph Stippich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Absolute Pitch ◽  
And Function
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