The effect of task and pitch structure on pitch-time interactions in music.

Full Abstract

Musical pitch-time relations were explored by investigating the effect of temporal variation on pitch perception. In Experiment 1, trained musicians heard a standard tone followed by a tonal context and then a comparison tone. They then performed one of two tasks. In the cognitive task, they indicated whether the comparison tone was in the key of the context. In the perceptual task, they judged whether the comparison tone was higher or lower than the standard tone. For both tasks, the comparison tone occurred early, on time, or late with respect to temporal expectancies established by the context. Temporal variation did not affect accuracy in either task. Experiment 2 used the perceptual task and varied the pitch structure by employing either a tonal or an atonal context. Temporal variation did not affect accuracy for tonal contexts, but did for atonal contexts. Experiment 3 replicated these results and controlled potential confounds. We argue that tonal contexts bias attention toward pitch and eliminate effects of temporal variation, whereas atonal contexts do not, thus fostering pitch-time interactions.

Author information

Author/s: Prince, Jon B (JB); Schmuckler, Mark A (MA); Thompson, William F (WF);

Affiliation: University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. jon.prince(-atsign-)utoronto.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Memory & cognition (Mem Cognit), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Apr; vol 37 (issue 3) : pp 368-81

Dates: Created 2009/02/27; Completed 2009/05/18;

PMID: 19246351, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 5/18/2009, IMS Date: 18 May 2009 00:00:00)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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