ABSTRACT
Most sound sources involve a vibrating object of some kind. Regular vibration produces sound waves that repeat over time, such as the pure and complex tones described in Chapters 2 and 3. Within a certain range of repetition rates, we perceive the periodic sound wave as being associated with a pitch, a sensation associated with musical notes, but also important for speech and for separating sounds that occur together. Chapter 7 explains how the auditory system represents – and then extracts – information about the periodicity of a sound waveform. The discussion will begin with our perceptions and go on to describe the physiological mechanisms that may form the basis for these perceptions.>
