Cross-octave masking of single tones and musical sequences: The effects of structure on auditory recognition

Abstract

A series of experiments explored the role of structural information in the auditory recognition process, within the context of a backward recognition masking paradigm. A masking tone presented after a tl!st tone has been found to interfere with the perceptual processing of the test tone, the degree of interference decreasing with increased durations of the silent intertone interval between the test and masking tones. In the current studies, the task was modified to utilize three-tone sequences as the test stimuli. Six test sequences were employed (LMH, LHM, MLH, MHL, HLM, HML), where L, M, and H represent the lowest, middle, and highest frequencies in the melody. The observers identified these six possible sequences when the three tones of the test sequence were interleaved with three presentations of a single masking tone. All three tones of the test sequence were drawn from the same octave, while the masking tones could be drawn from any of three octaves, symmetrical around the octave containing the test tones. Under these conditions, interference occurred primarily from masking tones drawn from the same octave as the test tones. Masking tones drawn from other octaves were found to produce little, if any, interference with perception of the test tones. This effect was found to occur only for the identification of tonal sequences. Substantial masking of single-tone targets occurred with masking tones drawn from octaves other than that containing the targets. The results make apparent the use of structural information during auditory recognition. A theoretical interpretation was advanced which suggests that, while single tones are perceived on the basis of absolute pitch, the presence of auditory structure may allow relational information, such as exact pitch intervals or melodic contour, to facilitate perception of the tonal sequence.

Tests of Parallel Versus Integrated Structure in Polyrhythmic Tapping

“…Hence, this perceptual phenomenon has been termed "streaming." Evidence supporting this interpretation is that subjects are much more reliable in reporting the temporal order of events within a stream than between streams (see ldson & Massaro, 1976;Jones, 1976Jones, , 1985 for reviews). In contrast, when the pitch difference between tones is small and/or the time differences are larger, listeners hear a serially integrated pattern.…”

“…The preceding variance-covariance analyses should permit reliable distinctions to be made among the different motor organizations that underlie tapping performance. Furthermore, with the manipulation of frequency differences, it is possible to reliably predict when people are likely to perceive an auditory sequence as streamed (i.e., with larger pitch differences) or as integrated (i.e., with smaller pitch differences) (see ldson & Massaro, 1976;Jones, 1976Jones, , 1985. Given this manipulation, one may ask, "If people must tap to different sequences of tones that are either perceptually streamed or integrated, will the perceptual patterns respectively induce isomorphic motor organizations?"…”

Temporal recognition masking—or interference?

“…We reasoned that moving the frequency of the masker away from the target signal frequency would yield additional information about the nature of identification-processing disturbances generated by a trailing signal, particularly in relation to a recent model proposed by Idson and Massaro (1976) which requires musical "auditory structure" to eliminate the disrupting effects of a remote frequency masker.…”

Preattentive auditory context effects

“…Experiment 1 was based on the notion that interference is stronger between sounds that are part of the same stream than between sounds that belong to separate streams (Idson & Massaro, 1976;D. M. Jones, Macken, & Harries, 1997; for a compatible finding for the visual modality, see Baylis & Driver, 1992).…”