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Frequency tolerance, limits (was Optimal Integer Ratios for 12et)

🔗Steven Rezsutek <steven.rezsutek@...>

5/4/1998 1:11:01 PM
"Benjamin Tubb" writes:

> Does anyone know what the physical "tolerance" of the human ear is
> to pitch/frequency/cents variations with the range of MIDI note
> (0-127) frequencies from 8.175 Hz to 12543.853?

I can't recall the reference off hand, but I've seen an article which
gave this as a function of frequency. From what I remember though, it
isn't exactly linear, with the greatest sensitivity being in the range
typical of human voices, as one might expect, and getting worse on the
extremes of the range. I suspect that in the 8 HZ region it may or may
not even exist (i.e. the frequency is too low to be perceived as a
distinct tone to begin with.), but I'll defer to those more
knowledgable.


This does, however, open the door to something I've been curious
about, but haven't felt important enough to ask: What do folks out
there consider as a useable lower limit in frequency? IOW, "How low
do you go?" :-).

Personally, I find the "D" below bass "E", (roughly 37HZ?) to be
rock-solid, the "C" below that to be just on the limit of what I
perceive as a distinct *musical* tone, and the "B" below that (typical
of most 5 string basses) to provide a nice rumble when it's supporting
something an octave up, but lacking something as a musical note on its
own. [That's why my 5 stringers both have high Cs ;-)] By the time I get
to the low "A" on a piano, it's pretty much a growl that happens to have
some semblence of pitch to it.

Granted, this certainly has as much to do with the method of
[re]production as the actual pitch and the limits of my particular set
of ears, but moving significant amounts of air in the 8-32 Hz range
can get pretty costly, not to mention heavy, if you have to cart it
around. :-(

This is more "practice" than "theory", but as painfully few home
systems can do what pipe organs can, most PA speakers cut out around
60Hz, and even the boxes some of us bottom-dwellers schlep around lose
it below 35Hz, how do you all handle the bottom end in your music? Do
you treat it differently for effect ("subsonics") and for melodic or
harmonic needs?

Aspiring bassist wants to know...

Steve