Pitch (music)

Pitch is a perceptual property of sounds that allows their ordering on a frequency-related scale, or more commonly, pitch is the quality that makes it possible to judge sounds as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies. Pitch is an auditory sensation in which a listener assigns musical tones to relative positions on a musical scale based primarily on their perception of the frequency of vibration. Pitch is closely related to frequency, but the two are not equivalent. Frequency is an objective, scientific attribute that can be measured. Pitch is each person's subjective perception of a sound wave, which cannot be directly measured. However, this does not necessarily mean that most people won't agree on which notes are higher and lower.

Perception of pitch

The perception of pitch can be affected by a number of factors, including the amplitude, timbre, and duration of the sound. For example, a high amplitude sound may be perceived as louder, and therefore higher in pitch, than a low amplitude sound. Similarly, a long duration sound may be perceived as lower in pitch than a short duration sound. The timbre of a sound (the unique characteristics that distinguish it from other sounds of the same pitch and volume) can also affect its perceived pitch.

Pitch in music

In music, pitch is used to construct melody and harmony. Musicians typically learn to hear specific pitches associated with their specific musical roles and to produce specific pitches by adjusting the tension of their vocal cords or by modifying the shape of their vocal tract. Instruments such as the piano and guitar can produce a wide range of pitches, and are often used to provide the harmonic support for a melody.

See also

• Frequency
• Melody
• Harmony
• Timbre
• Amplitude
• Duration