Publication | Open Access
Speed of Pitch Change
177
Citations
0
References
1973
Year
MusicPsychoacousticsSpeech SciencesSpeech KinematicsElectroglottographySpeech ScienceVoice EvaluationPhonologyUpward Pitch ChangeKinesiologyPhonatory AerodynamicsVocal Tract ImagingPhoneticsSpeech Motor ControlDownward Pitch ChangeAcoustic AnalysisHealth SciencesSpeech ProductionArtsPitch ChangeSpeech AcousticVoiceSpeech AcousticsVoluntary Pitch ChangePhonationSpeech Perception
The study aims to speculate on the physiological causes of observed pitch change asymmetries and their implications for tone and intonation phonology. Five adult male subjects performed rapid continuous pitch changes from 90–220 Hz to assess laryngeal response characteristics. Upward pitch changes consistently took longer than downward ones, while interval width did not affect duration. Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation and a University of California Faculty Research Grant.
In an attempt to determine the response characteristics of the larynx in voluntary pitch change, five adult male subjects were instructed to execute a variety of continuous pitch changes, as rapidly as possible, within the range 90–220 Hz. For a given pitch interval, there was a marked tendency for all upward pitch change to take longer than a downward pitch change. Also, unexpectedly, there was no marked tendency for a change involving a wide pitch interval to take longer than a change involving. a smaller interval. Speculations on the physiological reasons for these relations, as well as their possible relevance to the phonology of tone and intonation, will be offered. [Supported by the National Science Foundation and a University of California Faculty Research Grant.]