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Just-Noticeable Sound Changes

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Psychoacoustics

Abstract

Two different kinds of sound changes are discussed in this chapter. One is the variation that may be compared to variation in water level: there is always some water but the level varies as a function of time. In acoustics, modulations are typical changes of the sort we call variations. The other kind of change is that of differences. One apple may be different from another apple. In this case, we compare one piece with another piece. In acoustics, this means that we compare one sound with another sound presented after a pause. Because these two kinds of changes may activate different processing features in our hearing system, the first by direct and quick comparison and the second by activating and introducing memory, it is necessary to differentiate strictly between the two kinds of changes. Just-noticeable variations are useful in producing scales of sensations related to position, for example pitch through the frequency-location transformation as discussed in Chap. 5. However, both just-noticeable variations and just-noticeable differences are important as the “stones” on which the “house of sensations” is built.

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Fastl, H., Zwicker, E. (2007). Just-Noticeable Sound Changes. In: Psychoacoustics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68888-4_7

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