Aural Perception Research Paper

Aural Perception

While reading the selection on sound perception, it became very clear to me that every aspect of music and aural skills is completely reinforced in scientific reasoning. The aspects presented in terms of volume, harmonics, tones, and sound quality all come together to scientifically form music. However, my initial reaction was that aural perception in the study of music is hardly studiable scientifically, and none of the material presented in the article is directly related to a person's ability to more affectively develop aural perception. After reading the selection, I understand that it is extremely valuable to comprehend the science behind the field of music in order to better understand the fundamentals that make
up the sounds that we hear as music everyday. The first category in which sound is classified within the excerpt is pitch.
Determination of pitch in music is perhaps the most valuable aspect one can obtain when developing aural perception. However, one rarely focuses on the scientific aspects related to pitch. It is easy to hear for most musicians when the pitch in music is ascending, descending, or staying the same. In scientific terms, the pitch of a note is determined by its frequency and intensity. Frequency is the most important aspect when determining pitch. The higher the frequency of a sound, the higher the pitch, and vice versa. Intensity, which also can affect the pitch, affects more the tone of a note. However, a raised intensity of a note can alter a pitch, but is probably more attributed to the inner-workings of the ear. In sum, the basic scientific principles of pitch as relatable to aural perception do not help us determine pitch, but merely give us a way of explaining why pitches sound the way they do. I would be more interested in knowing the science behind extreme pitch identification in aural perception such as "perfect pitch" and how some people can aurally identify absolute pitches when others cannot. This article did not go into detail on this
subject. As intensity increases within a sound, the volume or "loudness" increases. Loudness within the article is defined loosely, saying that it is probably due to "selective inhibition at various points along the auditory pathways." It goes on to state that this is merely a scientific assumption and that there is no clear evidence to back up this statement. In aural perception, the volume at which a pitch is played is very valuable in determining its pitch as related to other pitches. This is easily displayed in harmonic dictation, where a single voice part within four can be stressed in dynamics as to easily determine the intervals within its melodic structure. While the same four voices can be played stressing a different part, the same is also true. But when all four voice parts are played equally, the pitches and interval movement within a single voice part are not as easily identifiable. However, chord quality is more perceptible. Dynamic contrast in music, whether listening or performing, is not only extremely valuable in musical styling, but also in aural perception of melodic structure and movement. The most interesting part of the article, to me, was the study of aural harmonics. I never fully understood the overtone series and its usefulness in the study of music until I realized what it meant in terms of aural perception. Overtones are present in every sound to the human ear because our ear is not only able to hear the overtones of a pitch but also can create the overtones when they are not present in "pure" tones. Overtones are necessary for one to hear a certain pitch in relationship to another pitch. It is the overtone series that creates our perception of consonant and dissonant sounds. When one studies chords in music, it is very easy to say that a major third simply sounds "pretty" or "pleasant." But, when one knows why that interval sounds pleasing to the ear, it becomes easier to determine levels of consonant and dissonant intervals. This is scientifically explained in terms of "beats," which are created when two or more pitches are sounded simultaneously. The larger the "beats" within a sound, the more dissonant the sound will be perceived. The most consonant of intervals is the octave, which creates the same frequency of beats between the two notes. This is why even untrained ears can easily determine the interval of an octave because the sound is so consonant and therefore extremely recognizable. Altogether, the points presented in the article as to how we physically hear sounds was quite interesting.
However, I am always uneasy in studying music so scientifically, because I feel more that music is to be felt, enjoyed, and expressed than meticulously picked apart piece by piece. Do we really need to know how our ear works to listen to music on the radio? Is it really necessary to understand the overtone series to know the difference between major and minor harmonies? In my experiences, I have always been able to easily identify pitches and harmonies without this knowledge. So, I always assumed that it was not important to know why I heard things the way that I did. However, the same reasoning can be applied to the study of music theory. Why do we need theory in order to make music? One can easily use theory to expand his or her knowledge and creativity within music by knowing the basic structures and "science," in a way, of the inner workings of music. I suppose this can be said for aural perception as well. We can become far greater musicians if we know the basic structures of how we hear music. Knowing that something sounds pleasing to the ear is not merely enough. Knowing why something sounds pleasing to the ear is far more valuable in becoming better musicians and ultimately more aurally
perceptive.