Analysis of Pitch Perception of Inharmonicity in Pipa Strings Using Response Surface Methodology

Abstract

The timbre of the pipa, one of the principal plucked string instruments of traditional Chinese music, is characterized by richly nuanced inharmonicity resulting from peculiarities of regionally distinct string composition and construction. This study investigates the effect of this feature of timbre on pitch perception. Beyond the specific issue of the pipa, we propose a response surface based experimental design and modelling approach as a general framework for determining the effect of inharmonicity on pitch perception applicable to any stringed instrument.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Professor C.H. Chue and Professor Hwa-Teng Lee for assistance from their laboratories in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. The authors also thank Wilson Chin and all of the listening test subjects for participating in this project.

Notes

¹Cents are a logarithmic measure of interval. 1200 cents = 1 octave, or 100 cents = 1 equally-tempered semitone.