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arXiv · 2510.01201

Psychoacoustic study of simple-tone dyads: frequency ratio and pitch

Stefania Kaklamani·Constantinos Simserides
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Abstract

This study investigates how listeners perceive consonance and dissonance in dyads composed of simple (sine) tones, focusing on the effects of frequency ratio ($R$) and mean frequency ($F$). Seventy adult participants - categorized by musical training, gender, and age group - rated randomly ordered dyads using binary preference responses (``like'' or ``dislike''). Dyads represented standard Western intervals but were constructed with sine tones rather than musical notes, preserving interval ratios while varying absolute pitch. Statistical analyses reveal a consistent decrease in preference with increasing mean frequency, regardless of interval class or participant group. Octaves, fifths, fourths, and sixths showed a nearly linear decline in preference with increasing $F$. Major seconds were among the least preferred. Musicians rated octaves and certain consonant intervals more positively than non-musicians, while gender and age groups exhibited different sensitivity to high frequencies. The findings suggest that both interval structure and pitch range shape the perception of consonance in simple-tone dyads, with possible psychoacoustic explanations involving frequency sensitivity and auditory fatigue at higher frequencies.

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Stefania Kaklamani, Constantinos Simserides. 2025-09-12. Psychoacoustic study of simple-tone dyads: frequency ratio and pitch. https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics8010014

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