Absolute Pitch, Speech, and Tone Language: Some Experiments and a Proposed Framework

Deutsch, Diana; Henthorn, Trevor; Dolson, Mark

doi:10.1525/mp.2004.21.3.339

Cited by 154 publications

(118 citation statements)

References 90 publications

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“…Some other AP-like phenomena have been reported, broadening the definition of AP, such as, for example, long-term pitch memory of familiarized musical pieces [3,4], absolute key identification [5], or pitch stability of speech demonstrated by the native speakers of some tone languages [6]. However, it is not clear how these phenomena are related to AP in a narrow sense.…”

Section: The Definition Of Absolute Pitchmentioning

confidence: 99%

How well do we understand absolute pitch?

Miyazaki

2004

Acoust. Sci. & Tech.

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Absolute pitch (AP) is the ability based on the fixed association between musical pitch and its verbal label. Experiments on AP identification demonstrated extreme accuracy of AP listeners in identifying pitch, influences of timbre and pitch range, and difference in accuracy between whitekey notes and black-key notes. However, contrary to the common belief that AP is a component of musical ability, it was found that AP listeners have difficulty in perceiving pitch relations in different pitch contexts, and in recognizing transposed melodies, as compared to listeners having no AP. These results suggest that AP is irrelevant and even disadvantageous to music. Systematic music training in early childhood seems effective for acquiring AP. Possible genetic contributions to AP are undeniable, but evidence for them is inconclusive. There are several AP-like phenomena that do not reach consciousness: absolute tonality, long-term memory of pitch of repeatedly heard tunes, specific patterns of pitch comparison in the tritone paradox, and fixed pitch levels in speech. Contrary to true AP observed as a pitch naming ability, the implicit AP phenomena are widespread among general population.

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Section: The Definition Of Absolute Pitchmentioning

confidence: 99%

How well do we understand absolute pitch?

Miyazaki

2004

Acoust. Sci. & Tech.

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“…The latter includes learning factors such as early language exposure (Deutsch et al, 2004a(Deutsch et al, , 2006Deutsch, Henthorn, & Dolson, 2004b) and the nature of musical training and exposure to music during childhood (Gregersen, Kowalsky, Kohn, & Marvin, 2001). In a similar manner as for language acquisition, there is likewise evidence for a sensitive period during which these environmental inputs determine the emergence of AP (Gervain et al, 2013;Russo, Windell, & Cuddy, 2003;Miyazaki, 1988).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Absolute Pitch: Evidence for Early Cognitive Facilitation during Passive Listening as Revealed by Reduced P3a Amplitudes

Rogenmoser

Elmer

Jäncke

2015

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience

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Absolute pitch (AP) is the rare ability to identify or produce different pitches without using reference tones. At least two sequential processing stages are assumed to contribute to this phenomenon. The first recruits a pitch memory mechanism at an early stage of auditory processing, whereas the second is driven more by a later cognitive mechanism (pitch labeling). Several investigations have used active tasks, but it is unclear how these two mechanisms contribute to AP during passive listening. The present work investigated the temporal dynamics of tone processing in AP and non-AP (NAP)participants, using EEG. We applied a passive oddball paradigm with between-and within-tone category manipulations and analyzed the MMN reflecting the early stage of auditory processing and, for the first time, the P3a response reflecting the later cognitive mechanism during the second processing stage. Results did not reveal between-group differences in MMN waveforms. But, the P3a response was specifically associated with AP and sensitive to processing different pitch types. Specifically, AP participants exhibited smaller P3a amplitudes, especially in between-tone category conditions, and P3a responses correlated significantly with the age of commencement of musical training, suggesting an influence of early musical exposure on AP. Our results reinforce the current opinion that the representation of pitches at the processing level of the auditory-related cortex is similar among AP and NAP participants, whereas the later processing stage is critical for AP. Results are interpreted as reflecting cognitive facilitation in AP participants, possibly driven by the availability of multiple codes for tones. Abstract ■ Absolute pitch (AP) is the rare ability to identify or produce different pitches without using reference tones. At least two sequential processing stages are assumed to contribute to this phenomenon. The first recruits a pitch memory mechanism at an early stage of auditory processing, whereas the second is driven by a later cognitive mechanism (pitch labeling). Several investigations have used active tasks, but it is unclear how these two mechanisms contribute to AP during passive listening. The present work investigated the temporal dynamics of tone processing in AP and non-AP (NAP) participants by using EEG. We applied a passive oddball paradigm with between-and withintone category manipulations and analyzed the MMN reflecting the early stage of auditory processing and the P3a response reflecting the later cognitive mechanism during the second processing stage. Results did not reveal between-group differences in MMN waveforms. By contrast, the P3a response was specifically associated with AP and sensitive to the processing of different pitch types. Specifically, AP participants exhibited smaller P3a amplitudes, especially in between-tone category conditions, and P3a responses correlated significantly with the age of commencement of musical training, suggesting an influence of early musical exposure on AP. Our ...

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“…For some tone languages, including many of the Asian tone languages, lexical information is conveyed via contours (i.e., pitch intervals), whereas in others, including many African tone languages, lexical information is conveyed via pitch height rather than contours per se (Yip, 2002). An individual who acquires a tone language must form strong associations between pitches and word meanings both for speech production and speech perception; possibly as a result, adult speakers of tone languages produce highly consistent pitch contours (Deutsch, Henthorn, & Dolson, 2004).…”

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confidence: 99%

Enhanced production and perception of musical pitch in tone language speakers

Pfordresher

Brown

2009

Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics

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158

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Individuals differ markedly with respect to how well they can imitate pitch through singing and in their ability to perceive pitch differences. We explored whether the use of pitch in one's native language can account for some of the differences in these abilities. Results from two studies suggest that individuals whose native language is a tone language, in which pitch contributes to word meaning, are better able to imitate (through singing) and perceptually discriminate musical pitch. These findings support the view that language acquisition fine-tunes the processing of critical auditory dimensions in the speech signal and that this fine-tuning can be carried over into nonlinguistic domains.

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Absolute Pitch, Speech, and Tone Language: Some Experiments and a Proposed Framework

Cited by 154 publications

References 90 publications

How well do we understand absolute pitch?

How well do we understand absolute pitch?

Absolute Pitch: Evidence for Early Cognitive Facilitation during Passive Listening as Revealed by Reduced P3a Amplitudes

Enhanced production and perception of musical pitch in tone language speakers

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