source file: mills2.txt Subject: Psychoacoustics, Gamelan tuning From: John Chalmers Below are the rest of the articles Jim Murray found for me. Ralston, James V.; Herman, Louis M. "Perception and generalization of frequency contours by a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)." Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1995 Sep, v109 (n3):268-277. Abstract: A single adult female bottlenose dolphin was tested in a series of perceptual studies. On each trial, 4 sine-wave tones were presented that contained a falling frequency contour or some other contour. There were several frequency-transposed exemplars of each contour type in each experiment. The dolphin discriminated contours at a level significantly greater than chance in all experiments. In the 1st 2 experiments, the dolphin demonstrated only modest transfer to novel stimuli and a sensitivity to the absolute frequency of stimuli. In the 3rd experiment, there was no effect of the absolute frequency of stimuli; in the 4th experiment, the dolphin successfully transferred the discrimination to novel stimuli drawn from the octave above the previously heard range. These results demonstrate dolphins' capability to perceive frequency contours, which may underlie the recognition of conspecific whistles. Cynx, Jeffrey. "Auditory frequency generalization and a failure to find octave generalization in a songbird, the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)." Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1993 Jun, v107 (n2):140-146. Abstract: Examined frequency generalization in starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) that were trained to discriminate between individual frequencies. Starlings were tested for frequency generalization after training on 2- and 3-tone discriminations. There was no evidence for octave generalization, which is a hallmark of human absolute pitch perception. This suggests that avian absolute pitch perception must not be interpreted as identical with that in humans. A control experiment with 1-tone discriminations indicated that the presence of lit response keys affect the shape of the generalization gradients. Lit response keys are a common feature in avian auditory perception experiments, and this control experiment cautions that results may be affected by this seemingly minor procedural change. Hulse, Stewart H.; Humpal, John; Cynx, Jeffrey. "Discrimination and generalization of rhythmic and arrhythmic sound patterns by European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris)." Music Perception, 1984 Summer, v1 (n4):442-464. Abstract: Investigated the ability of mature wild-caught European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) to process acoustic patterns with different, serially organized temporal structures. Four of the Subjects were female; 2 were male. Subjects were taught to discriminate patterns of 2000-Hz tones organized into rhythmic as compared with random, arrhythmic temporal structures, and the perceptual processes underlying the discrimination were analyzed. Subjects were required to peck at one key in the presence of a rhythmic pattern and at another in the presence of an arrhythmic pattern. Results show that all Subjects learned to discriminate between rhythmic and arrhythmic patterns and that discrimination accuracy was the same for linear and hierarchical rhythmic structures. In a series of transfer tests that followed, discrimination performance was tested when the temporal structure of the rhythmic stimulus patterns was transformed and when the pitch was shifted up or down 1 octave. Performance was well-maintained when baseline temporal patterns were shifted 1 octave. Results suggest that the Subjects solved the rhythmic-arrhythmic discrimination on the basis of rhythmicity. And now for something completely different, Gamelan tunings on Roland synths, forwarded from the Gamelan List out of Dartmouth. Date: Sat, 13 Jul 1996 10:07:30 WIB From: Al Nurbandana Subject: Laras Gamelan in Roland 86 For those who like both the diatonic scales and the gamelan pentatonic scale. I just made tune adjustment in one of the program of my Roland 86 to make the organ usable to play gamelan instruments with the pentatonic music scales. The basis of 'laras' gamelan is tone 6 (nem) and 2 (ro) for slendro, pelog bem and pelog barang. For scale 6, I use Bb with pitch adjusted +47 steps higher - most gamelan has more or less laras 6 similar to that tone. For scale 2, I use Eb with pitch adjusted +37 steps higher. Slendro scales: 1 = C# | 2 = Eb +37 | 3 = F# -33 | 5 = Ab +15 | 6 = Bb +47 Pelog Bem Scales: 1 = D | 2 = Eb +37 | 3 = F | 5 = A | 6 = Bb +47 ----> 4 = Ab +15 Pelog Barang Scales: 1 = C | 2 = Eb +37 | 3 = F | 5 = A | 6 = Bb +47 ----> 4 = Ab +15 It is obvious that laras gamelan is not a simple break of tones by half like in a piano (both slendro and pelog). Please explore and you will see. If you have a Roland E86, 'Happy trying !'. Nuwun, Al Nurbandana Phone:(0761)594621,593402 Internet: alnurba%mcscpi.ptcpi.com ------------------------------ Topic No. 5 Date: Sat, 13 Jul 1996 04:11:44 -0400 From: Tom Ross Subject: Re: Laras Gamelan in Roland 86 Al: so far so good. But aren't instruments such as peking tuned sharper than, say, slentem? What to do about that? Some synths, such as the EPS 16+ and Kurzweil 2000, allow overall ['global'] tuning, which I think you're describing, as well as tuning of individual sounds or 'instruments.' I assume the steps are tuning units, 1024 to the octave?, or does Roland use another system I'll post any reply to Tom Ross's question. --John