Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Geek Culture / Idea to give yourself perfect-pitch hearing.

Author
Message
Neuro Fuzzy
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 11th Jun 2007
Location:
Posted: 8th Apr 2011 06:21 Edited at: 8th Apr 2011 06:22
Link
I realized, when whistling, that there was a particular frequency at which my eardrum "buzzed", instead of just vibrating with the sound. So, I figure, if you measure this frequency and compare it to a note, you could be able to estimate the pitch any note, without using any tools. Probably within less than a half step (1/16th of an octave) of the actual note.

As a parlor trick sort of thing, if you were tuning a guitar, people might catch on if you whistled really loud before tuning a note. So, you might just be able to tune a string to match the resonant frequency of your eardrum.

The thing is... I believe in scientific scrutiny. I COULD open up audacity right now and measure the pitch I have to whistle at to cause my eardrum to vibrate like that... but that's assuming it works, and once I get it stuck in my head that: "Oh, that pitch is E", even if I was wrong about the resonant frequency of my ear, I'd probably still think I was right, and end up tuning everything way off. I'd need a program that I could measure the pitch I had to whistle at, and would record the data without me seeing it.

Anyways, thoughts? Does anyone think this would work?

[edit]
I'm so concerned about me being wrong, because plenty of people have claimed to have perfect-pitch hearing, and been proven wrong.


Tell me if there's a broken link to images in a thread I post, and I'll fix 'em.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
MrValentine
AGK Backer
14
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII
Posted: 8th Apr 2011 07:33
Link
Without sounding negative and I never mean to...

There is quite a lot of tuning tools widely available to measure pitch and tuning string instruments (Violin,Guitar,Cello,Piano - amazing some people do not see a piano as a sring instrument lol...)

Or did I completely shoot past your point on that one?
(I did once try to test the device to see if I could guess a pitch level vs a note... Can not say it went as desired humans are naturally tone deaf, experience only helps improve your chances ^^ lol - can think of other areas that saying can be applied to as well >.<

either way Hiya Neuro

Back to top
Profile PM
Neuro Fuzzy
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 11th Jun 2007
Location:
Posted: 8th Apr 2011 08:15
Link
Quote: "either way Hiya Neuro"

hiya

Iunno. I'm interested in it and it's a cool thing to do!


Tell me if there's a broken link to images in a thread I post, and I'll fix 'em.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
The Wilderbeast
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 14th Nov 2005
Location: UK
Posted: 8th Apr 2011 09:25
Link
The frequency where your eardrum is buzzing is most likely the resonant frequency of your eardrum (ie. it naturally wants to vibrate at that rate). Amusing little fact, when a pilot reaches around MACH 1 (give or take a couple hundred m/s ) their eyeballs reach their resonant frequency and start to vibrate.


Blitzwerks | Indie Development Team
Back to top
Profile PM
OrzeL
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 20th Oct 2009
Location:
Posted: 8th Apr 2011 09:36
Link
Quote: "a pilot reaches around MACH 1 (give or take a couple hundred m/s ) their eyeballs reach their resonant frequency and start to vibrate."


thats pretty cool didn't know that, do they need anything to help them through that or is it mild enough
Back to top
Profile PM
MrValentine
AGK Backer
14
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII
Posted: 8th Apr 2011 10:33
Link
Quote: "Iunno. I'm interested in it and it's a cool thing to do!/quote]

Agree

[quote]their eyeballs reach their resonant frequency and start to vibrate."


Was going to write something rather cheesy here, decided not to, and then decided to write this guessing you probably already thought it too

Back to top
Profile PM
Neuro Fuzzy
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 11th Jun 2007
Location:
Posted: 8th Apr 2011 11:35
Link
Quote: "Was going to write something rather cheesy here, decided not to, and then decided to write this guessing you probably already thought it too "

LOL!


Tell me if there's a broken link to images in a thread I post, and I'll fix 'em.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Darth Kiwi
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Jan 2005
Location: On the brink of insanity.
Posted: 8th Apr 2011 13:37
Link
I'd suggest taking an instrument which you know is in tune and finding out which note corresponds to your ear-vibrations. I guess you'd do this by whistling the note at which your eardrum vibrates, then turning that whistle into a hum so you have a more obvious note, then playing the instrument until you get to the right note.

Then, once you know what that note is, you can tune another (untuned) instrument, based off the ear-vibration note. You could do this easily even if your ear-note isn't the note you want: if, for example, your ear-note is an E and you need to tune to the A below that, you just hum your ear-note and then move down the scale mentally until you reach A. Then hum A and tune to that.

Then to check, you just need to take the instrument you just tuned by ear to an instrument which you know is in tune (or use a tuning fork or one of those electronic tuner things) and compare.

Secretary of Unknowable Knowledge for the Rock/Dink administration '08
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2025-05-22 01:45:44
Your offset time is: 2025-05-22 01:45:44