average pitch used in music (Paul von Hippel -- Ohio State )

Subject: average pitch used in music
From:    Paul von Hippel -- Ohio State  <pvh(at)CCRMA.STANFORD.EDU>
Date:    Thu, 14 Sep 2000 13:28:45 -0700

A couple of years ago, someone reported an attempt to measure the
distribution of pitch heights used in Western music, and wanted
to know what else had been done in this area.

I'd be interested to know what that inquiry turned up -- or what
other list members know about the question. The studies I'm aware
of are E.J. Miller's thesis on the Masses of Palestrina, and an
unpublished study by Huron & Parncutt, using a greater variety of
music. Both studies report a mean pitch slightly above middle C.

Many thanks,
Paul von Hippel
Post-Doctoral Fellow
School of Music
Ohio State University
1866 College Road
Columbus, OH 43210
614 292-7321

von-hippel.1(at)ohio-state.edu
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http://music-cog.ohio-state.edu/~pvh