Subject: Re: 'Quintina' in Sardinian polyphonic songs: virtual voices or From: Reinhart Frosch <reinifrosch(at)BLUEWIN.CH> Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 16:07:32 +0000Combination tones that are higher than the two primary sine-tones are recorded in Figs. 10, 11, and 12 of R. Plomp, "Detectability Threshold for Combination Tones", J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 37 (1965) 1110-1123. According to Figs. 10 and 11 (sound pressure levels of the primary sine-tones 80 dB and 70 dB, respectively), during a deeper tone of d=1000 Hz and a simultaneous higher tone of h=1200 Hz, two of the four subjects heard a combination tone of 5d-3h = 1400 Hz. At d=1000 Hz and h=2400 Hz, the same two subjects heard 2h-2d = 2800 Hz (Fig. 11; 70 dB). Reinhart Frosch, CH-5200 Brugg. reinifrosch(at)bluewin.ch >-- Original-Nachricht -- >Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 23:34:26 -0500 >Reply-To: chen-gia tsai <tsai.cc(at)LYCOS.COM> >From: chen-gia tsai <tsai.cc(at)LYCOS.COM> >Subject: 'Quintina' in Sardinian polyphonic songs: >virtual voices or DPOAEs? >To: AUDITORY(at)LISTS.MCGILL.CA > >Dear list members, > >In the realm of ethnomusicology it is well known that the >polyphonic songs performed by the Sardinian Brotherhoods >during Holy Week contain a virtual voice. There are always >four voices. They produce one extra line above the four >melodies. This fifth note is called the 'Quintina' in the >vernacular. > >The Quintina is produced with remarkable precision on top of >several chords. But it become most clear when the four singers >produce a harmony known as a major triad in root position. > >It is interesting to compare this effect to Tartini's tone >and Helmholtz's combination tones. Hermann von Helmholtz >mentioned that combination tones were most perceivable when >two sopranos sing in major/minor thirds. The fact that the >frequency ratios of the major and minor thirds are 1:1.25 >and 1:1.2 suggests a correlation to DPOAEs. > >The Quintina in Sardinian polyphonic songs may be more >interesting than Tartini's tone and Helmholtz's combination >tones. I have searched medical papers with keywords 'Sardinian >& hearing' and found a hereditary disease in the Sardinian >population: Alport syndrome. It is associated with >sensorineural hearing loss. > >Is it possible that Alport syndrome affects DPOAEs and plays a >role in the perception of Quintina in Sardinian polyphonic songs? > >I am not audiologist and my hypothesis may sound crazy. >Any comment is much appreciated. > >Tsai, Chen-Gia.