What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to understand how perceived pitches in musical chords can differ from their fundamental notes.

Audible partials (spectral pitches) in common musical chords

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Listening experiment examines differences in chord perception, indicating implications for musical composition.

This research aims to understand how perceived pitches in musical chords can differ from their fundamental notes.
Participants heard pairs of similar chords with one partial removed to rate the differences.
Chords included major and minor triads, augmented and diminished variations, and a tetrachord, all within close position.
Stimuli were tuned to 12-tone equal temperament and designed according to a psychoacoustic model to ensure perceptual relevance.
Common musical trichords have 10 to 15 audible partials, some deviating from standard chord tones.
Adding tones like 7ths and 9ths usually corresponds to spectral pitches from the original trichord and only slightly increases dissonance.
Results did not align with Terhardt’s pitch algorithm, likely due to its disregard for temporal complexities.

Parncutt et al. (2026) studied this question.

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