biological evolution of pitch

[Martin Braun <nombraun@xxxxxxxxx>]

Eckard Blumschein wrote:

> Pitch
> isn't already the whole hearing, and evolution didn't follow the need for
> good musicians. I guess, survival of an animal rather depends on
> localization.

The pitch mechanism that is at work in our heads is much older than our
species. Günter Ehret even found it in the mouse:

http://w1.570.telia.com/~u57011259/Ehret.htm

One biological function of f0 pitch is in fact the support of sound
localization. If two or more harmonics of a complex sound (vocalization) can
be unified into one percept, pitch, they must come from one direction and
from one sound source.

Martin

-------------------------------------------
Martin Braun
Neuroscience of Music
S-671 95 Klassbol
Sweden
e-mail: nombraun@telia.com
web site: http://w1.570.telia.com/~u57011259/index.htm