Music frequences

[kwicky]

The range of human hearing is said to be in the range of 20-20,000hz. If a device was fitted into the ears to accept higher frequencies would this improve our enjoyment when listening to music?

[Buenchico]

Certainly not unless the same device was also provided to the musicians. For example, a violinist might be playing in such a way as to create harmonics above 20KHz. He can't hear them, the conductor can't hear them and the audience can't hear them. If a member of the audience was provided with the device you describe, he'd be hearing sounds which weren't under the direct control of the musicians. They might turn out to be extremely unpleasant!

Chris

[plowter]

Yes and no. Enjoyment of music is subjective.

If you think of bats their echo-location is at too high a frequency for humans to hear. There are devices that allow conservationists to hear these sounds by stepping down the frequency but it's not the same as the bats sense.

There are frequencies know as infra-sound which are beyond the common frequencies of human hearing. However, their effects can still be sensed. A recent scientific study came to the conclusion that infra-sound can induce common hallucinations. This has been put forward as the reason for some ghost experiences.

Some ghost hunters detect infra-sound and suggest it proves that spirits are around. However the alternative suggestion is that naturally occurring infra-sound in certain locations causes common hallucinations (such as being watched, someone behind you, etc) which leads to these ghostly experiences.

It might be the next big thing r a load of b*ll*cks. Who knows?

[meredith101]

First: hard to make such a device. Frequencies currently resolved by the outer ear have influenced the tuning of the middle ear, inner ear, and brain. You would need to retune all of these to accept your new frequency.
Secondly: the human system is in a happy state. We like music probably because it plays on some other non-music system, such as the phonological loop in working memory. Anything that is out of the range of normal music will be out of the range of such a system also, so it is hard to see how people will enjoy an experience that is so out of kitter with what the system already works with.

[kwicky]

As all people lose the higher frequencies as they get older the idea of receiving above the 20000hz range may not seem beneficial. But youngsters who still possess the full range have most to be thankful for. Therefore some implant to get the full range for the others would be quite an advantage.