Current acoustic models cannot explain how experts distinguish fine timbre differences between instruments

Evidence

Researchers have attempted to identify relationships between particular features in the outputs from acoustic musical instruments and their perceived timbre. A significant experiment in this field was conducted by Grey (1977). Listeners were asked to rate the similarity between recordings of pairs of synthesized musical instruments on a numerical scale from 1 to 30. All sounds were equalized in pitch, loudness and duration. The results were analyzed by “multidimensional scaling,” which is a computational technique that places the instruments in relation to each other in a multidimensional space based on the similarity ratings given by listeners. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1482 (#responds-to, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Renowned violinists cannot reliably distinguish Stradivarius violins from modern ones by listening; Precise tuning forks revealed auditory phenomena digital tools still struggle to match; Multidimensional scaling maps perceived timbre differences between instruments — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1482 (+6 more)

Broader Connections

• Multidimensional scaling maps perceived timbre differences between instruments #responds-to (0.85) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1482
• Timbre depends on sound order over time, not just spectral content. #complicates (0.80)
• Timbre reduces to a weighted ratio of fundamental and resolved versus unresolved harmonics #expands (0.75)
• Large reverberant venues may compromise listeners’ ability to discern timbral qualities #qualifies (0.75)
• Timbral differences between instruments can be plotted dynamically through critical bands #expands (0.72) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1514