Noise-based sounds like ss and sh can carry pitch despite nonperiodic waveforms.

Evidence

There are sounds that have nonharmonic spectra for which a pitch is perceived; these are exceptions to the second part of the general statement given earlier that “sounds whose acoustic pressure waveform is nonperiodic are perceived as having no pitch.” For example, listen to examples of the “ss” in sea and the “sh” in shell (produce these yourself or ask someone else to) in terms of which one has the higher pitch. Most listeners will readily respond that “ss” has a higher pitch than “sh.” The spectrum of both sounds is continuous, and an example for each is shown in Figure 3.9. Notice that the energy is biased more toward lower frequencies for the “sh” with a peak around 2.5 kHz, compared with the “ss,” where the energy has a peak at about 5 kHz. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 885

Categorization

Category: Contrarian or Surprising Claims

• CANDY: A quick, demonstrable ear trick: listeners reliably judge ‘ss’ higher-pitched than ‘sh’.
• ADDENDUM: Directly supports the author’s listening-and-silences purpose: continuous-spectrum noise sounds still carry perceived pitch.

Related

• Non-periodic continuous-spectrum sounds like fricatives can still evoke pitch sensations (similarity 0.92)
• Periodic pressure waves are perceived as pitched while nonperiodic ones are not (similarity 0.86)
• Noise-like sounds have non-repeating waveforms and continuous, inharmonic spectra (similarity 0.86)
• Even nonperiodic noise sounds convey a weak pitch sensation based on spectral energy distribution (similarity 0.85)
• Continuous-spectrum noises can carry pitch perceived from spectral peaks (similarity 0.85)
• Continuous-spectrum noises like ‘ss’ and ‘sh’ still convey pitch sensations. (similarity 0.85)
• Even noise without periodic waveforms can carry a weak sense of pitch. (similarity 0.83)
• Periodic sounds give line spectra while aperiodic sounds give continuous spectra (similarity 0.82)
• Noise with a sharp spectral peak is perceived as pitched. (similarity 0.81)
• Two vibrations with an irrational frequency ratio never exactly repeat their combined pattern (similarity 0.80)
• Mixing noise with its own delayed copy can create a sense of pitch (similarity 0.80)
• Periodicity in a sound’s waveform is what makes it perceptible as having pitch. (similarity 0.80)
• Pitch depends only on spectrum and periodicity, not volume or direction. (similarity 0.80)
• Noise-based pitch perception arises from spectral energy center of gravity but is weak. (similarity 0.80)
• A perceived pitch can exist with no partial at its own frequency. (similarity 0.79)