Phantom tones are heard as real pitches though physically absent

Evidence

Combinations of real tones (generating tones) may spawn the sensation of other tones or partials that aren’t physically present. Phantom tones sound perfectly real—tones with a pitch—but their perceived strength is dependent on the listener, context, and training. It is possible to draw attention to phantom tones by causing them to change pitch, which can be done by varying the pitch of the generating tones. Sometimes alternately removing and restoring a generating tone brings out a phantom tone. These techniques are analogous to the trick used to make partials stand out—both cause us to switch from synthetic to analytic listening. Practice makes it possible to make the switch without such coaxing. — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 2278

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines phantom tones and the generating tones that spawn them, plus a key mechanism: synthetic-to-analytic listening switching.
• XREF: Relates to the partials/combination tones discussion and to Deutsch’s audio illusion foregrounding listener variability.