Tuning curve measurements are plotted on a critical-band-rate scale representing basilar membrane distance

Evidence

Simplified psychoacoustical tuning curves have been measured for normally hearing subjects using the method described above. Because threshold in quiet varies somewhat for normally hearing subjects and varies even more for hearing-impaired listeners, a meaningful averaging procedure has to be introduced. Such a procedure leads to the masker levels that are plotted as open circles in Fig. 16.21 for n = 33 normal hearing subjects. The data connected by straight lines represent the simplified tuning curves. The frequency scaling drawn on the abscissa is chosen so that equal distance on the abscissa corresponds to equal distance along the basilar membrane, i.e., critical-band rate. — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 1883

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explains that the x-axis scaling for tuning curves uses critical-band rate, making equal distances correspond to equal basilar membrane distances.