How short can a note be?

Subject: RE: How short can a note be?
From: Peace
Date: 28 Jan 08 - 10:23 AM

Kidding aside, that would be a good question for an audiologist. I was checking Mr Google but not finding anything that helps. I'll dig around later.

Subject: RE: How short can a note be?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 28 Jan 08 - 10:21 AM

Seems to me it would depend on the brain in question and the ears attached to it. In theory, there's no reason you couldn't designate a note shorter than the smallest possible unit of time (chronon).

Subject: RE: How short can a note be?
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 28 Jan 08 - 10:18 AM

I think the brain will not even recognise that there is a sound, if it lasts less than about 1/16 or 1/32 of a second. As for recognising the pitch, the higher the frequency the easier it will be, as you get more cycles in the given time interval. You can test that principle by playing a low-freq sound for 1/8 or even 1/4 of a second; you'll find it very hard to recognise the pitch.

Subject: RE: How short can a note be?
From: Rasener
Date: 28 Jan 08 - 10:10 AM

I guess it just depends how fast it goes Note

Subject: RE: How short can a note be?
From: Peace
Date: 28 Jan 08 - 10:09 AM

"How short can a note be?"

Depends whether it's a thank you or condolence.

Subject: RE: How short can a note be?
From: Marje
Date: 28 Jan 08 - 10:03 AM

Wouldn't a lot depend on the context? For instance, if the note was part of a sequence of notes in a tune, it might be more easily recognised than if it was just a random note.

And I can't help asking - why would you want to know this?

Subject: RE: How short can a note be?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 28 Jan 08 - 09:57 AM

You would hear it better on a tandem than a unicycle.

eric

Subject: How short can a note be?
From: GUEST,The black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 28 Jan 08 - 07:58 AM

I was wondering how long a musical note has to be for the human brain to decide what pitch it is.
I mean if is 100 cycles per second and we hear it for 1/50 of a second then can we identify it with from just two complete cycles, or does it have to be of longer duartion, or can we actually recognise a note from less than a single cycle?