harmonique aural

CONT: Those experiments in which an auxiliary tone was made to beat with an aural harmonic prove definitely that the phase-relations among harmonic components of a stimulus are detectable, for otherwise these beats would not occur. A harmonic in the stimulus may reinforce or cancel an aural harmonic. Under the method of 'best beats' we perceive an alternate reinforcement and cancellation due to a constantly changing phase between the auxiliary tone and the aural harmonic. When, however, the auxiliary tone is identical in frequency with the aural harmonic, no beats are heard; but it can be shown that the auditory experience which occurs neverthelesss depends upon the phase-relation between the auxiliary tone and the aural harmonic.