Exploring Frequency Range Effects on Pitch Discrimination in Normal-Hearing Adults

Purpose of the study: This study investigated pitch discrimination abilities in normal-hearing adults using ecologically valid piano tones to assess how frequency range (C3 vs. C4 scales) and age influence performance. Basic procedures: Twenty participants (aged 36–72) completed two interval discrimination tasks comparing reference tones (C3: 130 Hz; C4: 261 Hz) with eight semitone-spaced comparison tones. Stimuli were presented via an acoustic piano in a sound-attenuated room, and responses ("higher," "lower," or "same") were recorded. Statistical analyses included paired t-tests, correlation, and binomial tests. Main findings: No significant difference emerged between C3 (64.4% accuracy) and C4 (65.6%) tasks, though C4 performance showed greater variability. Participants excelled at reference tones and perfect fifths but struggled with semitone discrimination (45–55% ac-curacy). A perceptual bias in the C4 range led to higher frequencies being misclassified as "lower." Age negatively correlated with C4 performance (r = −0.52, p = 0.02), while gender had no effect. Principal conclusion: Pitch discrimination in normal-hearing adults is influenced by frequency range, interval size, and age, with high-frequency perception declining in older adults. These findings provide baseline data for auditory rehabilitation and music training paradigms.