COMBINATION TONE Meaning and
Definition
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A combination tone refers to an additional auditory sensation that arises when two or more pure tones are played together, resulting in the perception of a new, distinct sound. The combination tone is not a physical component of the sound produced but is instead a psychoacoustic phenomenon. It occurs due to the nonlinearities in the human auditory system.
When two different tones are played simultaneously, two types of combination tones may be perceived - the sum tone and the difference tone. The sum tone is produced when the two tones have similar frequencies and is heard as a tone with a frequency equal to the sum of the original tones. Conversely, the difference tone arises when the two tones have different frequencies, and it is perceived as a tone with a frequency equal to the difference between the two original tones.
Combination tones are commonly encountered in music and can enhance the richness and complexity of sound. They are particularly notable in playing harmonic intervals on instruments such as the piano or guitar. Combination tones are also observed in various sounds of everyday life, such as the beats that arise when two slightly detuned tones are played together.
Understanding the nature of combination tones is crucial in fields like psychoacoustics, as they provide insights into how the human auditory system processes sound. Additionally, they have implications for music composition, sound design, and audio engineering, where intentional use of combination tones can be used to create unique and interesting auditory experiences.
Common Misspellings for COMBINATION TONE
- xombination tone
- vombination tone
- fombination tone
- dombination tone
- cimbination tone
- ckmbination tone
- clmbination tone
- cpmbination tone
- c0mbination tone
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Etymology of COMBINATION TONE
The word "combination tone" consists of two parts: "combination" and "tone".
The term "combination" originated from the Latin word "combinare", which means "to combine" or "to unite". It was later adapted into the Old French word "combiner" and Middle English word "combynen", which carried the same meaning.
The word "tone" originated from the Latin word "tonus", which refers to a musical sound or pitch. It has roots in the Greek word "tonos", meaning "vocal pitch" or "tension".
In the context of music, the term "combination tone" refers to a psychoacoustic phenomenon where two or more simultaneously played tones create an additional tone that is not present in the original tones. The term was likely coined by 19th-century German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz, who extensively studied the perception of sound.
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