On Sir Thomas Wrightson's Theory of Hearing
W.B. Morton · Proceedings of the Physical Society of London · 1918
The theory seeks to explain the power possessed by the ear of analysing into its component tones a compound aerial disturbance. It assumes that (1) impulses act on the mechanism of the ear corresponding to the maxima and minima of the compound vibration-curve, and also to the points where the curve crosses the axis; (2) that among the spacings of these impulse-points there is a preponderance of intervals which approximate to the periods of the component tones, their lower octaves and their combination tones, and that these spacings determine the sensations of the component tones. The present note is concerned with the second of these assumptions. Graphs are drawn which exhibit the way in which the distribution of impulse-points varies when relative intensities and phase-relation of the component notes are changed. Difficulties are found in (1) the large number of other spacings presented to the ear, (2) the variations of the spacings with loudness-ratio and phase relation, (3) the fact that in a single pure tone the spacing is a quarter of the period of the vibration.