what is an indefinite pitch

A sound or note of indefinite pitch is one of which it is impossible or relatively difficult to discern a pitch. Sounds with indefinite pitch do not have harmonic spectra or have altered harmonic spectra a characteristic known as inharmonicity

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Full Answer

What is indefinite pitch in music?

A sound or note of indefinite pitch is one that a listener finds impossible or relatively difficult to identify as to pitch. Sounds with indefinite pitch do not have harmonic spectra or have altered harmonic spectra—a characteristic known as inharmonicity .

What is a sound with a definite pitch?

A sound or note of definite pitch is one where a listener can possibly (or relatively easily) discern the pitch. Sounds with definite pitch have harmonic frequency spectra or close to harmonic spectra.

What is meant by the term “pitch”?

Pitch is a perceptual property of sounds that allows their ordering on a frequency -related scale, or more commonly, pitch is the quality that makes it possible to judge sounds as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies. Pitch can be determined only in sounds that have a frequency...

What is a similar instrument of fixed pitch called?

A similar instrument of fixed pitch is called a gong, although the gong has a dome or cupola in the center and may have curled edges. This category also includes wood block, Chinese temple blocks, claves, timbales, hi-hat cymbals, finger cymbals, drums, sleigh bells, guiro, maracas, conga, anvil, jaw bone, brake drums and the bull roar.

What instruments have indefinite pitch?

Instruments of indefinite pitch exist by the hundreds. Some of the more common ones are the snare drum, tenor drum, tom-tom, bass drum, bongos, Latin American timbales, many types of cymbals, maracas, claves, triangles, gongs, and temple blocks.

What is indefinite sound?

A sound or note of indefinite pitch is one that a listener finds impossible or relatively difficult to identify as to pitch. Sounds with indefinite pitch do not have harmonic spectra or have altered harmonic spectra—a characteristic known as inharmonicity.

What is definite and indefinite music?

There are two types of pitch: definite pitch, which is created by regular sound wave oscillations, and indefinite pitch, created by irregular sound waves. Definite pitches are called tones and are measured in terms of their frequency, which is a scientific calculation of the number of cycles per second.

What is the difference between a definite pitch and an indefinite pitch answer with examples?

The immediate and obvious difference between definite and indefinite pitched percussion instruments is that one is able to play tones of different pitches on the same intrument whilst the other is limited to a single indefinite pitch.

What sound has an indeterminate pitch?

Indeterminate pitch instruments are instruments like gamelan gongs, snare drums, cymbals, triangle, etc… These instruments are generally used to keep a rhythm, to accent, or to add color.

Is a gong indefinite pitch?

gong, a circular metal platelike percussion instrument, usually having a turned-down rim. In most forms it is struck in the centre with a felt- or leather-covered beater, producing a sound of either definite or indefinite pitch.

Is piano a definite pitch?

Some percussion instruments are tuned and can sound different notes, like the xylophone, timpani or piano, and some are untuned with no definite pitch, like the bass drum, cymbals or castanets.

Which of the following has a definite pitch?

When we refer to definite pitch, we mean a sound that can be discerned from other sounds. The percussion instruments that clearly have a definite pitch include the xylophone, marimba, and drum.

Is a chime definite pitch?

Some percussion instruments have a definite high or low pitch, and some do not have a definite pitch. The Marimba, xylophone, timpani, chimes, vibraphone, and celesta are examples of pitched percussion instruments. The bass drum, snare drum, triangle, cymbals, and tambourine do not have a definate pitch.

What is the difference between percussion instruments of definite pitch and those of indefinite pitch?

If the instrument produces clear, audible pitches and is notated with clefs and notes, it is of definite pitch; if the instrument produces pitches that are not necessarily clear and audible and is notated in a higher/lower manner, it is said to be of indefinite pitch.

Is bass drum definite pitch?

The bass drum, or kick drum, is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter much greater than the drum's depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder.

Does every sound have a pitch?

All sounds are composed of periodic waves, but if there are too many frequencies and not a single one prevails , you will not hear it as a sound, but as noise . So you are right, to have a pitch you have to have a prevailing frequency .

What is the frequency of a sound with definite pitch?

Sounds with definite pitch have harmonic frequency spectra or close to harmonic spectra. A sound generated on any instrument produces many modes of vibration occurring simultaneously. A listener hears numerous frequencies at once. The vibration that has the slowest rate is called the fundamental frequency, the other frequencies are overtones.

What is a note with a clear pitch?

Not all musical instruments make notes with a clear pitch; unpitched percussion instruments are a class of percussion instruments that do not have a particular pitch. A sound or note of definite pitch is one of which it is possible or relatively easy to discern the pitch. Sounds with definite pitch have harmonic frequency spectra or close to harmonic spectra.

What type of pitch is when the sound of a sound source reaches the ear of an observer directly?

A special type of pitch often occurs in free nature when the sound of a sound source reaches the ear of an observer directly and also after being reflected against a sound-reflecting surface.

Can a snare drum have a higher pitch than a bass drum?

It is still possible for two sounds of indefinite pitch to clearly be higher or lower than one another, for instance, a snare drum invariably sounds higher in pitch than a bass drum, though both have indefinite pitch, because its sound contains higher frequencies. In other words, it is possible and often easy to roughly discern ...

Can you discern indefinite pitch?

In other words, it is possible and often easy to roughly discern the relative pitches of two sounds of indefinite pitch, but any given sound of indefinite pitch does not neatly correspond to a given definite pitch. A special type of pitch often occurs in free nature when the sound of a sound source reaches the ear of an observer directly ...