The Sounds of Music : Science of Musical Scales I -- Human Perception of Sound

TL;DR

This paper explores the scientific basis of musical scales, focusing on the physics of sound and human auditory perception, particularly the development of the prevalent heptatonic scale across cultures.

Contribution

It provides an analysis of how sound physics and human perception influence the development of the heptatonic scale in different musical traditions.

Findings

Universal features of musical scales linked to sound physics

Human auditory sensitivity shapes musical scale development

Cross-cultural similarities in scale structures

Abstract

Both, human appreciation of music and musical genres, transcend time and space. The universality of musical genres and associated musical scales is intimately linked to the physics of sound and the special characteristics of human acoustic sensitivity. In this series of articles, we examine the science underlying the development of the heptatonic scale, one of the most prevalent scales of the modern musical genres, both western and Indian.