The problem at lower pitches is probably compounded by the time it 
takes for the note to establish itself due to the greater amount of 
energy demanded.  This, for instance, explains why fast passages on 
low organ pipes are not possible.  Indeed, with many large pipes one 
hears the harmonics sound before the fundamental.  In the case of a 
cello or double bass, very fast passages also do not allow the 
fundamental to develop but, as with the piano, the overtone structure 
gives the impression that it is there.

So, it is not just a question of the ear, but of the physical limits 
of real musical instruments.  Electronic instruments are another matter.

David

At 12:20 09-02-16, David Hitchin wrote:
>At 10:41 09/02/2016, Michael Shields wrote:
>>The discussion about perception of fragments of a sound wave made 
>>me wonder how short a note can still be and have a perceivable 
>>pitch (for example, a simple wave played loud at 440Hz).  It 
>>appears the pragmatic answer is that pitch perception starts when 
>>sounds are about 100 milliseconds or longer, with higher pitches 
>>being perceptible at considerably shorter bursts (at least in 
>>theory).... If one takes 1/10 second as a guide minimum length, 
>>that would mean that at 440Hz one hears 44 cycles before recognising pitch.
>
>True for pure tones (if they exist in the real world, because that 
>would assume perfect transducers). As far as music is concerned, 
>every note that is played has harmonics, and even if there is not 
>enough of a pure tone component for 440Hz is recognisable, there may 
>be enough cycles of the harmonics for them to be distinguished, and 
>the ear (or the brain) will understand that there is a 440 fundamental there.
>
>At lower frequencies, when it is too expensive to equip an organ 
>with a full set of 32' pipes, they can be simulated by a 16' plus 
>pipes at the interval of a fifth which creates the harmonics that a 
>32' would have produced, and the listener 'hears' the 32' which is 
>not there. The way that this works is sometimes misunderstood, see 
>http://www.pykett.org.uk/resultantbass.htm

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