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As well as overtones from an instrument, there are also combination tones that manifest in the cilia (tiny vibrating hairs) in our ears. https://en.wikipedia.or
by codeulike 3y ago
As well as overtones from an instrument, there are also combination tones that manifest in the cilia (tiny vibrating hairs) in our ears. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combination_tone https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combination_tone ... So even if you play two pure sine waves with no overtones, say C and G, the cilia in your ears will still generate a bunch of other tones based on the relationships between the two notes, and I think a lot of the 'pleasing' nature of 'pairs of notes with simple frequency rations' (Octaves and Fifths etc) comes from that.
- tzs 3y agoThere is also interaction of different notes somewhere in the processing in the brain. On speakers play a sine wave in the left channel and a sine wave of a slightly different frequency in the right channel. You'll hear a beat frequency due to the actual physical interaction of the two waves in the air. Then do the same thing except using headphones with good isolation so each ear only hears one of the sine waves. You still hear a beat frequency even though the two waves are no longer interacting in their air.