United Kingdom
UDC 781.1
Many musicians and vocalists claim that a particular concert pitch is natural or that they can hear more pleasing tones and feel an emotional difference in comparison with other concert pitches. However, science deals with empirical evidence and, setting aside a musician’s emotional response to a particular concert pitch, the question arises: Is there a scientific foundation that underpins one particular concert pitch as having greater benefits both biologically and physiologically? This article examines this question and sections include, the base 10 numbering system, the second as a measurement of time and sound frequency, Tartini tones, and the effects of music on human blood. Immersing ourselves in music of moderate sound level appears to provide health benefits, regardless of our choice of concert pitch, and no evidence was found that one particular concert pitch is more natural than any other, regardless of its arithmetic elegance.
Concert Pitch, 444Hz, 440Hz, 432Hz, Pythagoras of Samos, Music Therapy, Music Medicine, Phi ratio, Differential tone, Summational tone, Tartini tone
1. Jacobs A. Dictionary of Music. 6th edn. London, Penguin. 1996. 512 p.
2. New York Public Library Science Desk Reference / ed. by P. Barnes-Svarney. McMillan USA, Stonesong Press. 1995. 668 p.
3. Number Bases calculator. Available at URL: http://convertxy.com/index. php/number bases/
4. Claudii Ptolemaei Opera quae exstant omnia, Syntaxis Mathematica / ed. J.L. Heiberg. II vol., IV pars. Lipsiae, B.G. Teubneri. 1898, 1903. [Claudius Ptolemy All The Works that stand out are Mathematical Syntax / ed. J.L. Heiberg. In II vol., IV parts. Leipzig, B.G. Teubneri. 1898, 1903]. (In Latin).
5. Available at URL: http://pianomaker.co.uk/technical/string_formulae/
6. Arto’s string calculator. Available at URL: www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/wikla/mus/ Calcs/wwwscalc.html
7. Piano pitch frequency calculator. Available at URL: http://shakahara.com/ pianopitch2.php
8. Iamblichus’ Life of Pythagoras / trans. from the Greek by T. Taylor. Rochester, Inner Traditions. 1986. 272 p.
9. Bruscia K.E. Defining Music Therapy. 2nd edn. Gilsum, Barcelona Publishers. 1998. 300 p.
10. Bradt J., Dileo C., Potvin N. Music for stress and anxiety reduction in coronary heart disease patients. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013; (12): CD006577. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006577.pub3.
11. The Johns Hopkins Medicine. Music as Medicine. Available at URL: www.hopkinsmedicine.org/center-for-music-and-medicine/music-as.medicine.html
12. Major health benefits of music uncovered. The neurochemistry of music. Published: 27 March 2013. Available at URL: www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels /news/major-health-benefits-music-uncovered-225589
13. Available at URL: www.sgae.es/es-es/sitepages/EstaPasandoDetalle Actualidad.aspx?i=2050&s=5
14. Abbey E., Reid J.S., Ji S. Can music influence the longevity of human blood cells? Available at URL: https://experiment.com/projects/can-music-influence-the-longevity-of-human-blood-cells
15. Doczi G. The Power of Limits: Proportional Harmonies in Nature, Art and Architecture. Boston, Shambhala Publications. 2005. 160 p.
16. Institute for Frontier Science. Available at URL: http://frontiersciences.org
17. Available at URL: http://brubik.com
18. Schellenberg E.G., Trehub S.E. Natural Musical Intervals: Evidence from Infant Listeners. Psychological Science. 1996; 7(5): 272-277.
19. Sonocytology. Available at URL: https://www.darksideofcell.info/about. html
