Understanding the Difference Between Pitch & Volume

In summary, the difference between pitch and volume is that volume is related to amplitude, while pitch is related to frequency.
  • #1
gracy
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difference between pitch and volume?if a sound is high pitched ,doesn't it mean that sound is loud?I don't think so because loudness is related with amplitude and pitch has to do with frequency,right?BUT please someone explain how can we say whether a sound is high pitched or loud just by listening ,what's the difference between pitch and volume?
 
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  • #2
I don't understand your question. As you said, we amplitude and frequency. Our ears can sense both.

Can you rephrase your question?
 
  • #3
anorlunda said:
I don't understand your question. As you said, we amplitude and frequency. Our ears can sense both.

Can you rephrase your question?
I just want to ask difference between high pitched sound and loud sound?
 
  • #4
gracy said:
difference between pitch and volume?if a sound is high pitched ,doesn't it mean that sound is loud?
No, it does not mean loud. Pitch and amplitude have nothing to do with each other.

I don't think so because loudness is related with amplitude and pitch has to do with frequency,right?
yes, that's right.

BUT please someone explain how can we say whether a sound is high pitched or loud just by listening ,what's the difference between pitch and volume?
Why is that a problem? You will hear a bomb going off a mile away will as a low-pitch boom, pretty soft. You will hear a bomb going off to you very close as low-pitched and LOUD. You will hear a police siren far away as a high-pitch sound, but quiet and you will hear a police siren right next to you as a high-pitched sound and LOUD.
 
  • #5
phinds said:
bomb going off a mile away will as a low-pitch boom, pretty soft. You will hear a bomb going off to you very close as low-pitched and LOUD.
why sound of bomb is low pitched?
 
  • #6
Consider a violin or flute playing a high-pitched note. It can be either loud or soft, at the same pitch.

Likewise for a string bass or bassoon playing a low-pitched note. Same thing.

Or consider a piano. Hit a key at the left end of the keyboard twice, first gently, then hard. You get the same low pitch, first soft, then loud. Do the same thing with a key at the right end of the keyboard. Same thing, but at a higher pitch.
 
  • #7
gracy said:
why sound of bomb is low pitched?
I don't even know how to answer that. Do you associate "BOOM" with a high pitch? I don't.
 
  • #8
phinds said:
I don't even know how to answer that. Do you associate "BOOM" with a high pitch? I don't.
The high frequencies from a distant explosion are attenuated by the air more than the low frequencies are.
 
  • #9
Higher frequency mean high pitch ? Directly
 
  • #10
'Pitch' refers to the perception of whether a sound is high (e.g. a soprano) or low (e.g. a bass); it is related to the frequency of the sound wave. A high pitch sound has a high frequency, and a low pitch sound has a low frequency.
'Volume' refers to the perceived loudness of a sound, and this is related to the amplitude of the sound wave.
Perceived volume does depend on frequency as well as amplitude though; a sound of 1000Hz will sound louder than a sound of 100Hz having the same amplitude. This is because the sensitivity of our ears varies with frequency. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness for example.)
 
  • #11
Instead of posting notes in a forum, may I suggest thst you spend some time listening to Ravel's Bolero.
There you will hear high pitches and low, in amplitudes from low to high in a very enjoyable way.
 
  • #12
anorlunda said:
Instead of posting notes in a forum, may I suggest thst you spend some time listening to Ravel's Bolero.
There you will hear high pitches and low, in amplitudes from low to high in a very enjoyable way.
i would listen high pitches and low, in amplitudes from low to high but i won't be able to distinguish between them .And i just want to distinguish between them
 
  • #13
Pitch is Frequency.
Volume is Amplitude is commonly referred to as Loudness.
Does anyone have a problem with that (anyone with relatively normal hearing, at least). Is this a language thing, possibly?
 
  • #14
sophiecentaur said:
Pitch is Frequency.
Volume is Amplitude is commonly referred to as Loudness.
Does anyone have a problem with that (anyone with relatively normal hearing, at least). Is this a language thing, possibly?
loudness i.e high volume i know but what is high pitched sound?
 
  • #15
High Pitch = High FREQUENCY
= Many cycles of oscillation per second - as with the notes at the extreme right hand side of a Piano.
Have you considered looking in a dictionary?
 
  • #16
sop9hiecentaur said:
notes at the extreme right hand side of a Piano.
Thats the thing (advice) i think would help me .otherwise High Pitch = High FREQUENCY
= Many cycles of oscillation per second
the definition i already knew.I just want to listen high pitched sound.
 
  • #17
gracy said:
Thats the thing (advice) i think would help me .otherwise High Pitch = High FREQUENCY
= Many cycles of oscillation per second
the definition i already knew.I just want to listen high pitched sound.
Then have a small girl scream in your ear. That way you can get high pitch and loud at the same time
 
  • #18
phinds said:
Then have a small girl scream in your ear. That way you can get high pitch and loud at the same time
hmmm... so shrill sound means high pitched sound.
 
  • #19
It's a pity you didn't read Post 6 properly. It would have saved us a lot of time and frustration. If you weren't familiar with the instruments quoted in that post then Google would have given you a way to hear samples of them.
 
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  • #20
sophiecentaur said:
It's a pity you didn't read Post 6 properly. It would have saved us a lot of time and frustration. If you weren't familiar with the instruments quoted in that post then Google would have given you a way to hear samples of them.
thanks for your advice.sorry if i wasted your time.
 
  • #23
gracy said:
thanks for your advice.sorry if i wasted your time.
As long as you don't waste your time, you haven't wasted anyones. :)
 
  • #24
It seems that the core of the problem is that you're not actually sure what quality pitch refers to. It has nothing to do with how loud the sound is, but where on the scale of frequency it is.

Surely you are familiar with a piano.
The notes played on the left of the keyboard (C1-C3) we hear as low-pitched.
The notes played on the right of the keyboard (C5-C8) we hear as high-pitched.

9vqJF.png
 
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  • #25
jerromyjon said:
As long as you don't waste your time, you haven't wasted anyones. :)
I don't think i have wasted my time as I was just trying to clear my doubt no matter how long it takes the only thing matters to me to get the point i am curious or confused about.That's what i got .SO for me it was the best use of time,but i am not sure about others,that's why i said sorry.
 
  • #26
DaveC426913 said:
It seems that the core of the problem is that you're not actually sure what quality pitch refers to. It has nothing to do with how loud the sound is, but where on the scale of frequency it is.

Surely you are familiar with a piano.
The notes played on the left of the keyboard (C1-C3) we hear as low-pitched.
The notes played on the right of the keyboard (C5-C8) we hear as high-pitched.

9vqJF.png
thanks after scott and your post i am now having good understanding of pitch.Here staff is very nice and helpful.THANKS ALL OF YOU.
 

1. What is the difference between pitch and volume?

Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of a sound, while volume refers to the loudness or softness of a sound.

2. How are pitch and volume measured?

Pitch is measured in Hertz (Hz), which represents the number of vibrations per second. Volume is measured in decibels (dB), which is a logarithmic scale representing the intensity of sound.

3. How does sound travel differently for high pitch and low pitch sounds?

High pitch sounds have shorter wavelengths and travel faster than low pitch sounds, which have longer wavelengths and travel slower. This is why we hear high pitch sounds before low pitch sounds during a thunderstorm.

4. Can pitch and volume be changed independently?

Yes, pitch and volume can be changed independently. For example, a person can sing a high pitch note softly or loudly, or a speaker can play a low pitch sound softly or loudly.

5. How does the human ear interpret pitch and volume?

The human ear contains tiny hair cells that vibrate at different frequencies when sound waves enter the ear. The brain interprets these vibrations as pitch and volume, allowing us to perceive and understand different sounds.

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