Conclusion (II)
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A second class of problems relates to the question of identity.
What acoustical features allow us to recognize
or discriminate between similar sounds
(e.g. sister's voice from mother's voice,
oboe from cor anglais).
I propose that the discriminating features are learned
using state cues.
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Both state cues and identity cues in
timbre may be important to musical organization.
In the first instance, maintaining timbral similarity plays
a role in allowing sequences of notes to stream together
as a single melodic line.
Conversely, timbral differentiation can provide an important
tool for distinguishing multiple lines.
At the same time, timbre seems to evoke a number of connotations
-- from coziness and cuteness to sexiness and aggressiveness.
Depending on the musician's goals,
these timbral connotations may affect the choice of
instrumentation, the overall dynamic level, and performance
nuances such as vibrato.
In this respect, music-making may take advantage of some
pre-existing perceptual skills for deciphering
acoustic state cues.