Difference Between Loudness and Pitch (With Table)

The loudness of sound is perceived based on a different characteristic. Pressure level, Duration, and Frequency content affect loudness. Loudness generally indicates that the sound waves are not bearable. Loud noises affect the eardrums. It causes hearing loss. Exposure to loud noise permanently affects hearing in some people. 

A sound wave is considered low or high based on the Pitch. It is associated with the vocals of melody singers. Pitch is one of the main attributes of a musical tone. Some people quantify Pitch as frequency. Listeners assign a Tone on a scale based on how they perceive it. In singing, High notes have a high pitch. Pitch cannot be measured directly. It depends on how each person perceives it.

Comparison Table Between Loudness and Pitch

What is Loudness?

Loudness is a disturbing quality of sound waves. It annoys people. No one wishes to listen to loud noise. An audiometer measures the loudness of a sound. This instrument makes use of an ear balance. Sine wave adjustment helps to identify the loudness.

Loudness cause temporary or permanent damage to the eardrum. People with hearing impairment cannot sense sounds at low levels. Hearing-impaired people cannot hear low sounds. But, they can perceive loud noise just like normal people. Softness imperfection or loudness recruitment is this phenomenon. Loudness is perceived rapidly by some listeners. It affects the normal functioning of animals.

Some people perceive the soft sounds to be loud. The term called softness imperception denotes this phenomenon. The loudness compensation feature applied to some stereos helps to make the music more natural. Boosting low frequencies is carried out by these stereos. Loudness normalization makes commercials sound exactly like TV shows. Machines in industries generate loud noises. Loudness is prohibited in hospital areas as it can cause distress to patients. 

Music streaming platforms like iTunes and Spotify employ this technique. Netflix also make use of this technique. Loudness is measured in terms of sone and phone units. Listening tests sponsored by broadcasters involve, subjects listening to a sound. It helps to categorize noises as loud or quiet. Loudness affects birds. It is a reason for not lighting crackers near sanctuaries. 

What is Pitch?

Pitch is based on how a person perceives it. It is a subjective property. There are no methods to measure pitch directly. But, the unit mels helps to measure Pitch using indirect methods. People can distinguish between high and low pitches. Pitch allows you to order sounds on a scale. Low to high-pitched sounds can be organized on a scale.

The speed of a vibration made by a sound gives Pitch. High-pitched sounds oscillate rapidly. Slower oscillation corresponds to low pitch. Humans can perceive the vertical increase or decrease of a sound in space when the frequency of the sound changes. Some observers perceive more than one pitch at the same time. When sound pressure increases, Low tones lower in Pitch.

Several theories were proposed to explain the perception of pitch. These theories are of two types, place coding and temporal coding. The place theory states that the pitch of a sound or voice depends on the place of excitation. It depends on the maximum excitation of the basilar membrane. 

The tonotopic region in the brain helps in perceiving pitch. Primates lacking this region also respond to high and low pitches. It proves that this region is not entirely responsible for pitch detection. Temporal theories show that temporal structures are responsible. Sound with definite pitch is harmonic. People can distinguish this type of sound. Indefinite pitch is hard to identify. It lacks harmonicity.

Main Differences Between Loudness and Pitch

1. Loudness is a trait of sound. It distinguishes a sound noise from a quiet sound. Pitch defines the highness or lowness of a sound. The clear pitch is harmonic.
2. Loudness depends on the intensity of a sound. It depends on the energy of the sound wave. Pitch is determined by how a listener perceives a sound
3. Loud noises disturb hearing. Loudness can cause hearing impairment. High-pitched noises are sharp.
4. The units of measurement of loudness are sone and phon. Unit of Pitch is mels
5. Features for adjusting loudness are available in stereos. This helps to enhance the quality of music. High pitched voices in a song provoke thrills and cause goosebumps

Conclusion

Sounds waves with high energy values are loud. Loudness affects the eardrum. Prolonged listening to loud voices causes Eardrums to bleed. It can cause stress in pregnant mothers. It also affects the growth of a developing baby. Highly loud noise damage the child’s hearing ability. Heart patients are advised not to listen to loud noises.

Pitch is one of the qualities essential for a good singer. Not every singer can reach high notes. The clarity of the high note affects the quality of the song. Pitch can be adjusted using the vocal folds. Singers with high-pitched voices are considered impressive. People love listening to high-pitched voices since it is exciting. Singers with perfect pitches are preferred in the Music industry

References

1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ajmg.1320290405
2. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=0unDEd5fAgcC&oi=fnd&pg=PA187&dq=loudness+&ots=NUlGAeNtd9&sig=iXQjVKZCgSVf_RzaDzEUfVt98GE