Pitch is a Morphophoric Medium

Experiment (Attneave and Olson):

• chimes playing G-E above-C below E (f=196, 330, 262 Hz)
• first note would be transformed and subjects would adjust remaining notes until it sounded correct;
• resulted not in mel but a log frequency scale within the common musical range, breaking down at high frequencies.

There are many other attributes to the organization of sounds (timbre, spatial location, and loudness), but pitch and time have special importance;

• they are morphophoric: capable of bearing forms that are preserved upon transformation;
• pitch patterns (melodies and harmonies) can be moved up and down in pitch and still be recognized.

Loudness, timbre and spatial locations are NOT morphophoric.

Visual space IS a morphophoric medium: a shape moved or rotated in space can still be recognized.