# PWR-074 — Pitch discrimination: learner worksheet Release: Revision 7T · Full Tutorial Edition Estimated time: Estimated 30 min reading and worksheet pass Difficulty: Intermediate Equipment: Common household or practice equipment — An exact higher/lower pair recipe for a helper using a tone generator or audio editor: every sine tone lasts 500 ms with 20 ms fades and the two tones are separated by 250 ms. Concealed Set A pairs, in Hz with answer: 500/520 U, 620/610 D, 740/745 U, 800/780 D, 920/930 U, 1040/1035 D, 600/580 D, 720/730 U, 840/835 D, 900/920 U, 1020/1010 D, 540/545 U, 700/720 U, 820/810 D, 940/945 U, 1000/980 D, 520/530 U, 640/635 D. Set B: 550/530 D, 670/680 U, 790/785 D, 850/870 U, 970/960 D, 1090/1095 U, 650/670 U, 770/760 D, 890/895 U, 950/930 D, 1070/1080 U, 590/585 D, 750/730 D, 870/880 U, 990/985 D, 1050/1070 U, 570/560 D, 690/695 U. Each set has three U and three D examples at 20, 10 and 5 Hz differences.; Same playback device and headphones/speakers.; The folded U/D keys above and a trial sheet grouped by 20, 10 and 5 Hz differences; this supplied fixture uses only the question ‘is the second tone higher or lower?’; Trial record for base tone, interval, answer, confidence and symptoms. Space: Desk / seated Automated structural checklist: 10 of 10 structural checks present Evidence quality/context: G1; Detailed research depth Automated method-quality band: Comprehensive Method-rating basis: Structure coverage, instruction/check specificity, alternative distinctness, source troubleshooting, comparison depth and whether purpose/check fields are authored rather than derived. Editorial review: Pending manual editorial sign off ## Before you begin - [ ] I read the tutorial authority and stop conditions. - [ ] I have the required equipment/space or a declared accessible alternative. ## Canonical source context Pitch discrimination asks whether a second tone is higher or lower than the first. In this exact task, the learner hears balanced 20-, 10- and 5-Hz upward and downward pairs, commits U or D before feedback, keeps direction errors separate and retests unfamiliar base frequencies. The result is a profile for this tone pack, not a hearing threshold or pitch-memory score. Matched upward/downward evidence prevents a habitual ‘higher’ response from looking like fine discrimination. Target outcome: The learner completes two 18-pair higher/lower sets and reports correct responses by 20-, 10- and 5-Hz difference, upward/downward direction, base frequency, confidence and symptoms. ### Authority and setup conditions - Use only the supplied question ‘is the second tone higher or lower?’; a same/different task would require another fixture and score. - Set and lock a comfortable level; never increase it for small differences. - Use the same device/audio path and quiet seated setting. - Hearing loss, tinnitus or sudden change belongs with an audiologist. ### Required or supplied materials - An exact higher/lower pair recipe for a helper using a tone generator or audio editor: every sine tone lasts 500 ms with 20 ms fades and the two tones are separated by 250 ms. Concealed Set A pairs, in Hz with answer: 500/520 U, 620/610 D, 740/745 U, 800/780 D, 920/930 U, 1040/1035 D, 600/580 D, 720/730 U, 840/835 D, 900/920 U, 1020/1010 D, 540/545 U, 700/720 U, 820/810 D, 940/945 U, 1000/980 D, 520/530 U, 640/635 D. Set B: 550/530 D, 670/680 U, 790/785 D, 850/870 U, 970/960 D, 1090/1095 U, 650/670 U, 770/760 D, 890/895 U, 950/930 D, 1070/1080 U, 590/585 D, 750/730 D, 870/880 U, 990/985 D, 1050/1070 U, 570/560 D, 690/695 U. Each set has three U and three D examples at 20, 10 and 5 Hz differences. - Same playback device and headphones/speakers. - The folded U/D keys above and a trial sheet grouped by 20, 10 and 5 Hz differences; this supplied fixture uses only the question ‘is the second tone higher or lower?’ - Trial record for base tone, interval, answer, confidence and symptoms. ## 1. Choose one question Write ‘is the second tone higher or lower?’ above the sheet and use only U or D for all 18 trials. Why: Changing the question would make the supplied U/D key unusable. Success check: Every scored row has exactly one U or D response. Accessible alternative: A visible, captioned or haptic version of “Write ‘is the second tone higher or lower?’ above the sheet and use only U or D for all 18 trials.” can rehearse the response sequence, but it removes the declared auditory stimulus and is therefore a related activity, not an equivalent attempt at Pitch discrimination. To preserve the target, keep the authored sound and adapt only non-target access such as response input, instructions, breaks or support; retain this success check: “Every scored row has exactly one U or D response.” Alternative relationship: Related alternative changes trained or measured target Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 2. Verify easy anchors Before Set A, play one unscored 500/600-Hz upward pair and one 600/500-Hz downward pair at the locked level. Why: The two anchors confirm U/D labels and playback without revealing a scored file. Success check: The learner calls the anchors U then D without replay or discomfort. Accessible alternative: Complete “Before Set A, play one unscored 500/600-Hz upward pair and one 600/500-Hz downward pair at the locked level.” in shorter passes, or use keyboard input, dictation or a support person, while preserving this success check: “The learner calls the anchors U then D without replay or discomfort.” Use hearing devices in their ordinary setting and record that configuration. Alternative relationship: Target preserving when declared check is preserved Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 3. Start with a large interval Begin where difference is obvious rather than at the finest pair. Why: Easy trials establish the task before threshold-like testing. Success check: The first trials are correct without replay. Accessible alternative: Complete “Begin where difference is obvious rather than at the finest pair.” in shorter passes, or use keyboard input, dictation or a support person, while preserving this success check: “The first trials are correct without replay.” Use speech, symbols or switches for answers with no speed requirement. Alternative relationship: Target preserving when declared check is preserved Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 4. Conceal upward and downward order Use Set A's printed order so U and D cannot be guessed from an alternating sequence; filenames and key remain hidden until all responses are committed. Why: Balanced random order reduces response bias. Success check: The completed block has nine U and nine D keyed rows. Accessible alternative: Complete “Use Set A's printed order so U and D cannot be guessed from an alternating sequence; filenames and key remain hidden until all responses are committed.” in shorter passes, or use keyboard input, dictation or a support person, while preserving this success check: “The completed block has nine U and nine D keyed rows.” Extend inter-pair rest while preserving within-pair timing. Alternative relationship: Target preserving when declared check is preserved Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 5. Answer before feedback Play each pair once under the fixed rule, answer and rate confidence, then check. Why: Committed answers preserve discrimination data. Success check: No key or repeated tone precedes the answer. Accessible alternative: Complete “Play each pair once under the fixed rule, answer and rate confidence, then check.” in shorter passes, or use keyboard input, dictation or a support person, while preserving this success check: “No key or repeated tone precedes the answer.” Use hearing devices in their ordinary setting and record that configuration. Alternative relationship: Target preserving when declared check is preserved Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 6. Step interval by rule Run every supplied pair once in its concealed order, then group results by 20, 10 and 5 Hz after the block; do not skip a hard pair, repeat a miss or adapt volume. Why: Fixed balanced evidence at all three differences is interpretable without a home staircase pretending to be an audiometric threshold. Success check: All 18 pairs remain in the record and each difference has three upward and three downward trials. Accessible alternative: A supported, seated, reduced-range or slower version of “Run every supplied pair once in its concealed order, then group results by 20, 10 and 5 Hz after the block; do not skip a hard pair, repeat a miss or adapt volume.” is equivalent only when it keeps the same trained or measured target, declared configuration and success check: “All 18 pairs remain in the record and each difference has three upward and three downward trials.” If any of those change, record it as a related alternative rather than an equivalent repetition. Alternative relationship: Conditional equivalence requires target and configuration check Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 7. Retest unfamiliar base tones After delay, use new base frequencies with matched interval sizes. Why: This tests relational discrimination beyond memorised tones. Success check: Base tones are new and level is unchanged. Accessible alternative: Complete “After delay, use new base frequencies with matched interval sizes.” in shorter passes, or use keyboard input, dictation or a support person, while preserving this success check: “Base tones are new and level is unchanged.” Extend inter-pair rest while preserving within-pair timing. Alternative relationship: Target preserving when declared check is preserved Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 8. Pair upward and downward reversals For each tested interval, include a matched upward pair and downward pair with the same base-frequency region at separate concealed positions. Score the interval as stable only when both directions are identified under the declared rule. Why: A learner who always chooses higher can score well in an upward-heavy set without reliably hearing the relation. Success check: Each interval has direction-balanced evidence, and a one-direction success is labelled asymmetric rather than passed. Accessible alternative: A supported, seated, reduced-range or slower version of “For each tested interval, include a matched upward pair and downward pair with the same base-frequency region at separate concealed positions. Score the interval as stable only when both directions are identified under the declared rule.” is equivalent only when it keeps the same trained or measured target, declared configuration and success check: “Each interval has direction-balanced evidence, and a one-direction success is labelled asymmetric rather than passed.” If any of those change, record it as a related alternative rather than an equivalent repetition. Alternative relationship: Conditional equivalence requires target and configuration check Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 9. Describe the neighbouring pattern For each set, place the U and D counts for 20, 10 and 5 Hz side by side. Describe whether errors increase as differences shrink and flag a one-direction asymmetry; do not choose a pass cutoff or publish the smallest correct pair as a threshold. Why: Neighbouring counts show gradual task difficulty without inventing a clinical rule from six trials per difference. Success check: All six direction-by-difference counts remain visible and any claimed pattern can be checked from them. Accessible alternative: A supported, seated, reduced-range or slower version of “For each set, place the U and D counts for 20, 10 and 5 Hz side by side. Describe whether errors increase as differences shrink and flag a one-direction asymmetry; do not choose a pass cutoff or publish the smallest correct pair as a threshold.” is equivalent only when it keeps the same trained or measured target, declared configuration and success check: “All six direction-by-difference counts remain visible and any claimed pattern can be checked from them.” If any of those change, record it as a related alternative rather than an equivalent repetition. Alternative relationship: Conditional equivalence requires target and configuration check Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## Reflection What changed? ________________________________________________________________________________ What remains difficult? ________________________________________________________________________________ What will I repeat, adapt, ask for help with, or stop? ________________________________________________________________________________ --- Completion of this worksheet demonstrates tutorial participation only. It does not establish capability, qualification, safety clearance, diagnosis, treatment or independent validation.