Renaming false beats...was False beats ....was M&A A

[ed440 at mindspring.com]

For thinking purposes, how about "Apparent periodic pitch fluctuation?"

Questions:

Are we talking about one phenomenon of several phenomena with similar sounds?  If so, can we categorize the phenomena to avoid endless wheel spinning?  Can we provide a diagnostic for this?

Is the phenomenon really a pitch change or a change of amplitude that we hear as a pitch change?

Is the phenomenon a change of timbre that we hear as pitch change?

Is the phenomenon mostly limited to the capo region, or does our perception assume the "beating quality" in this area?  Is this because of the mechanics of the capo (vs agraffe)?  Or is it because of the frequencies in the capo area; and if so, is this a matter of physics or psychophysics?

Bass strings often exhibit warbles, beats and whines at high frequencies.  These problems originate in the string itself, not in the rest of the piano.  Does this bear any relation to sound anomalies in plainwire strings?

Ed Sutton