Basilar Membrane: tonotopy, octaves
• Thick & taut near base
• Thin & floppy at apex
• Piano strings, or
xylophone
(vibraphone).
• Tonotopic PLACE
map
• LOGARITHMIC: 20
Hz -> 200 Hz -> 2kH
-> 20 kHz, each 1/3
of the membrane
• Two-tone
discrimination
• Complex sounds
• Timing
PNS Fig 30-3