UC San Diego

Understanding how the brain processes musical pitch errors is key to advancing music perception and auditory rehabilitation. This pilot study (N=1) examined neural responses to pitch deviations in a trained musician using a portable dry-electrode electroencephalography (EEG) system. The participant listened passively to seven 10-second violin excerpts with systematically varied pitch errors: none, medium, or high. EEG data were recorded, preprocessed, and analyzed for oscillatory patterns in the beta band across temporal and central brain regions. Findings revealed a graded increase in right-temporal beta power with error magnitude, alongside distinct temporal dynamics suggesting a sequential process: initial detection of deviations, evaluation of error severity, and adjustment of predictive models. These results highlight a potential cascade in passive pitch-error processing, extending prior work on active performance to naturalistic listening contexts. This work offers preliminary insights into the neural basis of pitch perception and suggests applications in music education and auditory training, though further research with larger cohorts is needed to confirm these findings.