pitch

The psychological property of sound characterized by highness or lowness. Pitch is one of the two major auditory attributes of simple sounds, the other being loudness.

A simple sound source, such as a tuning fork, produces an acoustic wave that approximates a perfect sinusoid, and the pitch of a sinusoid wave is almost completely determined by its frequency. Many sounds, however, are complex and contain a number of sinusoidal components. Complex sounds often appear to have a strong pitch, which is the frequency of a sinusoid that appears to match the complex sound. Hence, a tuning fork that vibrates at about 440 Hz will have a pitch very nearly equal to the note A above middle C on the piano. Loudness is determined by the amplitude of the sound vibrations. See also Loudness; Tuning fork; Wave (physics).

A sequence of different sounds having definite pitches produces a musical tune, making pitch extremely important in music. Practically all musical conventions recognize that doubling the frequency of vibration produces a particular pitch interval, known as an octave. See also Musical acoustics; Scale (music).

The human auditory system can hear frequencies in the range of 20–20,000 Hz. For frequencies between 100 and 4000 Hz, sinusoidal sounds have a clear pitch. Beyond these limits, the pitch of sound is not distinct. Sounds below 100 Hz may be described as rumbles, while those above 4000 Hz may be described as shrill and squeaky. The ability to detect changes in pitch is remarkably acute. The just-detectable change in frequency is about 0.3%for the midfrequency range. Frequency changes are best detected when the sound is loud. Weaker sounds require greater changes in frequency to be detectable. See also Audiometry; Hearing (human).

The number of printed characters per inch. With proportionally spaced characters, the pitch is variable and must be measured as an average. See dot pitch and pitch-yaw-roll.

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1. Presentation by one or more persons from an advertising agency to a prospective account. In this presentation, the agency will use a portfolio, slides, video, story board or other devices to review its organizational setup, results for other clients, types of accounts, experience of personnel, specializations, extra fee charges, and any other information that is pertinent to winning the account. If the presentation is a speculative pitch, the agency will submit actual sample campaigns that include copy and layout to the prospective client. Since a speculative pitch is backed by an agency's research, art, typography, and other out-of-pocket expenses, it usually involves considerable expense. The industry generally objects to speculative pitches because it is felt that the speculative campaign is rarely based on a thorough knowledge of company policy, objectives, or competitive advantages.

2. Presentation, sometimes high-pressure, to a prospect by a salesperson, to solicit an order or new business. In making a sales pitch to a prospective client, a salesperson usually begins with a positive opening line, demonstrates the features of the product while concentrating on selling its benefits, handles objections with a positive approach, and ends by asking for the order.

The number of characters per inch (cpi) in a particular size and style of type. Accurate only for monospaced (fixed-width) fonts.

1. The slope of a roof or other surface.

2. A thick black substance used for repairing a driveway or street or for patching a roof.
Example: One type of pitch is distilled coal tar.

verb

1. To send through the air with a motion of the hand or arm: cast, dart, dash, fling, heave, hurl, hurtle, launch, shoot, shy², sling, throw, toss. Informal fire. See move/halt.
2. To raise upright: erect, put up, raise, rear², set up, upraise, uprear. See horizontal/vertical/change of position, rise/fall.
3. To come to the ground suddenly and involuntarily: drop, fall, go down, nose-dive, plunge, spill, topple, tumble. Idioms: take afallheaderplungespilltumble. See rise/fall.
4. To lean suddenly, unsteadily, and erratically from the vertical axis: lurch, roll, seesaw, yaw. See move/halt, straight/bent.
5. To move vigorously from side to side or up and down: heave, rock, roll, toss. See repetition.
6. To slope downward: decline, descend, dip, drop, fall, sink. See rise/fall.
7. To make known vigorously the positive features of (a product): advertise, ballyhoo, build up, cry (up), popularize, promote, publicize, talk up. Informal plug. Slang push. See knowledge/ignorance.

phrasal verb - pitch into

To set upon with violent force: aggress, assail, assault, attack, beset, fall on (or upon), go at, have at, sail into, storm, strike. Informal light into,, attack/defend.

noun

1. An act of throwing: cast, fling, heave, hurl, launch, shy², sling, throw, toss. See move/halt.
2. A sudden involuntary drop to the ground: dive, fall, nosedive, plunge, spill, tumble. Informal header. See rise/fall.
3. A downward slope or distance: decline, declivity, descent, drop, fall. See rise/fall.
4. Exceptionally great concentration, power, or force, especially in activity: depth (often used in plural), ferociousness, ferocity, fierceness, fury, intensity, severity, vehemence, vehemency, violence. See big/small/amount, strong/weak.
5. A systematic effort or part of this effort to increase the importance or reputation of by favorable publicity: advertisement, ballyhoo, buildup, promotion, publicity, puffery. Informal plug. Slang hype. See knowledge/ignorance.

Idioms beginning with pitch:
pitcher
pitched battle, a
pitch into
pitch on

See also black as night (pitch); in there pitching; make a pitch for; sales pitch; wild pitch.

Definition: put up, erect
Antonyms: destroy, raze

n. a swaying or oscillation of a ship, aircraft, or vehicle around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the direction of motion.

1. (of a moving ship, aircraft, or vehicle) rock or oscillate around a lateral axis, so that the front and back move up and down: the little steamer pressed on, pitching gently.

2. (of a vehicle) move with a vigorous jogging motion: a jeep came pitching down the hill.

pitch in join in a fight or dispute.

pitch into forcefully assault.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

music The vibrational frequency of a note, and the fundamental frequency in reality because each instrument and voice produces a complex of frequencies (both a narrow range about the fundamental and their harmonics). The pitch can be expressed in hertz (30 to 3 000 for audible notes), but is not so expressed in a musical context.

Because of simultaneous generation of multiples of the basic frequencies, any note sounds very similar to notes of twice and half its frequency. Termed ‘harmonious’ because of its pleasant sound to the ear, this provides the reason for the repeating pattern of musical scales. The span of the repetition is the octave, extending from any note to the note twice that frequency. A similar but declining pleasantness applies to the nearby ratios of small integers, e.g. 2:3, 3:4, 4:5, 5:6, 5:8, etc. (See interval.) The octave can be subdivided accordingly, first to produce the note that has its frequency 3⁄2 that of the initial note, and so on, to produce a set of notes, a scale, of harmonious relationships. This is the ‘scale of just intonation’, in which seven notes per octave make a good set of distinct and harmonious notes, but adjacent spacings are erratic, and awkward for many instruments. The ‘well-tempered scale’ or ‘scale of equal temperament’ adopts a consistent two-sized spacing: the tone and its exact half, the semitone. Then 2 semitones and 5 tones must give the octave, i.e. effectively 12 semitones must produce a doubling. So the semitone is

The quality of a sound that fixes its position in the scale. Sounds produced by such instruments as a cymbal or a bass drum are said to be of indefinite pitch. Pitch is determined by what the ear perceives as the most fundamental wave-frequency of a sound.

In normal concert usage today, a standard pitch is used, defined as a′ = 440 cycles per second (or Hz). There has not always been a standard pitch. The oldest extant instructions for tuning a harpsichord suggest that one fixes the initial note as one wishes; and as recently as the early 19th century, woodwind instruments were commonly equipped with interchangeable joints to accommodate different pitch levels. Evidence from between c 1500 and c 1800, usually in the form of surviving organs, pitch pipes or tuning forks, or from written sources, shows a variation in pitch for a′ between modern f′#; and c″. The pitch for opera performances in Paris in Lully's time (c 1675) was a′ = c 410; this was also the low chamber pitch (‘Cammer-Ton’) of J.S. Bach. Bach's organ pitch (‘Chor-Ton’) at Leipzig and Weimar, however, was a′ = c 480. Pitch levels between c 415 and c 430 were much used: a tuning fork associated with Handel gives a′ = 422. 5, and this is the approximate pitch of French orchestras c 1700 and the ‘high chamber pitch’ of J.S. Bach. This is the pitch, too, used by the Philharmonic Society of London in 1813. In Vienna, pitch was then a′ = 435. It rose during the 19th century as the pressures during increasing public performance, in larger halls, led to a striving for more brilliant effect. In the 1850s, it stood at 449 at the Paris Opéra and 451 at La Scala, Milan. The rise gave particular concern to singers as the higher pitch increasingly strained their voices. A standard of a′ = 435 was established in France in 1859.

The present standard of a′ = 440 was laid down by the International Organization for Standardisation in 1955. Most performers on period instruments use a lower pitch, generally c 430 for music of the Classical period and 415 for Baroque music.

For more information on pitch, visit Britannica.com.

1. The slope of a roof, usually expressed as a ratio of vertical rise to horizontal run, or in inches (centimeters) of rise per foot (meter) of run.
2. See grade.
3. The slope of a stair flight, i.e., the ratio of the rise to the run of the flight.
4. The distance between centers of bolts, rivets, and other fasteners in the same line.
5. See carpet pitch.
6. In acoustics, that attribute of auditory sensation in which sounds may be ordered on a scale from low to high; depends primarily on the frequency of the sound stimulus.
7. Any of various resins.
8. A dark, viscous, distillate of tar; used in caulking and paving; also called pitch mastic. Also See coal-tar pitch.
9. In masonry, to square a stone with a chisel.

1. a dark, more or less viscous residue from distillation of tar and other substances.
2. natural asphalt of various kinds.
3. the quality of sound dependent on the frequency of vibration of the waves producing it

• coal tar p. — see coal tar pitch.

(DOD, NATO) 1. The movement of an aircraft or ship about its transverse axis. 2. In air photography, the camera rotation about the transverse axis of the aircraft. Also called tip.

Pitch has a viscosity approximately 100 billion times that of water, as demonstrated in this pitch drop experiment.

Pitch is the name for any of a number of viscoelastic, solid polymers. Pitch can be made from petroleum products or plants. Petroleum-derived pitch is also called bitumen. Pitch produced from plants is also known as resin. Products made from plant resin are also known as rosin.

Pitch was traditionally used to help caulk the seams of wooden sailing vessels (see shipbuilding). Pitch was also used to waterproof wooden containers, and is sometimes still used in the making of torches.

It is black in color, hence the adjectival phrase, "pitch-black".

Contents 1 Viscoelastic properties 2 Production 3 External links 4 See also 5 References

Viscoelastic properties

Tar pitch is a viscoelastic polymer. This means that even though it seems to be solid at room temperature and can be shattered with a hard impact, it is actually fluid and will flow over time, but extremely slowly. The pitch drop experiment taking place at University of Queensland is a long-term experiment which measures the flow of a piece of pitch over many years. For the experiment, pitch was put in a glass funnel and allowed to slowly drip out. Since the pitch was allowed to start dripping in 1930, only eight drops have fallen. It was calculated in the 1980s that the pitch in the experiment has a viscosity approximately 230 billion (2.3x10¹¹) times that of water. ^[1]

Production

The heating (dry distilling) of wood causes tar and pitch to drip away from the wood and leave behind charcoal. Birchbark is used to make a particularly fine tar. Tar and pitch are often used interchangeably. However, pitch is considered more solid while tar is more liquid. Traditionally, pitch used for waterproofing buckets, barrels and small boats was drawn from pine. It is used to make Cutler's resin.

External links

• The Pitch Drop Experiment
• Pine Tar Production
• Primitive tar and charcoal production

See also

• Tar

References

1. ^ The Pitch Drop Experiment

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Common misspelling(s) of pitch

• pich

Dansk (Danish)
1.
n. - harpiks
v. tr. - dække med harpiks

idioms:

• pitch dark    bælgmørk
• pitched roof    skråtag

2.
n. - højde, trin, højdepunkt, stemmeleje
v. tr. - stille op, anbringe, smide, brolægge, kaste
v. intr. - slå lejr, styrte, skråne, duve, stampe

idioms:

• make a pitch    foretage et slag
• pitch for    kaste for
• pitch in    tage energisk fat
• pitch into    gå i lag med
• pitch invasion    kaste sig over
• pitch on    slå ned på, udse sig
• pitch pipe    stemmepibe
• pitch up    vælge
• pitch upon    slå ned på, udse sig
• pitched battle    forberedt slag

Nederlands (Dutch)
opslaan (tent), werpen, (woordkeuze) richten op bepaald niveau, bevestigen, bal naar slagman werpen (honkbal), op bepaalde toonhoogte stemmen, afhellen (dak etc.), heen en weer schokken, stampen (schip), voorover vallen, bal een bepaalde afstand gooien (cricket), (verhaal/grap) vertellen, bestraten, pek, worp, sportveld, (toon) hoogte, helling, het stampen (schip), verkooppraatje, vaste stek (verkoper), afstand tussen twee punten (op schroef/tandwiel etc.)

Français (French)
1.
n. - goudron
v. tr. - tacher de goudron, goudronner

idioms:

• pitch dark    tout noir
• pitched roof    toit en pente

2.
n. - (Sport) terrain, (gén, Phon) hauteur, (Mus) ton, degré, comble, (gén, Comm) boniment, (Constr, Naut) brai, (GB) emplacement, (Naut) tangage, (Sport) lancement, (Constr) pente, longueur (de corde)
v. tr. - jeter, balancer, (Sport) lancer, (Agric) jeter avec une fourche, adapter (à), fixer (prix), (Mus) trouver (la note), donner (la note), planter (une tente), sortir/débiter (une excuse)
v. intr. - (gén) être projeté, (Naut) tanguer, (US) lancer (la balle) (au base-ball), (GB, Sport) rebondir (balle)

idioms:

• make a pitch    parler en faveur de, faire des avances à
• pitch against    projeter contre
• pitch for    parler en faveur de
• pitch in    s'atteler à la tâche, y mettre du sien, attaquer/commencer à manger
• pitch into    (lit, fig) attaquer, propulser dans, s'attaquer à
• pitch invasion    invasion du terrain
• pitch on    décider pour, choisir (qn, qch)
• pitch pipe    (Mus) diapason (en forme de sifflet)
• pitch up    arrêter son choix sur, (Sport) lancer la balle le plus près possible du guichet du batteur (cricket)
• pitch upon    lancer sur, culbuter, arrêter son choix sur
• pitched battle    (lit, fig) bataille rangée

Deutsch (German)
1.
n. - Pech
v. - verpechen

idioms:

• pitch dark    pechfinster
• pitched roof    schräges Dach

2.
n. - Stand, Tonhöhe, Steigung, Neigung, Wurf
v. - werfen, aufschlagen, anstimmen

idioms:

• make a pitch    eine Vorstellung geben
• pitch against    messen mit
• pitch for    durch Überredung erlangen
• pitch in    zupacken
• pitch into    sich hermachen über
• pitch invasion    Ansturm der Fans auf das Spielfeld
• pitch on    zufällig wählen
• pitch pipe    Stimmpfeife
• pitch up    werfen (so daß der Ball dicht beim Schlagmann auftrifft)
• pitch upon    zufällig wählen
• pitched battle    offene Feldschlacht

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - κατράμι, πίσσα, γήπεδο αθλοπαιδιών, βολή, ρίψη, εκσφενδόνιση, (οικοδ.) κλίση, γωνία, λοξότητα, βαθμός, σκαμπανέβασμα, βαθμός εντάσεως, ύψος, τόνος φωνής ή ήχου, διαπασών, (Βρετ.) στέκι, πόστο μικροπωλητή, (μηχαν.) "βήμα" (γραναζιού, έλικας κ.λπ.), πιάτσα παράνομης δραστηριότητας ή πόρνης, (τυπογρ.) βήμα, πλάτος χαρακτήρα
v. - εξακοντίζω, ρίχνω, πετώ, πέφτω, στήνω (σκηνή), μπήγω, δίνω ορισμένο τόνο, σκαμπανεβάζω, ρυθμίζω το βαθμό ή το επίπεδο

idioms:

• make a pitch    υπερασπίζομαι φραστικά κάποιον, κάνω καμάκι, κορτάρω
• pitch dark    κατασκότεινος
• pitch for    υποστηρίζω, κάνω παιχνίδι για
• pitch in    καταπιάνομαι (δραστήρια)
• pitch into    επιτίθεμαι σε, εφορμώ κατά, ρίχνομαι εναντίον
• pitch invasion    εισβολή φιλάθλων στο γήπεδο
• pitch on    διαλέγω τυχαία
• pitch pipe    (μουσ.) πνευστή διαπασών
• pitch up    (κρίκετ) ρίχνω κοντά στον παίχτη με το ρόπαλο
• pitch upon    διαλέγω
• pitched battle    (στρατ.) μάχη εκ παρατάξεως, τακτική μάχη
• pitched roof    στέγη με κλίση

Italiano (Italian)
gettare, pece, lancio, campo sportivo

idioms:

• make a pitch    fare un'offerta, cercare di convincere
• pitch dark    buio pesto
• pitch for    parlare in favore di
• pitch in    darci dentro, partecipare al pagamento
• pitch into    darci addosso
• pitch invasion    invasione del campo
• pitch on/upon    trovare
• pitch pipe    diapason a fiato
• pitch up    lanciare la palla di cricket
• pitched battle    battaglia campale, scontro violento
• pitched roof    tetto spiovente

Português (Portuguese)
n. - tom (m) (Mús.), som (m), nota (f) (Mús.), piche (m), arremesso (m), campo desportivo (m)
v. - afinar (Mús.), montar, lançar, jogar, acampar, inclinar-se

idioms:

• make a pitch    contar uma história
• pitch dark    breu, escuridão
• pitch for    vender/fazer propaganda para
• pitch in    trabalhar com afinco
• pitch into    atacar, cair em cima de (coloq.)
• pitch invasion    invasão de campo
• pitch on/upon    decidir, escolher
• pitch pipe    diapasão
• pitch up    escolher ao acaso
• pitched battle    batalha campal
• pitched roof    telhado muito íngreme

Русский (Russian)
швырять, настойчиво предлагать, смола, качка, бросок, постоянное место, часть крикетного поля

idioms:

• make a pitch    нахваливать, стараться достичь
• pitch dark    тьма кромешная
• pitch for    стараться достичь
• pitch in    взяться, присоединиться
• pitch into    наброситься, ввергнуть
• pitch invasion    вторжение на спортивное поле
• pitch on/upon    наброситься
• pitch pipe    камертон
• pitch up    бросить высоко, выделить
• pitched battle    генеральное рукопашное сражение
• pitched roof    покатая крыша

Español (Spanish)
1.
n. - pez, brea, resina, alquitrán
v. tr. - untar o cubrir con alquitrán o brea

idioms:

• pitch dark    negro como boca de lobo
• pitched roof    techo a dos aguas

2.
n. - echada, lanzamiento, tiro, puesto, campo
v. tr. - lanzar, arrojar, echar, tirar, armar, montar
v. intr. - lanzar, arrojar, echar, tirar, armar, montar

idioms:

• make a pitch    persuadir, preconizar
• pitch against    poner en contra, oponer
• pitch for    tratar de conseguir, apostar, lanzar, pichear
• pitch in    contribuir, echar una mano, ponerse a trabajar vigorosamente
• pitch into    abalanzarse sobre, acometer, atacar, reprender, ponerse a comer algo
• pitch invasion    invasión de la cancha de juego por el público
• pitch on    elegir, escoger (fortuitamente)
• pitch pipe    diapasón
• pitch up    (cricket) rebotar la pelota cerca del bateador
• pitch upon    elegir, escoger (fortuitamente)
• pitched battle    batalla campal

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - grad, topp, tonläge, tonhöjd, kast, bollplan, torgplats, (fartygs) stampning, lutning, kuggdelning (mek.), försäljningsargument
v. - kasta, slunga, sätta upp, (sten)sätta, stämma (mus.), bestämma trumf, stampa (om fartyg), kränga, falla, störta

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
1. 沥青, 树脂, 松脂, 用沥青涂

idioms:

• make a pitch    为...说情, 替...说好话, 试图引诱...谈情说爱
• pitch dark    漆黑的
• pitch for    为...说好话, 试图引诱...谈情说爱
• pitch in    努力投入
• pitch into    投入, 猛烈进攻, 大吃大嚼
• pitch invasion    橄榄球板球等球迷的冲入投球场
• pitch on    选中
• pitch pipe    律管, 调音笛
• pitch up    安定下来, 安顿下来, 搭帐篷
• pitch upon    选定, 选出
• pitched battle    激战
• pitched roof    斜屋顶

2. 搭, 把...定得, 把...定在, 扎, 为...定音高, 搭帐篷, 投掷, 安营, 向前跌, 投, 音高, 投球, 程度

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
1.
n. - 瀝青, 樹脂, 松脂
v. tr. - 用瀝青塗

idioms:

• make a pitch    為...說情, 替...說好話, 試圖引誘...談情說愛
• pitch dark    漆黑的
• pitch for    為...說好話, 試圖引誘...談情說愛
• pitch in    努力投入
• pitch into    投入, 猛烈進攻, 大吃大嚼
• pitch invasion    橄欖球板球等球迷的衝入投球場
• pitch on    選中
• pitch pipe    律管, 調音笛
• pitch up    安定下來, 安頓下來, 搭帳篷
• pitch upon    選定, 選出
• pitched battle    激戰
• pitched roof    斜屋頂

2.
v. tr. - 搭, 把...定得, 把...定在, 紮, 為...定音高
v. intr. - 搭帳篷, 投擲, 安營, 向前跌
n. - 投, 音高, 投球, 程度

한국어 (Korean)
1.
n. - 송진, 수지
v. tr. - 송진을 칠하다

2.
n. - 던지기, 고정 위치, 정점
v. tr. - 던지다, 처박다, 조정하다
v. intr. - 거꾸로 떨어지다, 앞뒤로 흔들리다

idioms:

• make a pitch    교묘한 말로 선전을 하다, 환심을 사려고 노력하다
• pitch for    ~에 대한 격려를 하다
• pitch in    열심히 하기 시작하다
• pitch into    맹렬히 공격하다
• pitch on    결정하다
• pitch up    (크리켓에서 공을) 타자 가까이에서 바운드 시키다
• pitch upon    ~을 선정하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 投げること, 投球, 高低, 縦揺れ, 程度, 口上, こう配, ピッチ, 松やに, 傾斜
v. - 投げる, 投球する, 張る, 落ちる, 倒れる, 調子を決める, 高さを決める, 傾斜させる, 縦に揺れる, ピッチを塗る

idioms:

• make a pitch    手に入れようと躍起になる, を提案する
• pitch dark    真っ黒な
• pitch for    ピッチャーを努める
• pitch in    参加する, 協力する, 懸命にやり出す
• pitch into    激しくやっ付ける, がむしゃらにやり出す
• pitch invasion    侵略に備える
• pitch on/upon    選定する, 出会う
• pitch pipe    調子笛
• pitch up    ピッチアップ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) زفت, قار, قير, درجه الميل أو الانحدار, مص, الخطوة, منحدر, درجه النغم, المسافه بين شيئين في ماكنه (فعل) يطلي أو يعالج بالزفت, ينصب, يحط, يغوص, يقذف, يختار, يقرر شيئا‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮זפת‬
v. tr. - ‮מרח או ציפה בזפת‬
n. - ‮דרגה, רמה, גובה-צליל, מקום העסקים, זריקה, הטלה, מגרש, טלטול הספינה, עוצמה, שיפוע‬
v. tr. - ‮הקים, הציב, הטיל, זרק, קבע (גובה-צליל), שיפע, סיפר, ריצף דרך באבנים, ביטא בסגנון מסוים‬
v. intr. - ‮נפל, ניטלטל, השתפע‬

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