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Recognition of the pitch of a tone is disrupted by the interpolation of other tones during the retention interval. The disruptive effect of an interpolated tone varies systematically as a function of its pitch relationship to the tone to be remembered, and is maximal at a 2/3-tone separation. When such a tone is interpolated, the interpolation in addition of a further tone that is 2/3 tone removed from this disruptive tone (and 4/3 tone removed from the tone to be remembered) causes recognition of the first tone substantially to return. When recognition performance is plotted as a function of the pitch relationship between these two interpolated tones, the results accord well with a model assuming mutual inhibitory interactions between pitch memory elements.

A model for the internal representation of pitch sequences in tonal music is advanced. This model assumes that pitch sequences are retained as hierarchical networks. At each level of the hierarchy, elements are organized as structural units in accordance with laws of figural goodness, such as proximity and good continuation. Further, elements that are present at each hierarchical level are elaborated by further elements so as to form structural units at the next-lower level, until the lowest level is reached. Processing advantages of the system are discussed. It may generally be stated that we tend to encode and retain information in the form of hierarchies when given the opportunity to do so. For example, programs of behavior tend to be retained as hierarchies (Miller, Galanter, & Pribram, 1960) and goals in problem solving as hierarchies of subgoals (Ernst & Newell, 1969). Visual scenes appear to be encoded as hierarchies of subscenes (Hanson & Riseman, 1978; Navon, 1977; Palmer, 1977; Winston, 1973). The phrase structure of a sentence lends itself readily to hierarchical interpretations (Chomsky, 1963; Miller & Chomsky, 1963; Yngve, 1960). When presented with artificial serial patterns that may be hierarchically encoded, we readily form encodings that reflect pattern structure (Bjork, 1968