A group of classically trained musicians and a group of non-musicians were compared using psychophysical tasks of pitch perception to determine the effect of musical training on the auditory mechanism. Two measurements, frequency difference limens (DLFs) and psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) were gathered for each subject at four frequencies in each ear separately. Results indicated a significant difference between musicians and non-musicians at three frequencies for DLF measures, and no significant findings regarding PTC measurements. These findings reveal a significant musical training effect on DLF outcomes, while the effect of musical training on PTCs, if any, remains to be determined. Implications of this study support changes in measureable auditory skills resulting from auditory training through music, and suggest that the frequency selectivity at the level of the cochlea is different between musicians and non-musicians. Additional studies are needed to demonstrate auditory differences between musicians and non-musicians using other psychophysical measurements beyond DLFs
