An endless ascentSourced
A scale can seem to climb without getting anywhere
A sequence of Shepard tones can seem to rise endlessly. Tones an octave apart are combined, with their relative volumes changing through the sequence. The structure loops rather than progressing to an impossibly high pitch. The upward sensation can continue across the return.
The ear hears a staircase built from a loop.
Summary / translation: Unbubly · CC BY-SA 4.0
Source and reuse details
Shepard tone · Wikimedia contributors
Adapted, summarized and translated from the source. Adapted text is also available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Reviewed: 2026-10-05