Klarinet Archive - Posting 000056.txt from 1999/02
From: "Steven J Goldman, MD" <gpsc@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Perfect Pitch
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1999 01:56:07 -0500
While these people do not describe it as memory, that's what it is. They
have established a neuronal network that relates certain frequencies with
the concept of specific notes. They may not think of it in terms of memory
because it all works at a subconscious level, but it's memorization none the
less. No one is born preprogrammed with A 440 in their head. It's a learned
activity. Like all brain activity, why some people are acutely sensitive and
others not is not understood, but is genetically determined to a great
extent.
Whether you want to separate perfect pitch from relative pitch is semantic.
Many people with perfect relative pitch say they have perfect pitch.
Our understanding of neuronal function as related to music is very
rudimentary at this point in time, but fascinating.
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: Neil Leupold [mailto:nleupold@-----.edu]
Subject: RE: [kl] Perfect Pitch
Everybody I've ever met who had perfect pitch has had the degree of
sensitivity described above. They describe it not as "memory", but
rather as an intuitive perception over which they exercise no con-
scious control. It is akin to most people's natural ability to i-
dentify colors of the rainbow. We know what red looks like, whether
or not any other color is present in what is being viewed. This is
a form of "absolute" vision, with no point of additional reference
beyond the color itself. The same idea applies to perfect...or "ab-
solute"...pitch. People with true perfect pitch are able to discern
not merely one note, but any note, in any register, in any series,
isolated, or in a group. Perfect pitch is not an inherently musical
ability -- meaning: musicians aren't the only people who have it.
It's just an extrasensory glitch with which some people are born.
The above is more typical of highly developed *relative* pitch, as opposed
to perfect pitch. People with strong relative pitch are often able to de-
velop pitch *and* intonation memory, where they are able to remember in
their heads certain pitches, as well as whether a particular sounded pitch
is in tune or not. Such an ability, however, almost always involves either
an internal refererance pitch (heard in the "mind's ear"), or memory of
only a limited number of pitches -- without the objective sensory ability
possessed by those with perfect pitch. I have this kind of well-developed
relative pitch. Without any external reference tone, I can sight-sing any
melody placed before me with all of the right pitches -- because I have
trained myself to become adept at on-sight interval recognition between
notes. With concert A firmly implanted in my mind's ear, it's a small
task to sing the C# or a Eb or whatever other note with which a melody
might begin. From there, every subsequent interval is immediately
recognizable and singable to me. This is relative pitch. It's what
every undergraduate college music major must develop -- to at least a
minimal degree -- in order to pass an aural skills curriculum.
Neil
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org
