Author: Ski
Date: 2007-08-28 19:01
Since the subject of perfect pitch came up here yesterday, I've been looking at various websites that attempt to explain what perfect pitch is. A lot of what I've read is hogwash. So here's my "treatise" on perfect pitch...
Perfect Pitch can describe one of two distinct abilities:
a) accurate recognition of notes
b) accurate vocalization of notes
and then there's...
c) ability to do both
I have perfect pitch but I have trouble singing and holding a note in tune. So when asked to provide an "A", I can do so, but it takes me a while to achieve stability in my vocalization of that note, whether it's by humming, whistling, or singing "aah".
Among the degrees of perfect pitch ability there are the following variations:
• The ability to sing any note at concert pitch without any external reference. Those with innate pitch sense can be woken from a sound sleep and sing/whistle/hum any note requested of them.
• The ability to recognize any note at concert pitch without any external reference. Same as above, where the ability can be demonstrated upon being woken from a sound sleep.
• The ability to provide an accurate "A=44?" without aid of external reference, but can't vocalize other pitches as accurately.
• As mentioned in a post above, the ability to recognize notes of a particular instrument while having difficulty identifying the notes of other instruments. So someone can have "perfect piano" and recognize what pitch(es) are played, but their ability to recognize the proper note name for oboe or clarinet isn't as good. In these cases, some of the pitch recognition comes from extra-musical sounds produced by a particular instrument; in the case of "perfect piano", the sound of the knock of the hammer against any one particular string is learned by the ear as much as the pitch.
• The ability to discern pitches but not be able to accurately determine what octave it's being played in. (In cases such as this, discerning the proper octave can be taught).
• "Flexible" Perfect Pitch --- where it's possible to adjust one's recognition of notes when working at different tuning standards.
• "Inflexible" Perfect Pitch --- the opposite of above, where "everything" sounds out of tune if it's not played in the tuning standard under which that musician trained.
There are other variations, I'm sure, including those who have musical synesthesia.
Post Edited (2007-08-29 03:05)
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