Pitch Perfect, Do I have perfect pitch? Options

[katyjay]

Katyjay if you got AP1 you MUST have perfect pitch, that was hard.

'Fraid not, Jane. It wasn't actually testing perfect pitch, it was testing note memory. I've got a jolly good note memory, but I don't have perfect pitch.
So I got a good score for the tests, but can still make mistakes in intonation singing unaccompanied (Andante in C's seen, or rather heard, me do that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) !).
And Suepea can vouch for the fact that when I tuned my violin by ear yesterday evening, the G and D strings were right, but the A and E were a tiny fraction flat when we checked them with the tuner. They were OK within my hearing level (which is about 1/8 tone) but weren't absolutely right.

Of course, once I started playing my intonation was much worse than that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) but that's my incompetence as a violinist rather than anything else.

[janexxx]

It wasn't actually testing perfect pitch, it was testing note memory. .

Yes I see what you mean....subtle difference. Even so, I don't even have note memory (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Of course, once I started playing my intonation was much worse than that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) but that's my incompetence as a violinist rather than anything else.

At least you KNOW when your intonation is out.......and that's a good first step to putting it right. I think it was Heifetz (if not him then it was some other VFV) saying he did not have perfect intonation but he was able to correct it far quicker than most.

[YetAnotherPianist]

So I got a good score for the tests, but can still make mistakes in intonation singing unaccompanied (Andante in C's seen, or rather heard, me do that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) !).

There is some difference between perfect pitch when listening to notes, and being able to sing any named note on demand in-tune. The first requires good ears; the second requires an association between the note name and the frequency one should vibrate one's vocal chords at. The latter can still be a problem even if the former is well-developed.

And Suepea can vouch for the fact that when I tuned my violin by ear yesterday evening, the G and D strings were right, but the A and E were a tiny fraction flat when we checked them with the tuner. They were OK within my hearing level (which is about 1/8 tone) but weren't absolutely right.

I think that's called 'being human' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif). I used to be better at tuning violins by ear than I am, but after a few years off it takes me longer than it used to.

[Beginner_again]

Well I certainly don't have perfect pitch

AP rank: 5.00

Pure tone score: 8.50

Piano tone score: 11

However I haven't studied music for over 20 years and am only just relearning so I mostly guessed.I can tune the violin just by knowing what it should sound like and am always right-same with the guitar.I coud never sight read though.I can always tell if something is out of tune though.Is there a name for that or is that just normal?

[Elcon]

katyjay hi,

I wonder if you understand what Absolute Pitch really is all about.

There are various degrees of AP. And not because you are just a little 'off' on particular tones, mean you do not have AP.

I too can identify sounds and when I do check for fun, I can be a little off. The thing is that the sound (tone) I heard itself may sound good to my ear. When I compare it to the correct standard tone, I do perceive the difference. Sometimes it 'throws me off' when I check, but I would suspect it is the timbre of that sound.

I would also claim not to have AP myself, yet I can often hear someone play on the piano and be able to get all the tones that person is playing. Though I guess those moments only occurs when they are only playing the white keys rather then the black ones. Yet I must mention that I have absolutely no knowledge about intervals and/or chords.

Take care,

Elcon

[tiger_vio]

Wow, lucky you if you are!
We are being taught to do that in school- its fun (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[snuglivixen]

just got round to trying the test myself. Janexxx I must be a lower muggle as I'm below you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

AP 5

Pure tone 2

Piano tone 9

Oh dear. Probably explains a lot! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

[Silver pianist]

I heard a few years ago (on the radio I think) that the agent of a famous American pop singer (forget who it was) said the singer had perfect pitch because every time she sang a song (that obviously she had sung before) without an accompaniment she unfailingly sang that song exactly in the right key and that this was a sign of her having perfect pitch.

I have my doubts that you can judge it this way but it is an interesting theory.

I tested this theory myself with one of the pieces that I am currently learning on the piano. Hummed the first bar before playing it on the piano and I was way off key. But I knew anyway that I do not have perfect pitch. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[Violinia]

That website with the perfect pitch test is interesting, when you realise what it's really about. Without going into details, the researchers who devised this particular test are convinced that perfect pitch is more common amongst certain ethnic groups than others (one ethnic group in particular). I did the test last year; I don't have perfect pitch but do have very good relative pitch, and using this faculty managed to score highly in the test. They contacted me and asked me questions about my ethnic origins and whether I would like to take a blood test!! As it happens, I do come from the ethnic group they are particularly interested in; this had got them rather excited.

I emailed them back, telling them I used relative, not perfect pitch (which I don't have), and tried to get it across to them that no one ethnic group has the monoploy on perfect pitch or any other pitch for that matter - as far as I'm concerned it's all to do with what you're exposed to when very young. Certain ethnic groups may generally pursue music more than others, but this is nothing to do with ethnicity and everything to do with tradition and culture. I also told them I was absolutely not interested in taking any blood test!

I didn't hear from them again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Violinia

[thouston]

I dont have AP - but again I do have a good relative pitch. My score was nothing special (in fact I forgot what it was as soon as I clicked off the web page (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) ). However, I also reckon that given a few more goes at it I could significantly improve. If AP is genetic, it shouldn't be that amenable to improvement.

As for the singer who could always start on the right note - I'm certain that's nothing to do with AP. I can do it too, and I put it entirely down to muscle memory. Basically my vocal chords know where they should be for a given note. It can be a problem - I can find it actually quite difficult to sing something in a different key if I've really thoroughly learnt it before.

[Violinia]

yes I can always pick the note 'A' out of the air and sing it correctly, because I've tuned the violin so often. And if I listen to a piece of music I can work out what key it's in, but after a bit of deliberation, not in a split second to order.

People with perfect pitch apparently see music in colours - it's a sort of sixth sense faculty that all babies are born with apparently, but lose if it isn't nurtured. Perfect pitch can also be a burden as it can make it intolerable to play music slightly out of concert pitch. I start feeling a bit uncomfortable if music slips out of concert, but not so I'm in total pain!

Violinia

[YetAnotherPianist]

People with perfect pitch apparently see music in colours

Some people with perfect pitch or all people?

[Oddball]

People with perfect pitch apparently see music in colours

Some people with perfect pitch or all people?

Rimsky-Korsakov saw colours, it was on QI.

He used to think that the lights were dimmed at the start of a concert so that the audience could see the colours of the music.

[frumpybabes]

I got my 8 year old to take the test tonight as I think he has perfect pitch. Dont really understand what the numbers mean

He got Ap 1.00
pure tone 32.25
piano tone 37.25

From reading on this thread AP1 means you do have perfect pitch.

What does the rest really mean?