I'm sure it can be something that is a learned trait - the trick would be figuring out how to learn it. If you get used to listening/playing microtonal music you can learn how to differentiate between tones closer than a half step (or quarter tone), and I suppose if you can remember a specific pitch with a high level of accuracy it can be done. For amusement, I hummed what I thought was a concert A. I went here: _http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A440_%28Concert_A%29_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A440_(Concert_A)) And discovered I was a good 20-30 cents sharp or more. After humming it in my head, then playing it to check, I got closer and closer to matching it. I also checked 5 minutes later after my exercise and was only a couple of cents off the next time I tested. So yes, it certainly can be trained and if I had the desire and free time to do this every day for 30 minutes I could probably be spot on without thinking about it. -William In a message dated 2/12/2011 9:21:56 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes:
There are those who claim it can be done. I read an article (I think it was on a music theory list?) that claims we're all born with PP (or at least the potential for it). I had a prof once who tried to teach himself PP - he said he got to the point where he just needed to hit his tuning fork once every AM to freshen up his reference point, and he was good to go. (Sounds more like incredible pitch memory to me, but then I have know idea of the physical mechanics of PP - maybe it is the same as memory...) This same prof brought his 4-year old son to aural skills class one day - embarrassed the heck out of us 2nd year music majors... Good luck. Quoting Molly White <[email protected]>: > I have been trying to teach myself perfect pitch. I think if kids were > taught to recognize and name pitches the way we are taught to recognize and > name colors, we would all have perfect pitch. That's my story and I'm > sticking with it. Wish me luck! > > On Feb 11, 2011 2:40 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Steve Mumford wrote: > Even some things that are seen as innate, a "good ear" for instance, may > have ... > Here something else that may puzzle people, yet proves your point. 90% (by > some studies) of students that begin the Dalcroze method before age 5 > develop absolute pitch. As an aside, Dalcroze uses fixed Do solfege. > Respectfuly Submitted, > Scott Young > > _______________________________________________ > post: [email protected] > unsubscribe or set options at... > _______________________________________________ > post: [email protected] > unsubscribe or set options at > https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/hestekin%40mun.ca > _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/valkhorn%40aol.com _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
