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What follows is a short explanation of some of the more bizarre theories about perfect pitch and some suggestions about their validity. There is still a lot to be learned on the subject of perfect pitch and so disagreeing theories are to be expected, where sometimes both viewpoints have merit. These exist when it comes to uncertainties like whether it can be learned, for example. If it is possible to learn it, how should one go about such an endeavor? On the other hand some ideas show an amazing lack of sense or reason. This article describes the more outlandish theories. To learn to play piano, visit pianoforall.
One common idea is that there is nothing special about perfect pitch because it is simply an enhanced form of relative pitch. It is not the case. Someone who has relative pitch skills needs a reference note before being able to tell which note they are hearing, even when their skills are developed to the maximum level. Relative pitch is a very important skill for musicians, some would rate it high above perfect pitch. However, it does not lead to developing perfect pitch. The skills are totally different.
There is a second strange theory about perfect pitch, that it is common-place in Asia. The tonal nature of some Asian languages being given as a reason for this. There are some who are mistaken into thinking that words in these languages have different meanings depending on the pitch. This is not true and is not how tonal languages work. In languages like Chinese, it is the tonal shape of the vowel, which changes the meaning, not the absolute pitch. The tone of the vowel can rise like a question, or fall. Cantonese has five inflections, including fall-then-rise and rise-then-fall. The absolute pitch of the voice is not relevant to the meaning. Results from rather futile studies into perfect pitch in Asians have shown the results, which one would expect. Some subjects in a test will have a tendency to speak certain phrases with approximately the same pitches from one day to the next, except for the occasional time when they do not. Perfect pitch is not present, no matter how the statistics of a survey like this may be presented to try to show something significant.
One other notion is that a person with perfect pitch always knows where sounds are on the scale by way of references from their environment. For example, a person may know the absolute pitch of his microwave oven. This means that whenever he heats up some tomato soup, he can recall pitches from this reference tone until such time as his doorbell rings, which he also knows the note for. He will then know where he is from the doorbell until the phone rings and so on. As well as being an insane amount of work, this is simply not perfect pitch. Every musician has short term tonal memory. Someone who has perfect pitch, knows a tone he hears randomly just after waking up and could be locked in a room for days with no sound and still be able to identify a pitch. Is there a skill for perfect pitch training.
Tonal memory in the short term is not reliable in the long term, which relates to the next idea. The idea that the sense of perfect pitch is altered by illness. Obviously, if an illness leads to madness or deafness, perfect pitch may be affected. However, if someone claims to have perfect pitch and is having an “off day” due to a cold, this should not affect their ability to recognize the notes. Mozart was sick for most of his life. When training the ear and learning perfect pitch, of course it is better to be in good health, but that is another case.
The existence of a perfect pitch gene is the final idea to be discussed. This is not a completely wacky idea like the others, however, there is not a strong case for a perfect pitch gene. Perfect pitch is not known to be passed on to children. More often, a non-perfect pitch musician finds that hi child has it. The obvious conclusion is that the musical environment, in which the child grew up, was the important factor. Genetics may play a role in almost every part of the human condition, but in the case of perfect pitch, there are more important factors. There is more about this here: learn perfect pitch.
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