[OT] Speaking of "Perfect Pitch" . . .

Ron Nossaman RNossaman@KSCABLE.com
Sat, 09 Dec 2000 19:40:15 -0600


>Hi Ron,
>
>I thought the thread was about what instrument created the best ears. Not
>which instrument should be a pitch standard. And the reason the piano is
>the default standard is simply that rarely is the pianist a piano tuner. 
>
>As far as tuning it to the violin--that is exactly what happens in a string
>orchestra. In a full orchestra the obeo gets the nod. Unless they are using
>the piano for a concerto--then they use it.


Hi Don,
Yea, I know, and I was mostly just being difficult, but tuning the
instrument for the ear training does require a pitch source and, I would
imagine, a closely defined interval series. How does that work with a
violin? And a french horn isn't exactly a fixed pitch instrument either, or
is it? Can't the pitch of any single note played be altered somewhat by
playing technique? That was my point, as well as just being a nuisance. For
pitch recognition, shouldn't the pitches presented be as close to absolute
as possible? Also, back to the intent of the thread, I wonder if people
detect pitch more accurately with a narrow harmonic spectrum source, or a
more broad and complex one.


Ron N


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