--- David Renaud <drjazzca@yahoo.ca> wrote: > May I add some thoughts to support that ear training > is developed using relative pitch, not A440. > > 1) As a professional clarinetist I see C, play C, > think C, but it sounds Bb 200 cents lower, > Thus the name Bb clarinet. On alto sax I play C, > > think C, but sound Eb, thus the name Eb alto sax. > > All wind sections in our orchestras trained > many thousands of hours thinking relative pitch. > > 2) My high school band tuned to a machine, A440 > But the relative pitch was terrible, I learned > not > to listen. That hurt. > > 3) The piano I grew up with had a bad block. It was > at 440, but unisions would go, the bass would > slip flat. I learned not to listen. That hurt. > > A well tuned instrument at A435 is much preferred > for > ear training over a bad tuning at A440. > > 4) Many of my professional musician clients that > claim > to have "perfect pitch" are surprised to learn > that > our Montreal Symphony tunes to A442. > > If A440 is so important to perfect pitch why have > so many of them not noticed this ever before. > One of them was a university ear training teacher > > for a while,and does have perfect pitch in as > much > as can tell the key a piece is played in. > > Some European orchestras are at A445 > Some local "perfect pitch" gurus have never > seemed > to notice. Mind you a few do. > I know a couple people who can differentiate 440-442 > cold.This is much more rare then those > that demonstrate "perfect pitch" naming notes. > > In conclusion. > > A440 is the standard. > > The standard is important, but not sacred. > > The standard is to be strived for, but not at the > cost of leaving a child disadvantaged with > a piano that will settle funky and not be tuned > again for a couple years. > If the piano was not tuned for 10 years, > perhaps it will not be done again soon. > I may compromise the standard somewhat. My > priority is to leave a stable,in tune instrument for > the student. If they do tune it again within > the year, and it is a piano I only raised part way, > I will bring it up all the way for I have faith > they will follow it up and take care of it. > > Its an approach that works for me. > > Cheers > Dave Renaud > RPT > Canada Dave, I agree wholeheartedly and thank you for this sensible and informative posting. Bob Wilson. London. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/
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