Wives tales ... violin tuning

[Carl Teplitski]

A subject , when it comes across, I enjoy discussing.   I have met and done work for several
people who have what is described as perfect pitch.  I don't think that whoever says this, means
that they in fact are able to discern small differences in pitch , such as being 2,4 cents flat or sharp.
How I understand it is that this person can distingwish between notes which are in the band of
being a C, or D.    A  ( C) note , even 2,4,8 cents flat or sharp is still a C, till it reaches a point where it starts
being closer to a C#, or a B.   (  Where is that ???  Guess if we divide the intervals in cents and decide
when we've pasted that point.)

They have the ability to tell the difference between these notes without a reference
note to help them.  I usually can't do it.  ( most times can't ).  I've also, used this example to try and
explain how " I " see perfect pitch.  If an artist has excellent ability to tell subtle differences in color, could 
he be described as having (  perfect color . ) I can't do this either, by the way.   I once met a housewife
who had called me to tune a very ordinary piano for her. We got to talking , and she made a remark
that people had told her that she had perfect pitch.  Well she had the best that I personally have seen 
or heard. I tested her with one note, a third, sixth, and a handful of notes, and after she quit being 
defensive, she told me that she absolutely had no trouble hearing all the different notes in a handful. 
I was floored by her ability .    How about the people who could write music while listening to it being played !!! 
I'm very open minded about the abilities people have.           Is it like being 5' 8',  or 6' 4'.? ? ?  How does one 
splain these things.

I think I'd like to have P/P,   but then I'd like to be 6'0'.

Carl / Winnipeg.   


---- Original Message ----- 
  From: Matthew Todd 
  To: Pianotech List 
  Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 7:57 AM
  Subject: Re: Wives tales ... violin tuning


  There is no such thing as PERFECT pitch, only relative pitch.  It someone had perfect pitch, it would mean it would have to be perfect, and besides Jesus Christ, I have yet to see a human that was perfect.  If indeed this customer had perfect pitch, they could be able to tell you that the note was four cents flat.  But because she said the note sounded like a "d", it is relative.

  Matthew

  Richard Brekne <ricb at pianostemmer.no> wrote:
    Yes... a good sense of relative pitch memory is an interesting thing 
    indeed. Its just that it would be best for all concerned if it were kept 
    better in perspective... i.e. words like Perfect and Absolute left out 
    of it. Severely extreme cases of pitch sensitivity are more a handicap 
    then an asset. Fortunately... there are very very few on this planet 
    that actually suffer to that degree....and correspondingly few that 
    could with any hint of justification fnyss at someone else for erring 
    <> pitchwise.

    Cheers
    RicB


    I had a customer a few days ago, whose piano I tuned 2 years ago. 
    She played some notes and said how flat they were...the piano in
    general sounded reasonable. I got started and the piano was indeed
    about 4 cents flat and 7 in the treble. When done I asked her if
    she had perfect pitch...wasn't sure. I played a D and she said that
    sounded like a D...pretty cool...

    David Ilvedson, RPT
    Pacifica, CA 94044



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