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There are several abilities that can be called "perfect pitch" -- identification vs recall, automatic vs labored. I've never seen this categorized before, but h
by khazhoux 6y ago
There are several abilities that can be called "perfect pitch" -- identification vs recall, automatic vs labored. I've never seen this categorized before, but here's my attempt:
1. The ability to immediately identify a pitch name from listening. This is the common definition. It is analogous to a native language speaker recognizing a spoken word -- it's automatic and requires no effort.
2. The ability to /recall/ a pitch from memory accurately. When you sing a tune, are you singing in the same key as the original recording? Some people can't do this.
3. The ability to identify a pitch name from listening, not immediately/reflexively but by mentally matching it against a well-remembered reference pitch. This requires (2) and also requires some work on your part, to remember a "catalog" of reference pitches.
4. Ability to recognize a chord type and root, either automatically (like #1) or by mental reference to some well-remembered chords (like #3). Of course, the root can be ambiguous and tricky to find.
I can't do #1 (immediate automatic pitch recognition) but once in a rare while it happens. I can do #2 easily -- mentally recall or sing any remembered tune within probably 25 cents. That means I can tune a newly-strung guitar, e.g., pretty well (though not perfectly) by just remembering a reference low E (first note in Airbag) or drop-D (first note in Everlong). I can do #3 with some mental effort -- requires me remembering my catalog of opening note for a handful of songs/pieces, and then doing a slow mental match.
- Bud 6y agoNo. Example #4 above has absolutely nothing to do with perfect pitch, and is instead simple ear training combined with some music theory training. (Professional classical musician, here.) All classically-trained music students learn to identify various chords and hear which note the root is, and only a small percentage of them have perfect pitch. #1 and #2 in your list are definitely examples of perfect pitch, however. #3 is a bit more like extremely good relative pitch combined with above-average pitch memory that lasts longer than most people's.
- khazhoux 6y agoMy "taxonomy" wasn't meant to be a perfect delineation, but just to show that there's lots of variations of tonal and harmonic recognition and recall. I agree that the way I phrased #4, sounded more like what you do in simple ear training exercises ("Is this chord a major or minor?"). But... when I watch, say, a video of Herbie Hancock copying another player's complex chord progression perfectly, there is clearly a harmonic+melodic version of "perfect pitch" for those few people who can hear music and reproduce it accurately.
- joemaffei 6y ago#1 is the usual definition of perfect pitch, and is the most useful. I have heard #2 and #3 referred to as "pitch memory". There is also a rare #0, which is the ability to identify pitches that are out of tune by a small number of cents. This is the least useful type of perfect pitch, and can render people unable to truly enjoy music. I know a musician who is like that. To him, everyone in the band is out of tune all the time.