[CAUT] Pitch recognition

[Don Mannino]

Dave,
 
An anecdote:
 
When I worked for Young Chang we had an employee with very precise
"perfect pitch," meaning that he could sing pitches very accurately with
no reference.
 
When I would tune pianos I would sometimes ask him in passing to let me
know if a note was sharp or flat.  I once tuned one string of A4 to 441,
and the other to 440, then asked him which was correct.  He could easily
tell which was sharp and which was flat, but he had trouble deciding
which was "correct."  He first said he couldn't tell, but he thought the
441 string was correct.  After I tuned (with the A at 440) he walked
through the room later and played the note, and said, OK, this sounds
correct to me - the sharp one before must have been set too high.
 
So, the exact pitch level is really learned, and even the best ears
acquire what 'A' should be from hearing music.  In my opinion, if we
consistently hear 442 because we like listening to an orchestra that
tunes there, then I think that will sound correct to the most sensitive
musical ear.  
 
I have other anecdotes - like the relatively well known choral director
who walked through Kawai's showroom after I had tuned about 6 pianos,
and commented emphatically that A4 was flat when he tried one.  Then he
checked the other pianos, and said, "Well, who tuned these pianos! All
of the As are flat!!"
 
Don Mannino


  _____  

	From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On
Behalf Of Porritt, David
	Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 9:46 AM
	To: caut at ptg.org
	Subject: [CAUT] Pitch recognition
	
	

	We've had this discussion here before about how accurate
people's pitch recognition can be.  I've been challenged to create a
test to see if some really can tell the difference between 440 & 442.  I
have not done that yet but I'd love to.

	 

	We did have something happen yesterday that got my attention.
Our Wind Ensemble director stopped by after their rehearsal yesterday to
tell me that the concert grand had gone sharp.  He said "I don't have
perfect pitch but as soon as Sam hit the A to tune the group I
recognized that it was sharp".  This was the first thing they did before
any rehearsing was done.  I went in to check it and the A did sound high
to me so I got out my pocket PC and measured.  A was at 440.69Hz.  The
conductor recognized it.  I recognized it.  Not everyone would, but more
people that we generally think will pick up on differences that small.

	 

	dave

	 

	________________________________

	David M. Porritt, RPT

	Meadows School of the Arts

	Southern Methodist University

	Dallas, TX 75275

	dporritt at smu.edu

	 

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