Perfect Pitch

[Jeannie Grassi]

On Dec. 27, 1995, Ed Hilbert wrote:
<Perfect pitch may or may not be something which some people are
"born with".>
      I also share a fascination with this phenomenon we have come to refer to
as "perfect pitch"  I'm convinced that it presents itself in many different
forms, just as everything that involves the human element.  A piano teacher
friend of mine, Peggy Swingle, (a Suzuki teacher) has long maintained the belief
that a good deal of pitch learning or memorization can  occur while a baby is
still in the womb.  We know that a fetus does respond to sound, and depending on
the individual baby, some may be more "tuned in" to musical sounds than others.

      Peggy conducted a non- scientific study of pregnant women and their
offspring a few years back that was extremely intriguing.  She gave piano
lessons, a la Suzuki, to these women while  they were pregnant, and then a
couple of years later, began lessons with the children.  All of them would be
described as "musical" children.   Of course, there were too many other
variables to credit the prenatal lessons to their success, but it has always
intrigued me.  Do children of musicians do better because they are exposed to
musical sounds before birth?  Does this head start on music help develop perfect
pitch?
      My own sister, who is ten years younger than I am, has perfect pitch.
When our mother was pregnant, I was studying the piano, violin, saxophone, and
singing my heart out. Our other sister was playing piano and clarinet.   At age
5, she had already learned the names of the notes on the keyboard.  By accident
one day I discovered that she was identifying the notes from across the room,
with her back to the piano.  I'm sure this is typical example of how one
discovers that another has perfect pitch.  But I have wondered, ever since that
day, whether she got a head start on note recognition, while she was still in
the womb.

<< One of them, to my surprise sang as though he were tone deaf.  Said he had
never been able to sing on pitch and so he didn't sing!>>

      And from Rob Edwardsen:< In regards to the individual who could not sing
what he could hear there is also the aspect of vocal cord control to be
considered.  I believe that more often than not people are labeled tone deaf
when the defecit is not there ear but there ability to control there voice.>

      Hearing the pitch is only half of what is necessary to sing.  I like to
think of the voice as an instrument.  The proper technique must be developed,
and the connection between hearing that pitch, and reproducing it with the voice
may be a matter of learning how to use the instrument.
      I'd love to hear any further thoughts on the subject, privately, if the
list has exhausted its tolerance on the subject.

      Happy New Year to all,
      Jeannie Grassi, RPT
      Bainbridge Island, WA