In a message dated 4/24/98 9:36:25 AM Central Daylight Time, A440A@aol.com writes: << With all due respect, if he did say this, Franz Mohr is wrong on this point. I am constantly surrounded by musicians that can tell if a note is four cents flat, upon first hearing it, not comparing it to other notes, but just to their internal sense of what it should be.. This is note recognition, with a lot of resolution, and it happens a fair amount. Being able to differentiate between 438 and 442 is child's play to many. >> It is a quote from his book. I happen to agree with you. I can recognize a very small amount of deviation from A-440 too and have had professional musician customers who can. Still, I have never seen a truely scientific study which has proven anyon'es sense of pitch to be absolutely infallible, let's say to a small standard such as + or - 4¢ or even less, + or - 1¢. Even though my own sense of pitch is good, I know for sure that it is not entirely consistent, just as my vision or even my general hearing isn't from day to day. There are external factors which can influence the keenness of perception. Without a doubt, you have to hear a true A-440 often to be able to recognize it. It shouldn't be too much of a surprise or phenomonen that musicians who tune their violins, oboes, etc. to a very strict standard hour after hour, day after day are able to recognize immediately a pitch which does not fall within a reasonable tolerance to professional standard. But to claim, "perfect pitch" requires proof. If I were Wim Blees, I'd say, "Show me, I'm from Missouri". Bill Bremmer, RPT Madison, Wisconsin
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