Pitch/Bob Wilson

[Robert Wilson]

--- David Renaud <drjazzca@yahoo.ca> wrote:
> May I add some thoughts to support that ear training
> is developed using relative pitch, not A440.
> 
> 1) As a professional clarinetist I see C, play C,
>    think C, but it sounds Bb 200 cents lower,
>    Thus the name Bb clarinet. On alto sax I play C, 
>  
>    think C, but sound Eb, thus the name Eb alto sax.
>  
>    All wind sections in our orchestras trained 
>    many thousands of hours thinking relative pitch. 
> 
> 2) My high school band tuned to a machine, A440
>    But the relative pitch was terrible, I learned
> not
>    to listen. That hurt.
> 
> 3) The piano I grew up with had a bad block. It was
>    at 440, but unisions would go, the bass would 
>    slip flat. I learned not to listen. That hurt.
> 
> A well tuned instrument at A435 is much preferred
> for
> ear training over a bad tuning at A440.
> 
> 4) Many of my professional musician clients that
> claim
>    to have "perfect pitch" are surprised to learn
> that
>    our Montreal Symphony tunes to A442. 
>    
>    If A440 is so important to perfect pitch why have
>    so many of them not noticed this ever before. 
>    One of them was a university ear training teacher
>  
>    for a while,and does have perfect pitch in as
> much 
>    as can tell the key a piece is played in. 
>    
>    Some European orchestras are at A445
>    Some local "perfect pitch" gurus have never
> seemed 
>    to notice. Mind you a few do.
> I know a couple people who can differentiate 440-442
> cold.This is much more rare then those
> that demonstrate "perfect pitch" naming notes. 
>     
>   In conclusion.
> 
>   A440 is the standard.
> 
>   The standard is important, but not sacred.
> 
> The standard is to be strived for, but not at the
> cost of leaving a child disadvantaged with
> a piano that will settle funky and not be tuned 
> again for a couple years.
> If the piano was not tuned for 10 years,
> perhaps it will not be done again soon.
> I may compromise the standard somewhat. My         
> priority is to leave a stable,in tune instrument for
> the student. If they do tune it again within
> the year, and it is a piano I only raised part way,
> I will bring it up all the way for I have faith
> they will follow it up and take care of it. 
> 
>           Its an approach that works for me.
> 
>                 Cheers
>                 Dave Renaud
>                 RPT
>                 Canada                 

Dave,

I agree wholeheartedly and thank you for this sensible
and informative posting.


Bob Wilson.
London.



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