perfect pitch

[Matt Wynne]

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At 04:35 PM 7/3/02 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi ,
>I tuned a piano today at a church I've been tuning at for years.The new 
>music director happened to walk in,and introduce herself.She says she has 
>perfect pitch,which I did'nt verify.(I always want to check but don't) 
>What I was wondering is,what is perfect pitch related to? Is it equal 
>temperment,or some other temperment.If you tune a note at equal,it will be 
>different ,the same note at another temperment.
>Inquiring minds want to know,
>Hazen Bannister

In a discussion of perfect pitch, you shouldn't concern yourself about 
temperments.  I know that there are several temperment enthusiasts on this 
list, but in the real world, to most people,a Bb is a Bb and an F# is an 
F#.  Most people don't hear different temperments.    I have known several 
people with PP over the years and generally their resolution is not that 
fine - no one I met could ever tell that A is 439.5 and not 440, although I 
have heard that there are such people.

The thing to remember is that they can hear other instruments too - 
violins, saxophones and piccolos all have Bbs and F#s and those instruments 
don't have piano temperments.   Also, contrary to lay beliefs, it is a 
physical impossibility for a band, orchestra, whatever... to be "in 
tune".  "In-tune-ness" is a matter of opinion.

Perfect pitch is an INBORN ability to name a pitch or chord with no 
external reference.  I have read ads of home courses claiming  to be able 
to teach perfect pitch but I am skeptical.

Whenever somebody has the nerve to claim perfect pitch to me, I will always 
test them.  It's a parlor trick to them, but I'm eternally amazed.

-Matt

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