[pianotech] Question about perfect pitch

[Ed Sutton]

Tom-

What I hear in your description is that your brain wants to "tonicize" what 
you hear into the nearest possible harmonic center. It isn't randomly 
quantizing each pitch with no regard for context.

Ed Sutton


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Sivak" <tvaktvak at sbcglobal.net>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 8:52 AM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Question about perfect pitch


>
> Depends on the person.  I think it would distract me, at least at times. 
> Distract me in the sense of, wait a minute, what key is this piece in, 
> now?
>
> My ear, or actually my brain, I guess, will quantize the pitches up or 
> down.  At 60 cents flat, basically right in the middle, my brain would 
> recognize some of the pitches/chords up a half step, and others down. 
> This would make it difficult in a piece, like Bach for instance, that 
> modulates from one key to the next.
>
> I have recordings of the Berlin Philharmonic performing the Beethoven 
> Symphonies.  I don't know how sharp they tuned, but at times I start to 
> hear things up a half step from where I know they are written.  Like the 
> 7th Symphony in A Major for instance--in the exposition of the opening 
> movement, Beethoven stays in the key of A and finishes in E---my ear/brain 
> easily goes along with the ride, sharp though it may be.  Sounds like A 
> major to me, because I know that it's in A.
>
> But once I hear the development section, and Beethoven starts going 
> through the circle of fifths, I realize that I am recognizing some of the 
> chords up a half step.  I know this because as we approach the recap, it 
> sounds like it's going to be in Bb major instead of A.
>
> Of course, at the instant of realizing this, I instantly flip back into 
> the right key in my head and all is fine through the end of the movement.
>
> So, for me, a piano that was specifically 60 cents flat would bother me in 
> certain musical situations.  If the music was a popular tune or something 
> that basically stays in one key, it wouldn't bother me all that much.
>
> At least not as much as out of tune unisons, or a bass section that was 20 
> cents sharper than the steel strings.  THAT drives me nutz!
>
> Tom Sivak
> Chicago
>
>