Pitch/Bob Wilson

[David Renaud]

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                 
 

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