<HTML><BODY>
<div>Interesting post, Tom, and as another 54 year old, I agree with you. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Age often brings wisdom, and with it, uncertainty. Falls into the category of "the more we learn, the less we know." </div>
<div> </div>
<div style="CLEAR: both">Dave Stahl<br>
</div>
<div style="CLEAR: both"> </div>
<div style="CLEAR: both">Original Message-----<br>
From: tvaktvak@sbcglobal.net<br>
To: schecter@pacbell.net; pianotech@ptg.org<br>
Sent: Sat, 27 Jan 2007 6:20 AM<br>
Subject: Re: absolute pitch<br>
<br>
</div>
<STYLE>
.AOLPlainTextBody {
margin: 0px;
font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;
font-size: 12px;
color: #000;
background-color: #fff;
}
.AOLPlainTextBody pre {
font-size: 9pt;
}
.AOLInlineAttachment {
margin: 10px;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader {
font: 11px arial;
border: 1px solid #7DA8D4;
background: #F9F9F9;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader .Title {
font: 11px arial;
background: #B5DDFA;
padding: 3px 3px 3px 3px;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader .FieldLabel {
font: 11px arial;
color: #000000;
padding: 1px 10px 1px 9px;
background: #F9F9F9;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader .FieldValue {
font: 11px arial;
color: #000000;
background: #F9F9F9;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader a, .AOLImage a {
color: #2864B4;
text-decoration: none;
}
.AOLAttachmentHeader a:hover, .AOLImage a:hover {
color: #2864B4;
text-decoration: underline;
}
body {
background-color: white;
font-family: "Verdana";
font-size: 10pt;
border: 0px;
}
p {
margin: 0px;
padding: 0px;
}
img.managedImg {
width: 0px;
height: 0px;
}
img.placeholder {
width: 275px;
height: 206px;
background: #F4F4F4 center center no-repeat;
border: 1px solid #DADAD6 !important;
}
</STYLE>
<div id=AOLMsgPart_2_30f587a8-5445-484c-b2a2-11464a293eb2>
<div>I feel like tuning pianos has confused my sense of pitch recognition. For years, decades, really, I only heard A's being A's, C's as C's. Granted, there was the occasional piano that would be way flat, but not really that often. Pianos in professional situations are usually not THAT far off. Even if they've been neglected, it's not like the 10 years that the Gulgransen spinet has endured since it's last tuning.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>But certainly pitch recognition must be learned. You must hear an A many times before you can identify it without a reference.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Then I started tuning pianos. When I find a piano at A415 and raise the pitch, I'm hearing all those shades inbetween. When does a G# become an A? I can't tell you. All I can share with you all is that I am no longer 100% of what I hear. I am often off by a half step.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Maybe it is age. I'm 54. But I think it has more to do with exposure to all the pitches inbetween G# and A. I no longer have a solid undisputed reference like I once had.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Tom Sivak</div>
<div>Chicago <br>
<br>
Now, I'm less sure of what I hear. <br>
<br>
<B><I>Mark Schecter <schecter@pacbell.net></I></B> wrote:</div>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">One thing I've run into a couple times is that age affects pitch <br>
perception. The cochlea shrinks with age, and the same pitch sounds <br>
higher as you get older. The degree of this shift varies, I'm sure. But <br>
I have a couple customers who are dismayed as the realize their once <br>
highly accurate pitch recognition gradually slips away.<br>
<br>
I agree with Jon that it is perfectly analogous to color recognition. It <br>
seems that there is a developmental stage in the first few years of life <br>
when one is most able to activate this faculty. If everyone received <br>
appropriate stimulus, many more would develop and have useful pitch <br>
recognition. As it is, though, most people never learn that C sounds <br>
like C. This is one argument for keeping pianos at standard pitch. Not <br>
very helpful to show a kid orange and call it red.<br>
<br>
-Mark Schecter<br>
<br>
Gregor _ wrote:<br>
> I have a customer with an absolute pitch. She called me for a tuning and <br>
> complained about one key (E6) which sounded for her more like the F6. <br>
> When she told me that, I had no idea about her absolute pitch. I tuned <br>
> the piano and she still complained about that E6. I wondered what she <br>
> meant: how can an E sound like F? I checked the temperament again and <br>
> the octaves, fourths and fiths as well. Everything perfect. Then she <br>
> told me about her absolute pitch. Aha! I tuned the E for her as she told <br>
> me (too flat, to sharp, oh no, now it´s correct......). The result were <br>
> inacceptable intervals! I told her that and tuned like I felt it´s o.k.<br>
> <br>
> Seems that even an absolute pitch has fluctuations. I always wondered if <br>
> an absolute pitch can differentiate between 440 and 439 Hz and if it´s <br>
> related to mood, weather or so.<br>
> <br>
> Gregor<br>
> <br>
> _________________________________________________________________<br>
> Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! <br>
> http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/<br>
> <br>
> <br>
</BLOCKQUOTE><br>
</div>
<!-- end of AOLMsgPart_2_30f587a8-5445-484c-b2a2-11464a293eb2 -->
<div class="AOLPromoFooter">
<hr style="margin-top:10px;" />
<a href="http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/1615326657x4311227241x4298082137/aol?redir=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eaol%2Ecom%2Fnewaol" target="_blank"><b>Check out the new AOL</b></a>. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more.<br />
</div>
</BODY></HTML>