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<title>RE: Wives tales ... violin tuning</title>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I was always told this definition: </span><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
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v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Noun1. perfect pitch - The act of tossing a Banjo, Oboe, Bassoon,
Accordion, etc…. into a dumpster without hitting the sides. - see
also: relative pitch<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>More seriously though, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I always wondered which standard a person was referring to when describing
their perfect pitch. Pre 1920’s A-435? Post 1920’s A-440? New
a-442? 443, 445? European? Eastern? Other?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I’m on the side of relative rather than perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Another though to add to the hopper (dumpster)….. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>US electrical standards, the frequency of the AC voltages which
cause lights, motors, transformers etc to hum, is 60hz. Would that
officially be a B or Bb? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Outside of the US there are different Voltages and AC
frequencies. Most of the rest of the world is based on a 50hz grid. Again an offset
pitch frequency.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I would think that IF one had “Perfect Pitch” the
noise presented by these, (not quite “on perfect pitch” frequency
hums), might have the potential to drive one insane. Kind of like old wives
tales. =)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Gerry Cousins<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Tom Servinsky
[mailto:tompiano@bellsouth.net] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, July 01, 2008 9:17 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> ilvey@sbcglobal.net; Pianotech List<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: Wives tales ... violin tuning<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"'>David</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"'>The
true definition of relative pitch refers to one's ability to have close to good
pitch, but needs a familiar anchor pitch to reference by. Which is me.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"'> For
example, I learned Bb like the back of my hand early on in high
school. Several of my favorite jazz tunes started on a
Bb note plus our door bell was a Bb, so it became pretty in-grained
in my head. From there I grew more familiar with other tricks and before
I knew it I had a full command of the full octave. Was I born with this?
No, but I probably had an acute sensitivity towards pitch and always had a
curiosity towards it. Which came first the chicken or the egg. Are you born
with it or not. Who knows. Who cares. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Schoolbook","serif"'>Tom
Servinsky</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>-----
Original Message ----- <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='background:#E4E4E4'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:ilvey@sbcglobal.net"
title="ilvey@sbcglobal.net">David Ilvedson</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>To:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title="pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Sent:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> Tuesday, July 01,
2008 2:37 PM<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Subject:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> RE: Wives tales ...
violin tuning<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>I've always considered being able to name the
notes someone plays as being "perfect pitch".
Relative pitch is being able to discern if a note is out of tune compared to
another note. <br>
<br>
David Ilvedson, RPT<br>
Pacifica, CA 94044<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Original message<br>
From: "Matthew Todd" <br>
To: "Pianotech List" <br>
Received: 6/30/2008 9:42:20 AM<br>
Subject: RE: Wives tales ... violin tuning<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Alicia,<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Perfection is not in the eyes of the beholder,
sorry. You are perfect, or you are not. Saying "no one is
perfect" is safe to say for everyone in this world, including you
Alicia. Knowing what people can and cannot do has nothing to do with
this. People have different talents. I can operate a skil saw very
well, but I still have to use a guide to get a perfectly straight cut.
The most amazing concert pianists practice ALL day. If they were perfect,
there would be no need for them to practice.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>You naming the notes as your friends played it is still
relative pitch.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>As for your friend...telling you how sharp or flat a note
within 1 to 2 cents is still not perfect.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Matthew<br>
<br>
<b><i>A E <eve_ane@hotmail.co.uk></i></b> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>I messed around with my friends
before who are tied down in musical field, they randomly pressed keys on my
piano and 9 out of10 i got it spot on... a few years ago i had a friend (may he
rest in peace) who could tell u exactly how sharp of flat the note was,
and get it withing 1-2 cents....<br>
there is such a thing i think.... it comes with experience, and knowing ur
instrument... or in my case probably sheeer dumb luck...! <br>
U cant speak for everyone in this world Matt, u dont know what people can and
can not do..<br>
as for human perfection... well in that case, perfection is in the eyes of the
beholder, and no one else matteres...<br>
<br>
Alicia<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:57:58
-0700<br>
From: toddpianoworks@att.net<br>
Subject: Re: Wives tales ... violin tuning<br>
To: pianotech@ptg.org<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>There is no such thing as PERFECT pitch, only relative
pitch. It someone had perfect pitch, it would mean it would have to be
perfect, and besides Jesus Christ, I have yet to see a human that was
perfect. If indeed this customer had perfect pitch, they could be able to
tell you that the note was four cents flat. But because she said the note
sounded like a "d", it is relative.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Matthew<br>
<br>
<b><i>Richard Brekne <ricb@pianostemmer.no></i></b> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Yes... a good sense of relative
pitch memory is an interesting thing <br>
indeed. Its just that it would be best for all concerned if it were kept <br>
better in perspective... i.e. words like Perfect and Absolute left out <br>
of it. Severely extreme cases of pitch sensitivity are more a handicap <br>
then an asset. Fortunately... there are very very few on this planet <br>
that actually suffer to that degree....and correspondingly few that <br>
could with any hint of justification fnyss at someone else for erring <br>
<> pitchwise.<br>
<br>
Cheers<br>
RicB<br>
<br>
<br>
I had a customer a few days ago, whose piano I tuned 2 years ago. <br>
She played some notes and said how flat they were...the piano in<br>
general sounded reasonable. I got started and the piano was indeed<br>
about 4 cents flat and 7 in the treble. When done I asked her if<br>
she had perfect pitch...wasn't sure. I played a D and she said that<br>
sounded like a D...pretty cool...<br>
<br>
David Ilvedson, RPT<br>
Pacifica, CA 94044<o:p></o:p></p>
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