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From: Bobbie Giordano
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 16:29:52 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: Absolute Pitch

Charles Deering added to the gumbo:

Last things first...

> I'm sure everyone is intensely grateful for yet more on this
> subject. ;-)>

I certainly am. Not only because you in essence reinforced my own post
on the subject matter, you eloquently expanded on it in interesting ways.
I must admit though, sometimes I wonder if I should even bother writing,
since there is sure to be one of much greater understanding as yourself to
eventually shed the best light.

In your message, you wrote:

> The consensus among music psychologist and cognitive scientists
> is that "absolute pitch" is substantially inherited. I agree
> but I'm sure that's not the whole story.

Just to be clear on this, I assume you're saying that "they say" it is an
inherited ability to ~develop~ the trait, since, as you and I point out,
standard pitch has always been a fluctuating, subjective designation, often
without universal recognition and acceptance. My trouble with the "whole
story" aspect, is that inherited implies a transmission through the genes,
while I'm more inclined to imagine it is more often than not generally
present in human genes, though perhaps in varying degrees of developmental
capability, awaiting augmentation by environment and training. This may be
exemplified by your mention of students, albeit few, who you knew to have
developed some amount of absolute pitch in years later than childhood.

> Most professional musicians acquire perfect pitch for their own
> instrument but not for others.

An excellent point that makes sense in light of the learnability of absolute
pitch we talk about. This however might also demonstrate the impact of
relative pitch that develops in musicians as they play with other musicians.
One person has told me of being unaffected by a band playing slightly out
of tune, until the harmonica, the instrument they know best, is added to
the mix, and then it's very irritating; not so much that the song itself is
out of tune, but the other instruments in the group that ARE suddenly stand
out. Makes you wonder what that guy with the untuned guitar is thinking
about that harmonica player. :)

> trying to sing A and then checking with a tuning fork. I tried
> this and soon acquired "absolute vocal configuration" for one
> note.

I will have absolute pitch for a tone for awhile after singing or playing
in that key or on a harp of that key, but guess I'm a little too chaotic
"upstairs" to cling to it for long. Hey! "A creative mind is rarely tidy."
[My favorite quote ... it figures.]

Lastly, on or offlist, Charles, could you explain what you mean by these
two "terms"? Thanks.

> I had already acquired "absolute tone" and "absolute lip"
> for the French horn so the addition was of little consequence.

Enjoyed the post.

*** Bobbie ***

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