Perfect pitch

[JHC]

Yes, having perfect pitch, all I need to do to determine the key is to listen to a few of the opening chords. It's one of the basic abilities that every musician should have. .

Pros yes but not us amateurs, that is amazing Mat can you apply this to all music that you hear?


Regulator note:
Posts #1 through #14 originally come from this thread.

 

[Dorsetmike]

A tale I heard, maybe apocryphal maybe not, Cleo Laine was heard to say when somebody dropped a metal tray "that's a little sharp on Eb"

I sometimes wonder if PP is always a blessing, or if the ability to spot something off tune can be almost painful at times (some school orchestras and amateur groups on youtube come to mind, even I cringe at some youtube offerings)

 

[Mat]

Pros yes but not us amateurs, that is amazing Mat can you apply this to all music that you hear?

Pretty much, Colin. Or at least to those pieces that have a key :lol:

A tale I heard, maybe apocryphal maybe not, Cleo Laine was heard to say when somebody dropped a metal tray "that's a little sharp on Eb"

I sometimes wonder if PP is always a blessing, or if the ability to spot something off tune can be almost painful at times (some school orchestras and amateur groups on youtube come to mind, even I cringe at some youtube offerings)

I had no idea who that person was, but what she (supposedly) said doesn't surprise me at all. It happens to me all the time. So many things in everyday life that make a "pitched" sound will catch my attention. The transformer, or whatever it is, in the cheap speakers I have hooked to my PC will make a slightly too sharp G sound. My microwave makes two sounds at the same time – a perfect fifth (G-D). My vacuum cleaner...ect., ect. Shall I go on?

Let me put it this way. As long as the musicians are in tune with each other, then it's okay. Your ear will eventually adjust to hearing everything half-step (or any other number of steps, for that matter) lower, like here. But this is different. And you dont't need to have PP to notice how far off the oboist is.

 

[JHC]

Heck I just don't believe it Willy Tell would turn in his box. I think anyone can tell if an instrument is out of tune with the rest of the orch but to hear a single note by itself and say that is F# but a bit too sharp is amazing to me.

Mat can I test you please what key is this piece in??https://www.box.com/s/bxj34ep0hp5bkjjgv8yx

 

[Mat]

Wow, it's kinda funny how many people upon learning that I have PP want to check if it's true. That's alright, though. Colin, the piece is in F# minor, but it ends on the C# major chord.

 

[Dorsetmike]

I had no idea who that person was,

Dame Cleo Laine AKA Mrs Dankworth, the third track may be not for purists

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e48tmnqg5bc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jShQAdTryKg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OmCtltCR08

 

[JHC]

Wow, it's kinda funny how many people upon learning that I have PP want to check if it's true. That's alright, though. Colin, the piece is in F# minor, but it ends on the C# major chord.

Handel Recorder Sonata in g-min by: Class Pehrsson Recorder, Bengt Ericson Baroque Cello, Thomas Schuback Harpsichord but this is more than likely to have A=415 which may deceive??
It was the first complete work that I learned to play on the Recorder.

 

[Dorsetmike]

likely to have A=415 which may deceive??

Now that is sneaky!

 

[edepot]

Wait. So he got it wrong? So can someone double check if Encore 2 is in F Major? Or is it in D Major, but because of the choir he got it mixed up?

 

[Mat]

Handel Recorder Sonata in g-min by: Class Pehrsson Recorder, Bengt Ericson Baroque Cello, Thomas Schuback Harpsichord but this is more than likely to have A=415 which may deceive??

Not much of a surprise since it's a Baroque piece. But with your comment you only confused edepot more...

Wait. So he got it wrong? So can someone double check if Encore 2 is in F Major? Or is it in D Major, but because of the choir he got it mixed up?

Rest assured that I got it right. And I'm saying it for the last time.

 

[Dorsetmike]

These days instrument tuning is set with A above middle C at a frequency of 440Hz, in the baroque period it was "somewhere near" 415 Hz (they didn't have so much in the way of sophisticated equipment to get the exact frequency every time) 415.3 Hz is G#/Ab in modern tuning so Mat is correct if going by present day tuning standards. He was given no clue that the piece was played in Baroque period tuning, as I said in my post above Colin was sneaky!

 

[edepot]

Woah, this is not good. I heard in Europe they tune it to 442 or 443, and given you said baroque pitch is 415 Hz, baroque for some special church music (Chorton pitch) at 466 Hz and classical pitch at 430 Hz. I am assuming the next note higher than A is so far away that they don't overlap with A if the tuning was set to a different period/place as given in the samples above?

 

[wljmrbill]

Interesting discussion. I see here relative pitch ( making judgements in relationship to usually a-440 in USA) and perfect pitch which a few people are unlucky to have at times but a nice asset. I remember my college professor in organ that her pitch was ( relationship to divated vibrations) were so acute that she could not even listen to a TV, radio etc for any periods as she always heard the background noises that most of us do not hear. SO as Mat said..some can hear only even a few notes and tell you what key it is in whether it is being played sharp, flat and in some cases to even what degree. My pitch is relative:but I can usually hear if is being played sharp or flat to A-440...

 

[JHC]

Not much of a surprise since it's a Baroque piece. But with your comment you only confused edepot more...

Firstly I was not deliberately trying to put one over on Mat I would have thought that just by listening that it would trigger a suspicion in that direction, and I have the greatest admiration for Mat’s gift which must be sharply honed as he is an orchestral Oboe player and would be responsible for setting the pitch of the orchestra. Detecting pitch it is a thing that I have never tried but intend to try out myself.
Secondly I apologise to edepot for high jacking his thread but as Bill said it is an interesting subject so with edepot’s approval could we keep it going?

 

[JHC]

@Mat. I just had to find the Handel Sonata that I had years ago for Recorder as at that stage in my playing I doubt that I was fluent in F# min or even G min now I have found the piece and it is in F Maj which is of course more in keeping with my standard all those years ago. but it has awakened a sliver of enthusiasm to take out my Flute and drive the Wife and neighbours insane? I shall try to resist as I know I would be bitterly disappointed with these old arthritic fingers.

 

[Mat]

You mean you found the score to that Handel piece you posted earlier? So that would mean they used A~465 Hz? I would have neve guessed that...

I say - have a go with the fute. I mean, who cares about the neighbours? :devil: Just as long as your wife's okay with it. Oh, and post a recording for us while you're at it.

 

[JHC]

No Mat I found the score that I used for Recorder:

 

[edepot]

So if Mat was in Europe listening to their orchestra, then it would drive him crazy because their A is 442/443, while he is used to A=440

 

[Dorsetmike]

First I've heard of Europe using anything other than 440, except for some performances on period instruments and I've been around for 78 years. Mat is in Europe so he should be able to confirm.

 

[Krummhorn]

Heck I just don't believe it Willy Tell would turn in his box. I think anyone can tell if an instrument is out of tune with the rest of the orch but to hear a single note by itself and say that is F# but a bit too sharp is amazing to me.

Mat can I test you please what key is this piece in??https://www.box.com/s/bxj34ep0hp5bkjjgv8yx

I picked G Minor at the get-go on first listen. I am blessed [cursed] with perfect pitch. But it sounds so close to F# Minor too ... altering the tuning away from A-440 will do that.

Woah, this is not good. I heard in Europe they tune it to 442 or 443, and given you said baroque pitch is 415 Hz, baroque for some special church music (Chorton pitch) at 466 Hz and classical pitch at 430 Hz. I am assuming the next note higher than A is so far away that they don't overlap with A if the tuning was set to a different period/place as given in the samples above?

Zubin Mehta was once known for tuning his orchestra at A-444 claiming that is made the group sound 'brighter' ... that was when he was directing in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion though ... I don't know if he did that for performances in the Disney Hall.