Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!microsoft!camilleg
From: camilleg@microsoft.UUCP (Camille Goudeseune)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: Re: perfect pitch
Keywords: perfect pitch, ear training
Message-ID: <9320@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 5 Dec 89 05:47:51 GMT
References: <18807@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> <365@bbxsda.UUCP> <3289@husc6.harvard.edu> <48907@bbn.COM>
Reply-To: camilleg@microsoft.UUCP (Camille Goudeseune)
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 19

Here's my two bits' worth.  From age 6 to about 16 I had quite accurate
perfect pitch, then lost it (as in I'd be right in guessing a random note
played by someone on the piano 1 time in 3) until about a year ago, and
now still have it (age 23).  My main instrument is piano, if that makes
a difference.

But my "resolution" is only a bit tighter than a quarter tone.  On the
other hand, a cellist friend of mine at U of Waterloo (Canada) can tune
his pride and joy darn near perfectly without aid of an external pitch
reference;  but his sight-singing ability is almost nonexistent!
My theory is that either ten years of tuning a 220 Hz A string has ingrained
that pitch permanently in his head, or that he can hear the slightly
different harmonics produced by its body (same cello for quite a few
years) at slightly different frequencies.

Any similar experiences out there?

	Camille Goudeseune
	uunet!microsoft!camilleg