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From: ed@mtxinu.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.audio,net.music.classical,net.music
Subject: Re: Tone deafness AND absolute pitch
Message-ID: <108@mtxinu.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 8-May-84 13:47:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: mtxinu.108
Posted: Tue May  8 13:47:57 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 9-May-84 03:17:11 EDT
References: <636@pyuxn.UUCP>
Organization: mt Xinu, Berkeley
Lines: 19

I suspect that the difference between c#/Db and c/C is not one
of pitch, but of temperment.  Remember that the modern piano
is not tuned to a mathematically-perfect scale, but that it
is tempered to provide 12 equal-sounding intervals in the octave.  This
means that the relationship between the tonic and other degrees
of the scale varies with key.

The subject of absolute pitch has been much debated for many years,
but so far as I know, there is no real evidence about just what it
is or how it is developed.  I do know people who have managed to
develop the very long term memory for a particular pitch.  This
allows them to simulate absolute pitch but doesn't quite match it.
I once asked a friend with absolute pitch (who, by the way, had
a bad ear and frequently played out of tune!) what some note
sounded like.  He answered "strawberries".

-- 
Ed Gould
ucbvax!mtxinu!ed