Noodles wrote:Hopefully I may get there eventually, though I suspect it may be more to do with finding references for each tone rather than memorizing the pitch itself.

Yes, that actually has a lot to do with it. For example, if you can hear songs in certain keys consistently, realizing perfect pitch may only be a matter of linking what you hear to a note name.

A caveat of sorts for those "learning" perfect pitch: most folks with perfect pitch don't realize they have it until they're told. They don't know that it is unique.

unarmedman wrote:Question, Matthew-

How did you discover that you had perfect pitch?

Through faith.

If absolute pitch were a place in Nebraska, I would be located in another solar system. My sense of rhythm is not all that hot either.

I wouldn't call it 'perfect pitch', but if I go to my buddy's house and pick up his guitar (which he will insist is perfectly in tune) my ear can usually determine within 2 to 3 Black Sabbath riffs whether the whole guitar happens to be tuned down a half-step or more.

Whether I like it or not, through repeated exposure I can pretty much play back the first side of 'Paranoid' in my head like a tape recorder. Knowing that, I can fumble through getting the guitar tuned to almost 'concert pitch', A=440Hz, whatever you want to call it.

So it's slightly better than nothing, but I wouldn't call it 'perfect pitch' just yet because I can't exactly call out names of notes as they're played.

But maybe 'absolute pitch' is the best way to put it... for example, if I end up at karaoke at the bar down the street with my co-worker Pat, she will always want to do 'Piece Of My Heart' but she will ask to have the pitch brought down by the Karaoke Jockey (KJ?) which absolutely sets my teeth on edge, even though she sings the song perfectly well within the relative key.

unarmedman wrote:

Noodles wrote:Hopefully I may get there eventually, though I suspect it may be more to do with finding references for each tone rather than memorizing the pitch itself.

Yes, that actually has a lot to do with it. For example, if you can hear songs in certain keys consistently, realizing perfect pitch may only be a matter of linking what you hear to a note name.

A caveat of sorts for those "learning" perfect pitch: most folks with perfect pitch don't realize they have it until they're told. They don't know that it is unique.

I was thinking more of finding something that happens each time I sing a specific note- its hard to describe as I'm not a trained singer but when I sing a concert A (in reference to my concert tuned guitar) it is the highest of the low notes I can really push out with my chest and that is what I have been using to find it each time. I can get the E but only after my voice has warmed up a bit- I can sing the E flat below so I just shift a semi tone up for the E. I haven't really found any references for the other notes yet so I still need practice there.

Linus Van Pelt wrote:

unarmedman wrote:Question, Matthew-

How did you discover that you had perfect pitch?

Through faith.

His is the One True Pitch. All other pitches are false pitches.

unarmedman wrote:Question, Matthew-

How did you discover that you had perfect pitch?

I took a music course when I was a college freshman. The instructor was a pianist for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra; I asked her about it and she tested me. I was 18 at the time and had been playing music since I was 10-11 and was fairly certain I had it because other people had suggested I might- hence the reason I asked. Being tested by a professional musician confirmed it.

Also, I have Asperger's Syndrome, which is quite common among people with absolute pitch apparently.

I can listen to a cover song and tell if it's in a different key than the original.

lemur68 wrote:I can listen to a cover song and tell if it's in a different key than the original.

Me too. But I still can't tell what notes they are or what key a song is in. I'm not sure how to develop this talent but one day I will.

A few years ago a bandmate of mine had discovered that he had perfect pitch. The guitar player literally yelled "Yay, we'll never have to buy 9 volt batteries for the tuner again!" That turned out to be not true.

Noodles wrote:I'm trying to teach myself atm. I've nearly got an A (440Hz) as it is the first note I can really feel in my chest when singing. I'm an ok singer so from there I have no problem getting the other 5 notes but that is based on intervals rather than actually knowing the pitch. Hopefully I may get there eventually, though I suspect it may be more to do with finding references for each tone rather than memorizing the pitch itself.

If you walked into a room without a piano or other reference, and you belted out an A note into a chromatic tuner, how close to 440 would you be? Have you tried this?