No__133__Perfect and Relative Pitch

[Peter Anderson]

Running in parallel with this Pearl is another one, so to read the Pearl Developing and Utilising Relative Pitch see Peters Pearls #132, and to open it in a new window, click on this link:

http://www.ar-group.org/smforum/index.php?topic=3740.0

Read on to the next Reply, where I start this important subject.

Peter

[Peter Anderson]

Can we learn Perfect Pitch?

We have all heard of Perfect Pitch.

It is something that many singers and musicians strive for and although it is not a necessary skill to be a  musician, it does seem to be a gift that is coveted by many.

But is it something we could learn?
Or is it something you are either born with or you are not?

Some experts state that Perfect pitch, which is also called absolute pitch,  can be learned.

Here is a definition of....
Perfect Pitch is the ability, without the help of any reference tones or instruments, to recognise or produce an exact note of the musical scale.

This sounds impossible.

However, I think that we can all do better at hitting certain pitches, with a little effort.

With the above definition in mind, what about Relative Pitch?

We'll look at that in the next Reply.

Peter

[Peter Anderson]

Relative pitch is when a musician listens to what notes are being played and, without necessarily being able to specifically identify them, as they can do with absolute pitch, they are able to find commonalities and build melodies and harmonies within the same key.

For example, you hear a particular note, and when asked to sing the third above it, you get it right.

Most musical people can actually do this, and probably everyone of us is able to handle this.   

Take a look at Peters Pearl No 132, in which intervals will be (are) discussed, in order to improve your ability.

I believe Perfect Pitch and Relative Pitch compliment each other, in that perfect pitch is more helpful to singers and for players of stringed instruments. 
String players need it both for tuning their instruments and when playing them, especially if they don't have a fret board, but rely on accurate finger placement, as in the case of violins and cellos, for example.
 
Singers voices serve as their instruments and they must sometimes sing notes directly from the music score, with no other aid.

Relative pitch, on the other hand, is most useful when improvising or jamming with other musicians.
It is vital when singers want to harmonise, by singing a part other than the melody.

Both perfect pitch and relative pitch can, as it turns out, to some extent  be learned.   

In the next Reply you will find a video comparing Absolute and Relative Pitch.

Peter

[Peter Anderson]

In the next Reply, we consider singing in tune.

Peter

[Peter Anderson]

How about our singing in tune?

Perfect pitch is not required to sing in tune.

If you have perfect pitch then you will almost certainly sing in tune.

This is because the musical ear of someone with perfect pitch, is so highly sensitive to 'out-of-tune' notes, that it means they would only tolerate their own singing if it was pitched absolutely correct.

However, the vast majority of singers who sing with perfect pitch, do not possess perfect pitch.

That statement sounds confusing,

It means that to sing precisely and reliably in tune requires that you have a good sense of always hitting the right pitch.

However, that is not the same thing, as having the special skill of perfect pitch.

You can learn to sing in tune without learning perfect pitch, and a singer who has excellent tuning does not necessarily have any perfect pitch ability.

They are two different skills.

Here is a useful suggestion, which I have used for years in order to pitch a song in the best key.

It is possible to hum particular notes, without having an immediate tone reference.

To start learning perfect pitch, a great place to start is choosing a note to use as your personal reference pitch.

This could be any note you want, but it makes sense to pick a note that you will use more frequently.

For example, if you are an organist, you might choose Middle C, but a guitarist may prefer either a high or low E.

Play this note several times throughout your day, or whenever you can and hum along with it.    This is a helpful place to start

The more that you do it, the more that note will be stuck in your head.

In time, the next step is attempting to hum it before you play the note, and then see if you are correct.

Still more to come.

Peter

[Peter Anderson]

Music examiners will play a note for their pupils, followed by a second note, and then ask them what the interval between them is.  It is difficult to perfect this on our own, but we could 'employ' another in our household to assist us.

Surprisingly having a particular song in your head, can often help you to accurately pitch the start point.

See this post

http://www.ar-group.org/smforum/index.php?topic=3740.0

Then you can continue with perfect pitch experiments.
As your note memory improves, try moving a few intervals up the musical scale.
Try humming your reference pitch, then hum the correct note a third above it.
Then a fifith, and so on.

This link to Tonic Solfa, will help you to cement relative pitches in your mind.

http://www.ar-group.org/smforum/index.php?topic=3720.0

This type of practice is the key to learning relative pitch and will assist in developing your ability to possibly have perfect pitch.
 
Although perfect pitch is a great ability to have, it is something that you will need to spend hours of training to master, and actually it will not be as useful as you might think.
This is particularly true when compared with the easier to master,  relative pitch

Before starting to spend time on perfect pitch, think about how it could benefit your music and especially consider in what ways you would use it.
If you still wanted to proceed, then select a reference pitch and with dedicated practice and repetition, you might achieve your goal.

This completes this Pearl.
Have you been working to perfect your pitch skills?
How are you training your ear?
Do you have perfect pitch?
How do you use it?
Please feel free to share your progress/experience in a reply below.

Peter