Topic: Perfect Pitch (Read 7413 times)

cordney · « **on:** January 08, 2010, 02:53:43 PM »

I was wondering if any of you guys have or know someone with perfect pitch? Can it be developed and how?

6stringapprentice · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2010, 03:34:02 PM »

I remember hearing that Gouche has perfect pitch.
There are a bunch of arguments on whether true perfect pitch can be learned or if one is born with it. I've also read about those with abosulte pitch have some trouble with transcribing to other keys. There is a whole bunch of muddy water about the subject the only thing that I took out of my reading was that if you want to set out to learn something relative pitch would be more useful for a musician.

cordney · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2010, 03:40:22 PM »

Quote from: 6stringapprentice on January 08, 2010, 03:34:02 PM

I remember hearing that Gouche has perfect pitch.
There are a bunch of arguments on whether true perfect pitch can be learned or if one is born with it. I've also read about those with abosulte pitch have some trouble with transcribing to other keys. There is a whole bunch of muddy water about the subject the only thing that I took out of my reading was that if you want to set out to learn something relative pitch would be more useful for a musician.

Actually I composed my question from his article in BassPlayer magazine. He stated in the mag that he had perfect pitch.

Sadowsky1 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 08, 2010, 03:55:49 PM »

People with perfect pitch and born with it. If you want to develop it it is called relative pitch. Will in college I met a musician with perfect pitch and it forced me to develop my ear to the point where I am very close.

DWBass · « **Reply #4 on:** January 08, 2010, 04:17:20 PM »

I grew up with a guy who had perfect pitch. He could hear something that caused a tone and he'd tell us what note it was and sure enough, when we got to a piano, it was exactly the correct tone. I have relative pitch. I can't hear a tone and tell you what note it is but I can hear bad notes and wrong chords and progressions very easily. My bandmates hate me because they will play something wrong and swear it's correct and when I show them the correct way, they get annoyed! What really gets them is when I do hear something not right, I'll make this funny face (kinda looks like I'm in pain, LOL)! They hate that.

My opinion is, I do not believe anyone can 'learn' perfect pitch!

mjl422 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 08, 2010, 08:53:12 PM »

Quote from: DWBass on January 08, 2010, 04:17:20 PM

My opinion is, I do not believe anyone can 'learn' perfect pitch!

I agree. The amount of time you would spend trying to learn perfect pitch, would serve you better developing your relative pitch.

under13 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 08, 2010, 08:58:28 PM »

i think its overrated. Relative pitch is good enough.

betnich · « **Reply #7 on:** January 08, 2010, 10:31:03 PM »

Quote from: 6stringapprentice on January 08, 2010, 03:34:02 PM

I've also read about those with absolute pitch have some trouble with transcribing to other keys.

Very true, probably because one hears the actual pitch in one's head, and has to use various tricks to transpose on the fly. I once knew a trumpet player who had perfect pitch, and for him it was in Bb - down one step.

Kelz-Da-Basshead · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2010, 12:10:53 AM »

Jimi Hnedrix had perfect pitch. I think thats why if you ever watch him play he was constantly tuning. Seems aggravating to me. My relative pitch lets me learn a song in fifteen minutes. And I can play any bass no matter how it is tuned as long as its tuned to fourths. Andrew Gouche cant. Thats what he said in bass player live. So its really a gift and a curse type of thing.

jeremyr · « **Reply #9 on:** January 09, 2010, 07:48:55 AM »

Quote from: Kelz-Da-Basshead on January 09, 2010, 12:10:53 AM

And I can play any bass no matter how it is tuned as long as its tuned to fourths. Andrew Gouche cant. Thats what he said in bass player live. So its really a gift and a curse type of thing.

I have good prelative pitch *better then alot of people* and I can even name some notes just by hearing them, just from hearing them so much/often, however I will say that I'm with Gouche on this subject.

My issue is that I know where the notes are at on my bass with it being tuned down a half step and the issue isn't not being able to play the bass, but not being able to navigate the neck as you are accoustomed. Give me a standard tuned bass and sure I can play it, but i'm secrectly struggling in some of the open keys and don't ask me to go into the upper register without much concentration..lol

I don't htink he can't play another bass, it's just that the tonal expectation of whta you're use to vs what you hear really just throws you off. I'm sure if he finds the key he'll be OK, but not "Gouche" fluent.

Kelz-Da-Basshead · « **Reply #10 on:** January 09, 2010, 08:49:44 AM »

Quote from: jeremyr on January 09, 2010, 07:48:55 AM

I have good prelative pitch *better then alot of people* and I can even name some notes just by hearing them, just from hearing them so much/often, however I will say that I'm with Gouche on this subject.

My issue is that I know where the notes are at on my bass with it being tuned down a half step and the issue isn't not being able to play the bass, but not being able to navigate the neck as you are accoustomed. Give me a standard tuned bass and sure I can play it, but i'm secrectly struggling in some of the open keys and don't ask me to go into the upper register without much concentration..lol

I don't htink he can't play another bass, it's just that the tonal expectation of whta you're use to vs what you hear really just throws you off. I'm sure if he finds the key he'll be OK, but not "Gouche" fluent.

I completely agree. But thats my point. I cant hear specific notes at all so that wont throw me off at all. The only problem i would have was if the band leader was to start calling out notes then of course i would be lost. As long as i know where the one is im fine.

jeremyr · « **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2010, 08:55:07 AM »

Quote from: Kelz-Da-Basshead on January 09, 2010, 08:49:44 AM

I completely agree. But thats my point. I cant hear specific notes at all so that wont throw me off at all. The only problem i would have was if the band leader was to start calling out notes then of course i would be lost. As long as i know where the one is im fine.

would you be able to navigate up and down the neck just as easily?

I think we're overlooking that some people don't know theory and they just call out notes, so we'd be in a pickle in that situation...lolo

cordney · « **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2010, 09:36:33 AM »

Now most musicians have relative pitch??? $:-\$

Kelz-Da-Basshead · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2010, 10:29:48 AM »

Quote from: jeremyr on January 09, 2010, 08:55:07 AM

would you be able to navigate up and down the neck just as easily?

I think we're overlooking that some people don't know theory and they just call out notes, so we'd be in a pickle in that situation...lolo

The way i approach playing allows me to navigate the neck easily without knowing what notes im playing. I often dont even go as far as to memorize what key a song is in. Just the progression. for example if i do a run based off of a chord arpeggio then i dont think. A-C-E-G, I think 6,1,3,5. I just memorize what frets are home base and go from there. I try to memorize notes but the number system just seems so much more simple. Thats why i dont have to worry about tuning. But just as you said, i would most definitely have problems with musicians who dont have a good theory basis. I have called numbers out to musicians at times who dont really use the number system but know how it works so they count up the scale to try to communicate with me the same way i do with them but they are off by 1 or two. or it takes them too long.

kevmove02 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 09, 2010, 10:33:14 AM »

Not to minimize the value of being gifted with perfect pitch, this gift is really of no value in a band setting. Why? Because it is far more important that everyone play in tune relative to each other, than playing in tune to a pitch. When a group of musicians who are performing together, they pick one instrument (usually the piano) to tune to so they may play in harmony with one another. Yes, a person who has perfect pitch may hear them and say, "they tuning is off by by 3 cents", but the rest of the audience would only hear they they are playing tune with one another.

Have you ever heard a band that didn't sound like they were playing together, even though they were playing in time together? This can happen when each muscian use separate tuning sources.

To take it a step further, most music instruction courses will teach 3 methods of tuning, one of which is tuning the instrument to itself.

Whether you have perfect pitch or not, you only become the best musician possible if you combine theory with application, then join with other musicians to produce what is commonly known as "GROOVE", which makes everyone listening forget about the first part of this statement... except for the dude in the corner saying "I wish I had perfect pitch" and the other saying "I have perfect pitch and they are not in tune" and the third duded obessing over the fact that see C note on the 2nd string is in tune, but not the c note on 8th fret. Maybe i need to take it in for a "professional setup".

docjohn · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2010, 01:09:43 PM »

there used to be a guy;David Burge? had a course to teach "perfect pitch".As a player "matures"-would assume certain skills also mature.I'm glad to hear anything;period!

mjl422 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2010, 02:31:46 PM »

Quote from: kevmove02 on January 09, 2010, 10:33:14 AM

Not to minimize the value of being gifted with perfect pitch, this gift is really of no value in a band setting. Why? Because it is far more important that everyone play in tune relative to each other, than playing in tune to a pitch. When a group of musicians who are performing together, they pick one instrument (usually the piano) to tune to so they may play in harmony with one another. Yes, a person who has perfect pitch may hear them and say, "they tuning is off by by 3 cents", but the rest of the audience would only hear they they are playing tune with one another.

Have you ever heard a band that didn't sound like they were playing together, even though they were playing in time together? This can happen when each muscian use separate tuning sources.

To take it a step further, most music instruction courses will teach 3 methods of tuning, one of which is tuning the instrument to itself.

Whether you have perfect pitch or not, you only become the best musician possible if you combine theory with application, then join with other musicians to produce what is commonly known as "GROOVE", which makes everyone listening forget about the first part of this statement... except for the dude in the corner saying "I wish I had perfect pitch" and the other saying "I have perfect pitch and they are not in tune" and the third duded obessing over the fact that see C note on the 2nd string is in tune, but not the c note on 8th fret. Maybe i need to take it in for a "professional setup".

I wouldn't say there's no value in having perfect pitch. I think you are just looking at one aspect of having perfect pitch. 1 benefit is that you are born with it (it takes most of us years to develop relative pitch anywhere close to perfect pitch). Also, being able to hear individual notes in a chord (even with good relative pitch, it's difficult to hear individual notes (even though you may be able to hear chord qualities)). Just think about being in a jazz situation where the keyboardist starts playing a bunch of altered/extended chords. I'm not saying that it's necessary but, I can see some benefits.

sjonathan02 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 09, 2010, 02:53:34 PM »

Quote from: mjl422 on January 09, 2010, 02:31:46 PM

I wouldn't say there's no value in having perfect pitch. I think you are just looking at one aspect of having perfect pitch. 1 benefit is that you are born with it (it takes most of us years to develop relative pitch anywhere close to perfect pitch). Also, being able to hear individual notes in a chord (even with good relative pitch, it's difficult to hear individual notes (even though you may be able to hear chord qualities)). Just think about being in a jazz situation where the keyboardist starts playing a bunch of altered/extended chords. I'm not saying that it's necessary but, I can see some benefits.

Excellent.

under13 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 09, 2010, 03:00:50 PM »

I thought everybody was born with but we lose it unless we start playing music at a young age

kevmove02 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 09, 2010, 06:58:52 PM »

I didn't say there is no value in having perfect pitch! I said there isn't much value in having perfect pitch in a band setting, because everyone is supposed to tune to concert pitch, for the previously mentioned reason. Besides, application of scale intervals reinforces the relative pitch argument; once you recognize the sound of each interval RELATIVE to the root, you will be able to transcribe most of what you hear. Someone with perfect pitch may do it faster than others, making transcription a less time consuming task. To take it a further step, most genres of music have chord progressions that are common to that style (2-5-1, 1-4-5, etc), so if you know the genre, you can jump and start playing, based on the song form (AABA, ABA, etc).

So unless you live in a world where absolutely no sheet music is ever used, and no one ever plays using common chord progressions, then having perfect pitch would be an an advantage. But then you would have to stillhave to know where each note occurs on the fretboard and know which one to choose, based on the song you are playing.

Author Topic: Perfect Pitch (Read 7413 times)