For those of us with "perfect pitch"

[2000Cadet]

I have perfect pitch. I am not sure how many others here have it. But here's an article that may explain why we have it. Enjoy.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/gene_pitch_dc;_...5D7eNbMekvq188F

Edited August 28, 2007 by 2000Cadet

[Whoa_Mellophone_2012]

It is also ten times more common to have perfect pitch in China due to the tonality of the language--you can pronounce something exactly the same and depending on the pitch/tone it can mean 5 different things. That fact makes me kind of skeptical of the article placing it all on genes, but maybe China just has more of the gene in its gene pool.

[madscout96]

So what in their study gave evidence that perfect pitch is acquired genetically? I didn't find anything in that yahoo article that said there is any evidence of it. In fact, they give a fact supporting the other belief, that it's acquired through a person's environment. They say that those with perfect pitch often have had musical training before age 7.

And the comment about G# being overshadowed by A is hilarious! If you can pick out an A, a G# shouldn't be that hard! lol

[Stellathediningdiva]

Very interesting...

I know it drives me CRAZY when people are "slightly" off- key...

Wonder where the gene for tone-deafness comes from? :sshh:

[Blueemrld8]

Does it count if i can hear that i can't sing? LOL

But honestly, when i was actually singing and practicing every day i did have perfect pitch... now i just know how terrible i am at that muscle control :(

[Whoa_Mellophone_2012]

So what in their study gave evidence that perfect pitch is acquired genetically? I didn't find anything in that yahoo article that said there is any evidence of it. In fact, they give a fact supporting the other belief, that it's acquired through a person's environment. They say that those with perfect pitch often have had musical training before age 7.

And the comment about G# being overshadowed by A is hilarious! If you can pick out an A, a G# shouldn't be that hard! lol

My bad, misread the article, it does say that it takes two things.

Here's an article on the China/Vietnam perfect pitch thing I was talking about earlier.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID...1DD83414B7F0000

[MarimbasaurusRex]

Perfect pitch is a myth. There is pitch memory and some people are very good at it. But, if by perfect pitch you mean nailing A=440hz, go to Europe where the pitch standard is different. Or try another culture that doesn't use a pitch standard at all.

Pitch is entirely relative. If you are "perfect" but out of tune with the ensemble (which, more often than not, will be "imperfect") things won't work out too well.

In the studio world, there's a name for people with perfect pitch - "Out of the band."

[year1buick]

I'm really hoping the Journal article has the fart quote in it.

[year1buick]

I think it's also interesting to note (rimshot) that they list early training as being important. There is a critical period during early development where the brain is more or less hard-wired for language. Since effective use of language is dependent on discerning differences in pitch, this would seem to make sense.

[madscout96]

My bad, misread the article, it does say that it takes two things.

...

OK but my question is still the same (and I'm questioning those who did the study, not you). What EVIDENCE did they come up with that points to perfect pitch being acquired genetically? In the yahoo article they give evidence to support perfect pitch being acquired environmentally, but none for genetics.