We’re very pleased to bring you this episode, and more to come in the future, thanks to our friends at Twenty Thousand Hertz, a podcast that tells the stories behind the world’s most recognizable and interesting sounds.
People with perfect or “absolute” pitch hear every single sound as precise musical notes. Is this extraordinary talent a blessing or a curse? In this episode, our friends at Twenty Thousand Hertz dive into the neuroscience, pluses, and pitfalls of absolute pitch. Featuring neuroscientist Daniel Levitin and Grammy-winning musician Jacob Collier.
Art by Mafalda Maia.
Music featured in this episode:
Hide and Seek by Jacob Collier
Light It Up On Me by Jacob Collier
Down the Line by Jacob Collier
To Sleep by Jacob Collier
All I Need by Jacob Collier
Bakumbe by Jacob Collier
Hideaway by Jacob Collier
Colrain by Marble Run
Sky Above by Jacob Collier
Moon River by Jacob Collier
A Noite by Jacob Collier
Connect by Steven Gutheinz
Count the People by Jacob Collier
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.
Bill
I’ve always wondered: Since A has had many tuning standards over the years, how does that affect some one with perfect pitch?
T.O.P.
Bill, when writing out dictation in aural skills class back in the day, I dreaded the baroque recordings as someone with perfect pitch. What I heard as a G for example, was actually a G# in the score. Had to make sure every note was spelled appropriately for the context of the key/chords. Completely disorienting and physically uncomfortable. Just like teaching the rare student who borders on tone deafness. I would have sensations of queasiness and dizziness!
Renier
If you are working professionally in a “period instruments” environment, there is nothing to dread about. Your ear can easily adapt to another pitch, like a=415 Hz or a=430 Hz. It only takes a few seconds to mentally switch to different tuning systems. Also listening to a modern performance with a=440 Hz or even something like a=443 Hz is still possible. The brain additionally learns the different sounds of different ensembles, like modern symphony orchestra or classical orchestra. If listening to low french pitch, like around a=392 Hz or high pitch organs and cornetti at pitches of let us say 670 Hz, it starts to get difficult to recognise the note names, but it is possible.
Brenda
As someone with perfect pitch myself, I can tell you that it’s not as uncommon as one might think. I can recognise other musicians, who might not know themselves, when they f.e. try to tune to a piano and have problems with it. The reason is that the piano is slightly off standard pitch. Also, singers have a physical memory for where the notes are placed. Put them into an ensemble playing at A=430 Hz, and they will have terrible difficulty moving along their lines confidently. Not all of them, of course, but the ones who have perfect pitch will get sweat on their foreheads or even feel sick.