Perfect Pitch training

[M forever]

That makes a lot of sense.  I have also observed that musicians tend to learn foreign languages more easily than non-musicians.

They do? Do you speak any foreign languages? I mean, really, not "eek sprayken ine bissken doytsh" or "jay parl an poo fransays".

[greg]

"eek sprayken ine bissken doytsh" or "jay parl an poo fransays".

lol

[jochanaan]

They do? Do you speak any foreign languages? I mean, really, not "eek sprayken ine bissken doytsh" or "jay parl an poo fransays".

Oui, je suis un peu fluent en français.  And my accent has been described as quite good.

[Soundproof]

i don't think i posted this before:

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=000AF8AE-D1DD-118F-91DD83414B7F0000

there seems to be a relation between tonal languages and ability with perfect pitch

Makes sense. Heard an interview with Mitsuko Uchida on the radio yesterday, and was struck by how well she spoke English, with dramatic intonations. And when she made a reference to the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Wien, where she had played on a variety of historic instruments, she switched into a perfect German accent.
Pianists are often very good singers - to the point that Gould couldn't stop singing, right?

[greg]

Makes sense. Heard an interview with Mitsuko Uchida on the radio yesterday, and was struck by how well she spoke English, with dramatic intonations. And when she made a reference to the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Wien, where she had played on a variety of historic instruments, she switched into a perfect German accent.
Pianists are often very good singers - to the point that Gould couldn't stop singing, right?

except....... you're talking about a Japanese lady, and Japanese isn't a tonal language.

[Bunny]

Oh, I've had it ever since I can remember, from when I first learned what to call each note--and I don't remember learning to read music either, although I can just barely remember a time when I couldn't actually distinguish the notes.

Some have theorized that it's learned very young, maybe during the first year after birth.  That's very possible in my case, for I was surrounded by music from the moment of my conception; my father was a very fine violinist, my mother played piano and sang well, and my elder sisters played violin and piano, respectively.  We also had an extensive record collection, both LPs and 78s.  (I have most of it now.)

So no, I can't claim any credit for learning the ability, although I have developed and sharpened it over the years.  I can't quite tell if, say, an A is exactly 440 Herz, although I can come very close; but I can recognize it as an A at once with no mental gymnastics, no hesitation.  And even in my young days I could tell if a record player (does anybody else still have one?) played records a little too fast; it sounded sharp.

A friend once commented as I was tuning a mandolin by ear, "So you just adjust until you feel it's the right pitch?"  I replied, "Feeling has nothing to do with it.  I know."

I don't think perfect pitch is something that you learn.  It's something you are born with.  My cousin's oldest son was born with it and now he is a very talented trumpet player (just toured with Zander and his youth orchestra in China sitting first trumpet doing Mahler's 1st).  That family has no other person with any musical talent at all!  No classical records except what the boy has bought.  The parents can barely carry a tune!  No hint of great musical talent on either side and still, a child came into their family who has perfect pitch, and an ability to play almost any instrument he picks up by ear.  Ah sweet mysteries of life...      (and genetics.)

Even considering that, I do believe that when you have two musical parents, the likelihood of having a child with great musical ability and perfect pitch is increased.  However, if that were all it took, then almost every child of musicians would have perfect pitch which they don't. 

[Mark]

... any instrument he picks up by ear.

Man, that kid must have freaky looking ears.

[franz.luigi]

Someone gave me the Perfect Pitch & Relative Pitch Super Course from perfectpitch.com (I think mostly to get it off his hands after giving up on it himself, as I already have perfect pitch and didn't really need it) and my sister (who has relative pitch) and I have listened to a few of the lessons and we both found it a waste of time (and money if you buy it).

For example, in the perfect pitch course, the way he teaches the way to distinguish between 2 notes - I can't remember exactly which 2 notes as it's been several years - is by telling you that one note sounds like "wang" and the other "wah". He then proceeds to sing the notes with his assigned sound over and over: "wang, wang, wang", "wah, wah, wah".

The relative pitch course consists of lessons and drills you could do on your own without spending the $200. His way of teaching the intervals is basically singing them with their name of the name of the intervals. For example, he'll sing the notes "C-G" while singing the words "perfect fifth" over and over.

So, in my opinion, there are better ways to spend your money.

As for the discussion on possessing perfect pitch, I have had it since I started piano lessons at 5. My first language was a tonal language (Mandarin), I have several cousins who also have PP - they also started music lessons at a young age, and my father is tone deaf. I also learn languages easily and have an easy time with pronunciation.