Singing Instruction - Perfect Pitch- A Blessing Or A Curse?

Perfect pitch

Perfect pitch. What is it? Does having it make us better singers? Are we born with it, or can it be learned. Perfect pitch seems to be some mysterious, unexplained mystery power granted to a few lucky humans. Here are some facts and revelations.

The word "pitch" has to do with the ability to sing notes correctly, without being sharp (too high) or flat (too low) or singing totally wrong notes. "Happy Birthday" has a specific melody which we all know, yet how often have you heard someone singing the wrong notes without even being aware that they are doing it? The melody (notes) of ""Happy Birthday" are specific, and need to be sung or played exactly as they are meant to sound. Otherwise it doesn't even sound like the song should sound.

Now, suppose someone asks you to sing this song, but they stipulate that you must sing it in the key of "A". This requires you to start the song on a specific note, so you ask to hear that note played for you so you can get your bearings. But you are told that you can have no help finding that note. You have to just pull it out of the air. And you have to be exactly right. You might give it a try, but feel like you are throwing darts with a blindfold on. And you might even come close. But "close" doesn't cut it. You are told that you must be exactly on pitch, singing the correct note.

Doing this consistently requires perfect pitch, the amazing ability to sing specific notes absolutely on pitch without any help from an instrument or another singer.

This sounds like a great ability, and it is....except when are singing with a group or choir, and the other singers go slightly off-key. This starts to drive you nuts. You know what they should be singing, and their being off-pitch bothers you to the point where you actually have to stop singing.

Or you learned a song in a specific key, and the producer or band asks you to sing it in a higher or lower key. This can be a big problem for people with perfect pitch.

With perfect pitch it's difficult to enjoy hearing a singer or instrumentalist who occasionally goes off-pitch. Pitch-pitch-pitch: it can become all important. Too important.

Do we have to be born with perfect pitch, or can it be learned? The jury's still out on that, but it seems that with a whole lot of hard work, it can be learned by some musicians.

A more satisfactory way to sing the right notes all of the time is called "relative pitch". Most fine singers and players develop this ability, and it works better for them.

Google"relative pitch" to find out more about it. (I will also be submitting an article very soon which goes into this lengthy subject.) For now, just understand that perfect pitch isn't all it's made out to be, and can get in the way of your singing or playing.

by: Gen Wright

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