Perfect Pitch - Do I have it?

Question

I've been told I do and don't, so I'm unsure. I got the David Burge Perfect Pitch program and he played two tones. I immediately recognized them as the tones an elevator plays. It wasn't until he announced that they were an A and an F that I knew what the tones were called. So now every time I hear those tonesin my head or from an elevator I know immediately it's an A and F.

I play no instrument and know no music theory. I can play any pitch and compose songs in my head. So do I have it? If you say no please include what made you choose it.

Answer 1

I'd say relative pitch is more likely, as I also have relative pitch. Although I am a musician, I also can compose pieces in my head, but I do not have perfect pitch, unfortunately.  I have a friend who actually does have perfect pitch, and it's amazing how he can even point out tone intervals, eg. tri-tone, perfect fourth, etc.

Answer 2

Not enough information is given to answer yes.  Here's why: if the elevator tones were transposed would you still think its an A and an F?  In other words if you can identify the interval, you probably have relative pitch not perfect pitch.  Most people who have perfect pitch have had musical training (there seems to be a window in which those who are predisposed to it are trained in music) so I would say the odds are you have relative pitch (which is great that you have it but more information is needed to know if its perfect pitch).

Also, you say you can play any pitch - anyone can do that.  Are you saying you can hear a pitch in your head and play it on the piano?  That could mean you aren't tone deaf, not that you have perfect pitch.

Here is a test for you to take:

http://perfectpitchtest.com/

And tell us the results...

Answer 3

First of all, if you can sing these notes perfectly, it is a form of perfect pitch.

Just remember that any musician who can play or sing on key, have perfect pitch otherwise, they would sing or play off key. Wouldn't you agree?

Having said that, if you give me a tone, for instance A, and you aske me to play the 3rd, 5th, 4th, minor 3rd etc... I can sing it no problem, irrelevant of the key.

Any musician who does this withouth holding an istrument, has perfect pitch.

The difference with you is that you can sing an A anytime if  I read your Q correctly.

I worked years tuning guitars and have that perfect pitch if you ask me to sing an A.

Personally, if a musican is awesome and can't sing but can play nice riff, is on key, and can improvise from the soul, I consider them good musician. Most good musicians nowadays don't care about perfect pitch and whatever. I, for one,  can play any music on the spot and never bothered with this. It is built in my system.

edit...as for the  one of 10,000, i think this is exaggerated.

Answer 4

True perfect pitch is the ability to sing any note without a reference point - if someone asked you to sing a C, or a G, or a Bb, without any reference, could you?  It's pretty rare, and from what you say, not quite what you're able to do.  The next step down from perfect pitch is being able to identify any note which you hear - which is what it sounds like you are able to do.  So no, I don't think you have what I would call true perfect pitch.

Answer 5

Don't be disappointed, but you probably don't have perfect pitch.  The statistic generally cited is that only 1 in 10,000 have perfect pitch.