Re: The climb of absolute pitch

[Martin Braun <nombraun@xxxxxxxxx>]

"a phenomenon that the French calls the "climb of the tuning fork" ("montee 
du diapason")."

I am not aware of any useful description of this in the literature, which 
does not surprise me. As some members have suggested, this issue may be 
related to the processing of mood rather than to auditory processing.

It is generally known that all musicians adapt their categories of pitch to 
the instruments that they work with. From A4 = 440 Hz to anything lower or 
higher. What varies is the speed of adaptation.

This implies that any long term alteration in the auditory system that might 
affect pitch height is counterbalanced by owners of absolute pitch through 
"relearning".

The impression that the A4, or any other note, sounds too high, or too low, 
may be similar to the impression that the shouting of small children is 
louder today than it was 50 years ago.

Martin

-------------------------------------------
Martin Braun
Neuroscience of Music
S-66492 Värmskog
Sweden
email: nombraun@xxxxxxxxx
web site: http://www.neuroscience-of-music.se/index.htm




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pierre Divenyi" <pdivenyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <AUDITORY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2012 8:10 PM
Subject: The climb of absolute pitch


Hi,

Several older persons who have had absolute pitch in their young years
experience perceiving a pitch by at least a half-tone (minor second) higher
than what it actually is < a phenomenon that the French calls the "climb of
the tuning fork" ("montee du diapason"). Since I am one of those unfortunate
individuals, I have been wondering what its physiological explanation is.
Can anyone on the list offer one?

-Pierre Divenyi