Re: Absolute frequency / Absolute color (Diana Deutsch )

Subject: Re: Absolute frequency / Absolute color
From:    Diana Deutsch  <ddeutsch(at)UCSD.EDU>
Date:    Sun, 6 May 2001 12:37:12 -0700

Christian,

Actually you only need 12 categories for AP -at least for Western
tonal music - because of  octave equivalence. Perception of
differences in height between notes of the same pitch class are not
related to AP.

-Diana Deutsch




>Martin Braun wrote:
>>  ...this is not possible. There are millions of colors. Most of us,
>>  however, would have an absolute memory of 12 colors. Color circles
>>  of 12 colors are quite common and can be learned in a few minutes.
>>  The 12 tones of our octave can not be learned in years (with
>>  extremely rare exceptions), once you are older than 5-7 years
>
>An absolute memory of 12 colors corresponds to an absolute memory of
>pitch for 12 categories spanning the entire range of audible frequencies
>from 20-16.000 Hz (at my age). I suppose this can be learned in a few
>minutes. A hemitonic absolute pitch memory covering a musical relevant
>range of frequencies would correspond to an absolute memory of roughly
>90 color shades (only hue, same saturation and brightness).
>
>- Christian