absolute pitch (Annemarie Seither-Preisler )

Subject: absolute pitch From: Annemarie Seither-Preisler <preisler(at)UNI-MUENSTER.DE> Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2004 09:09:20 +0200 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_001F_01C42DC9.A801E770 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable If absolute pitch were a phenomenon exclusively due to learned verbal categories, how would one explain the finding that several investigated animal species have absolute pitch?=20 =20 (a) songbirds Hulse, S. H. & Cynx, J. Relative pitch perception is constrained by absolute pitch in songbirds (Mimus, Molothrus, and Sturnus). J Comp Psychol 99, 176-196 (1985). (b) monkeys and rats D'Amato, M. R. A search for tonal pattern perception in cebus monkeys: Why monkeys can=92t hum a tune. Music Perception 4, 453-480 (1988). (c) echolocating bats Schmidt, S., Preisler, A. & Sedlmeier, H. in Advances in Hear Res (eds. Manley, G. A., Klump, G., K=F6ppl, C., Fastl, H. & Oeckinghaus, H.) 374-382 (World Scientific Publishers, Singapore, 1994). Preisler, A. & Schmidt, S. in 23rd G=F6ttingen Neurobiology Conference (eds. Elsner, N. & Menzel, R.) 309 (Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1995). =20 The findings by Saffran appear to be very revealing in this respect, showing that young infants at the age of 8 months, unlike adults, primarily rely on absolute pitch cues. =20 Saffran, J. R. & Griepentrog, G. J. Absolute pitch in infant auditory learning: evidence for developmental reorganization. Dev Psychol 37, 74-85 (2001). Saffran, J. R. Musical Learning and Language Development. Ann NY Acad Sci 999, 397-401 (2003). =20 In summary, these results suggest that absolute pitch is a primary perceptual mode that is heavily superseded by relative pitch (probably in the course of language acquisition). Early musical training or learning a tonal language like Thai or Japanese may help to prevent this edging out-process, with the consequence that certain subjects retain the ability to perceive absolute pitch throughout life. Verbal categorizations of notes may be helpful in this respect, but it would be misleading to take them for the main underlying cause.=20 =20 Annemarie Seither-Preisler =20 =20 Dr. Annemarie Seither-Preisler=20 =20 Universit=E4tsklinikum M=FCnster=20 Abteilung f=FCr Experimentelle Audiologie=20 Klinik und Poliklinik f=FCr Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde=20 Kardinal von Galen Ring 10=20 D-48149 M=FCnster=20 =20 Tel.: 0049 / 251 / 83 / 56817=20 Fax: 0049 / 251 / 83 / 56882=20 Email: preisler(at)uni-muenster.de =20 ------=_NextPart_000_001F_01C42DC9.A801E770 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; = charset=3Diso-8859-1"> <meta name=3DGenerator content=3D"Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=3DDE link=3Dblue vlink=3Dpurple> <div class=3DSection1> If absolute pitch were a phenomenon = exclusively due to learned verbal categories, how would one explain the finding that = several investigated animal species have absolute pitch?   (a) songbirds Hulse, S. H. & Cynx, J. Relative pitch perception is constrained by = absolute pitch in songbirds (Mimus, Molothrus, and Sturnus). J Comp Psychol 99, 176-196 (1985). (b) monkeys and rats D'Amato, M. R. A search for tonal pattern perception in cebus monkeys: Why = monkeys can’t hum a tune. Music = Perception 4, 453-480 = (1988). (c) echolocating bats Schmidt, S., Preisler, A. & Sedlmeier, H. in Advances in Hear Res (eds. Manley, G. A., Klump, G., K=F6ppl, C., = Fastl, H. & Oeckinghaus, H.) 374-382 (World Scientific Publishers, Singapore, = 1994). Preisler, A. & Schmidt, S. in 23rd = G=F6ttingen Neurobiology Conference (eds. Elsner, N. & Menzel, R.) 309 (Georg = Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1995).   The findings by Saffran appear to be very = revealing in this respect, showing that young infants at the age of 8 months, = unlike adults, primarily rely on absolute pitch cues.   Saffran, J. R. & Griepentrog, G. J. Absolute pitch in infant auditory = learning: evidence for developmental reorganization. Dev Psychol 37, 74-85 = (2001). Saffran, J. R. Musical Learning and Language Development. Ann NY Acad Sci 999, 397-401 (2003).   In summary, these results suggest that = absolute pitch is a primary perceptual mode that is heavily superseded by relative = pitch (probably in the course of language acquisition). =A0Early musical training or = learning a tonal language like Thai or Japanese may help to prevent this edging = out-process, with the consequence that certain subjects retain the ability to = perceive absolute pitch throughout life. Verbal categorizations of notes may be = helpful in this respect, but it would be misleading to take them for the main = underlying cause.   Annemarie Seither-Preisler     Dr. Annemarie Seither-Preisler =   Universit=E4tsklinikum = M=FCnster Abteilung f=FCr Experimentelle = Audiologie Klinik und Poliklinik f=FCr Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde Kardinal von Galen Ring 10 D-48149 M=FCnster   Tel.: 0049 / 251 / = 83 / 56817 Fax: 0049 / 251 / = 83 / 56882 Email: = <st1:PersonName>preisler(at)uni-muenster.de</st1:PersonName>   </div> </body> </html> ------=_NextPart_000_001F_01C42DC9.A801E770--

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