Subject: Re: Absolute pitch discussion From: Henkjan Honing <honing@xxxxxxxx> Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 17:37:22 +0200 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>The PNAS paper suggests a genetic basis for AP, but actually does not present any evidence for this. Awaiting this evidence, others —not cited in this paper— have argued and shown that it is more likely 1) a result of training (e.g., Vitouch, 2003), or 2) simply a result of biases due to the task and stimuli used. For example, Schellenberg and Trehub (2003) find support for a normal, not bimodal, distribution once pitch-naming or reproduction requirements are eliminated and familiar materials (such as soundtracks of tv programs) are used. hh [1] http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/abs/10.1525/mp.2003.21.1.111 [2] http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-9280.03432 __________________________________________________ Dr H. Honing Universiteit van Amsterdam http://www.hum.uva.nl/mmm/hh/ Music Matters: http://www.musiccognition.nl/blog __________________________________________________