Re:Valproate reopens critical-period learning of absolute pi...
by sirwitti on Monday August 10, 2020 @10:28AM
(#24109604)
> ...it can only be acquired early in life.
As a musicologist, musician and someone who acquired some level of absolute pitch at ~14 years, I have to disagree.
Anecdata:
Musicians distinguish between acquired and given/natural absolute pitch and additionally between active and passive AP.
Naming a note and producing/singing one are very different skills.
In my personal experience absolute pitch is a spectrum of several skills. For example:
- I can reliably name (single) notes played on a piano or similar instruments
- Most times I cannot name the root note of complex chords
- I cannot reliably name notes played by wind instruments
- If I can sing a note in my lowest register I can name most notes reliably
Just for completeness:
Musically speaking, absolute pitch is not a particularly useful skill and can be very limiting/painful for people.
As a musicologist, musician and someone who acquired some level of absolute pitch at ~14 years, I have to disagree.
Anecdata:
Musicians distinguish between acquired and given/natural absolute pitch and additionally between active and passive AP. Naming a note and producing/singing one are very different skills.
In my personal experience absolute pitch is a spectrum of several skills. For example:
- I can reliably name (single) notes played on a piano or similar instruments
- Most times I cannot name the root note of complex chords
- I cannot reliably name notes played by wind instruments
- If I can sing a note in my lowest register I can name most notes reliably
Just for completeness:
Musically speaking, absolute pitch is not a particularly useful skill and can be very limiting/painful for people.