Music Are you tonedeaf?

**alnorth** · 10-03-2010, 12:06 AM

About 5% of all people are tonedeaf. Most of these people also have no idea, except maybe a lingering suspicion after friends or family gently tell them they cant sing worth a damn. Music apparently sounds different to them than to the rest of us. For these people, if a note is slightly off, due to a hearing defect, they simply cant tell. That is also why you get these hilariously bad singers on american idol who are convinced they can sing, because to their ears, they are repeating what they heard from the radio.

Here's a couple of tonedeafness tests I found, which also functions as a way to possibly tell if your sense of pitch is above average. If you are near the bottom of the bell curve, you might be tonedeaf. If you have a perfect score, you might (probably not) be one of the rare 1 in 10,000 people with perfect pitch. Where do you score?

**alnorth** · 10-03-2010, 12:08 AM

I scored 86.1% in the short test, and got 26/30, 27/30 in the longer test. Not excellent, but seems to be decently above average.

**RealSNR** · 10-03-2010, 12:14 AM

I have perfect pitch, actually. From a very early age, if somebody played a note on a piano without me looking I could tell them which note it was and in what octave.

Since I became trained in music, I could tell the difference between temperaments on early keyboard instruments versus regular equal temperament tuning on most pianos. I've gotten so people can sit on the piano and I can name all the notes from bottom to top that are being played. For mostly diatonic music (pop, rock, some jazz, anything that's in a main key or mode) I can name the key and tell you the modulations.

Let me tell you, chicks dig it.

FAX · 10-03-2010, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

I have perfect pitch, actually. From a very early age, if somebody played a note on a piano without me looking I could tell them which note it was and in what octave.

Since I became trained in music, I could tell the difference between temperaments on early keyboard instruments versus regular equal temperament tuning on most pianos. I've gotten so people can sit on the piano and I can name all the notes from bottom to top that are being played. For mostly diatonic music (pop, rock, some jazz, anything that's in a main key or mode) I can name the key and tell you the modulations.

Let me tell you, chicks dig it.

I have tar pitch.

And I almost got run over once, too.

FAX

**DaneMcCloud** · 10-03-2010, 12:20 AM

I have perfect pitch and that test was annoying. I couldn't get through the second part. WAY too long.

Furthermore, that test, IMO, was about relative pitch and memory. All of the motifs started in the same key. They generally moved a note by a semitone to create "confusion".

Personally, I don't think this test can determine the ability to determine pitch.

As a matter of fact, pick 10 songs out of your iTunes catalog, then tell me what key they're in.

Then, we can talk.

**RealSNR** · 10-03-2010, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I have perfect pitch and that test was annoying. I couldn't get through the second part. WAY too long.

Furthermore, that test, IMO, was about relative pitch and memory. All of the motifs started in the same key. They generally moved a note by a semitone to create "confusion".

Personally, I don't think this test can determine the ability to determine pitch.

As a matter of fact, pick 10 songs out of your iTunes catalog, then tell me what key they're in.

Then, we can talk.

I just took the test. I totally agree. Not worth it.

By the way, if I ever make it out to California I'm going to go to your house and we'll settle this like gentlemen. We'll get an objective source and have a perfect pitch-off. I used to do this with a few friends when I went to Eastman, and I would always beat them.

**DaneMcCloud** · 10-03-2010, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

I just took the test. I totally agree. Not worth it.

By the way, if I ever make it out to California I'm going to go to your house and we'll settle this like gentlemen. We'll get an objective source and have a perfect pitch-off. I used to do this with a few friends when I went to Eastman, and I would always beat them.

You're on! I'll make sure to have at least 12 of your favorite beers on hand. For the crying part.

**RealSNR** · 10-03-2010, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

You're on! I'll make sure to have at least 12 of your favorite beers on hand. For the crying part.

Oh, I know some games we can play if alcohol is involved. Set up 12 varieties of liquor or beer. Each variety corresponds to one of the 12 tones in a scale. Then you play some 12-tone stuff by Schoenberg, Boulez, or one of those guys. For every half step you miss on each of the notes, you take a drink of that particular substance. It was never a problem for me, but a lot of guys would get drunk pretty ****ing quickly if they screwed up one note and off-set the rest of the row.

**DaneMcCloud** · 10-03-2010, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

Oh, I know some games we can play if alcohol is involved. Set up 12 varieties of liquor or beer. Each variety corresponds to one of the 12 tones in a scale. Then you play some 12-tone stuff by Schoenberg, Boulez, or one of those guys. For every half step you miss on each of the notes, you take a drink of that particular substance. It was never a problem for me, but a lot of guys would get drunk pretty ****ing quickly if they screwed up one note and off-set the rest of the row.

Sounds like fun! What instrument would you like to use for this test? Double bass? Cello? Mini-Moog?

Piano would be all too easy.

Shag · 10-03-2010, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

Oh, I know some games we can play if alcohol is involved. Set up 12 varieties of liquor or beer. Each variety corresponds to one of the 12 tones in a scale. Then you play some 12-tone stuff by Schoenberg, Boulez, or one of those guys. For every half step you miss on each of the notes, you take a drink of that particular substance. It was never a problem for me, but a lot of guys would get drunk pretty ****ing quickly if they screwed up one note and off-set the rest of the row.

I had a friend with perfect pitch in college, and for her, there was no screwing up of any notes because nothing was subjective. A note was concrete, like reading it on a page - there wasn't any "I think that's an Ab". She could listen to very complex musical passages and name every note perfectly - it was wild. That's my understanding of perfect pitch, and that if someone really has it, they won't be wrong. It's something they were born with, not something they learned.

People with really good relative pitch can almost fake having perfect pitch, but they aren't always right, and it takes a lot more effort than someone with true perfect pitch.

It's possible I have some misconceptions due to only knowing one person with perfect pitch, but your quote caught me as odd...

**Reaper16** · 10-03-2010, 12:29 AM

I don't have perfect pitch. I scored 100% on that test.

**DaneMcCloud** · 10-03-2010, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper16

I don't have perfect pitch. I scored 100% on that test.

Someone get that man a beer.

You have the patience of Moses.

**Kyle DeLexus** · 10-03-2010, 12:32 AM

They really should call that a memory/pitch test

**Bob Dole** · 10-03-2010, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

They really should call that a memory/pitch test

This. While there is some pitch involved in some of the samples, it certainly is not all about pitch.

**Buck** · 10-03-2010, 12:58 AM

I am a bitch. I got 83.3%

10-03-2010, 12:06 AM	Topic Starter
alnorth . Join Date: Dec 2002 Casino cash: $57156239	Are you tonedeaf? About 5% of all people are tonedeaf. Most of these people also have no idea, except maybe a lingering suspicion after friends or family gently tell them they cant sing worth a damn. Music apparently sounds different to them than to the rest of us. For these people, if a note is slightly off, due to a hearing defect, they simply cant tell. That is also why you get these hilariously bad singers on american idol who are convinced they can sing, because to their ears, they are repeating what they heard from the radio. Here's a couple of tonedeafness tests I found, which also functions as a way to possibly tell if your sense of pitch is above average. If you are near the bottom of the bell curve, you might be tonedeaf. If you have a perfect score, you might (probably not) be one of the rare 1 in 10,000 people with perfect pitch. Where do you score?
Posts: 36,130

10-03-2010, 12:08 AM	#2
alnorth . Join Date: Dec 2002 Casino cash: $57156239	I scored 86.1% in the short test, and got 26/30, 27/30 in the longer test. Not excellent, but seems to be decently above average. __________________ how many emo kids does it take to change a lightbulb? HOW MANY?! none they just sit in the dark and cry
Posts: 36,130

10-03-2010, 12:20 AM	#5
DaneMcCloud Supporter Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Hollywood, CA Casino cash: $10053648	I have perfect pitch and that test was annoying. I couldn't get through the second part. WAY too long. Furthermore, that test, IMO, was about relative pitch and memory. All of the motifs started in the same key. They generally moved a note by a semitone to create "confusion". Personally, I don't think this test can determine the ability to determine pitch. As a matter of fact, pick 10 songs out of your iTunes catalog, then tell me what key they're in. Then, we can talk.
Posts: 88,960

10-03-2010, 12:32 AM	#13
Kyle DeLexus Opie and Anthony XM 105 Join Date: Nov 2008 Casino cash: $10002400	They really should call that a memory/pitch test
Posts: 7,910

10-03-2010, 12:58 AM	#15
Buck Take a Chill Pill Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Carolina Casino cash: $5980295	I am a bitch. I got 83.3%
Posts: 44,607