Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Colin Reed" <colin-reed@l...>
Date:  Mon Dec 16, 2002  10:41 am
Subject:  RE: [vocalist] Re: tone-deaf?

I was taught for a long time that there was no such thing as being "tone-deaf"
and that it was just an inability to coordinate pitching the voice with
what was in one's "mind's ear". However, when at university I came across
someone who I genuinely believe to be truly tone-deaf. I used to be music
director for the university chaplaincy, and a part time chaplain complained
once that she found it very hard following and singing some of the music
I chose for services. She originally claimed I was choosing very obscure
and difficult music (which I obviously didn't agree with). To cut a long
story short, I eventually had her try to sing back some easy tunes, which
she couldn't do. She couldn't sing back single notes played on a piano.
And then, the clincher. I played two different notes consecutively, and
she didn't recognise that I had changed notes. She could hear that there
was some difference when I got more than a fourth apart, but couldn't actually
recognise the pitch. I believe that this is true tone-deafness. I also
felt very sorry for her, trying to imagine what she would be missing.

Colin Reed, tenor
Newark, UK

>-- Original Message --
>To: vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com
>From: Michelle Albert <drama_diva_au@y...>
>Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 13:59:52 +1100 (EST)
>Subject: [vocalist] Re: tone-deaf?
>Reply-To: vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
>First off, Congratulations Emily on achieving your masters in voice and
best
>of luck with your future aspirations.
>
>Your question was, >>> is there such a thing as "tone deaf"?<<<
>
>From my experience I don't think it matters whether there is or isn't.
Even
>judging by the answers you got so far from fellow listers there is no concensus
>about the matter, however, personally I remain convinced that there either
>is or will be scientific evidence to prove that there is such a thing,
no
>matter how rarely it occurs in the general population. Lloyd and Randy's
>comments corelate with my own knowledge of the matter.
>






  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date  
21506 Re: tone-deaf?Lloyd W. Hanson lwh1 Mon  12/16/2002  
21507 Re: tone-deaf?Andrea Soto Véres andreasotoveres Mon  12/16/2002  
21509 Re: tone-deaf?John Link johnlink010254 Mon  12/16/2002  
21526 Re: tone-deaf?Andrea Soto Véres andreasotoveres Tue  12/17/2002  
21535 Re: tone-deaf?John Link johnlink010254 Tue  12/17/2002  
21546 Re: tone-deaf?Andrea Soto Véres andreasotoveres Wed  12/18/2002  
21553 Re: tone-deaf?John Link johnlink010254 Wed  12/18/2002  
21554 Re: tone-deaf?Andrea Soto Véres andreasotoveres Wed  12/18/2002  

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