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University research proves Burge's Perfect Pitch method works.
From
the Far East to the Far West, musicians in over 120
countries have already learned the simple secrets
to Perfect Pitch (the ability known in scholarly circles as Absolute Pitch) -- see Success
Stories.
Yet
the debate about Perfect Pitch had raged for
decades: Could you develop it? Or was it a supernormal
hearing skill that only the elite are born with?
David Lucas Burge released his simple
secret to Absolute Pitch in the March 1981 issue
of Contemporary Keyboard (now Keyboard
magazine). The music world became intrigued, though at that time there was no research to substantiate his methods. Even so, thousands of
musicians took up the program.
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 I have already come across situations with others who were strict believers that Perfect Pitch cannot be learned. I've been able to prove them wrong every time. It is a privilege to share this information with others and even more of a sight to watch my students developing Perfect Pitch and Relative Pitch themselves. I now believe, more than I had before, that our progress is endless and our potential is limitless. (D.W., Music Educator, Port Chester, NY)  more quotes |
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Independent
research from two leading universities would later
show dramatic results with Burge's Absolute Pitch methods. Here are some highlights:
STUDY
#1
Students become
Perfect Pitch possessors
Research
on Burge's Absolute Pitch methods was first conducted at the Ohio
State University. To make a 401-page story shorter:
As many as "three of the five subjects who completed
the training regimen actually became possessors [of
Perfect Pitch/Absolute Pitch]"1 -- despite
the brief training period.
Of
special interest in this study is the following:
All of the students were tested for Absolute Pitch
on piano, regardless of their native instruments.
This makes the results even more remarkable, because
Burge teaches that pitch recognition occurs first
only on one's own familiar instrument. Says Burge:
At
first you begin to recognize pitches only on your
own instrument. If you are a guitarist, you learn
to quickly recognize tones on the guitar, but your
ear might not catch the pitches on the piano or
other instruments at first. Then, once your ear
gets used to recognizing pitches on your guitar,
the ear awareness expands to include all other instruments
as well. [Burge fully explains the step-by-step
levels of Absolute Pitch development in his Perfect
Pitch® Ear Training SuperCourse.]
Since
flutists, guitarists, trumpet players, etc. all were tested
on piano -- and not their own native instruments -- any
ability of pitch recognition is
quite remarkable, even to Burge, who
would not expect a flutist to recognize
tones on the piano during the initial stages of
Absolute Pitch development.
The
researcher concludes that the statistics "clearly
indicate dramatic improvement as a result of [Burge's]
training [which] was found to be significant for all
measures of absolute pitch ability."2
This achievement undoubtedly has raised many brows
and indicates a startling breakthrough in music self-development.
What
is the experience of Perfect Pitch like?
Students
commented on their brand new Absolute Pitch abilities:
What's
really strange is listening to the radio and naming
the pitch ... This has been especially helpful in
sight-reading skills (with or without my instrument)...3
It
has improved my tonal memory greatly. I can now
tell when someone is playing the same piece in a
different key than from when I heard it several
days before.4
My
overall ear developed; I hear things much clearer
and sharper. Pitches [are] much more definite and
focused.5
It
sharpened my ability to listen, hear inner tones
and express the overall music ... I derive more
pleasure from practicing...6
A sax player says:
Intonation
problems seem to be much more obvious to me. When
playing with groups it is easier to detect what
I need to do to play in tune...7
A vocal student envisions
the ease of a singing ensemble of Perfect Pitch
graduates with "perfect intonation and not having
to give starting pitches."8
STUDY
#2
Perfect Pitch
is like learning how to swim
At
the University of Calgary (Alberta, Canada), a more
thorough research study was completed by Marguerite
Elaine Nering. After students had used Burge's Perfect Pitch
methods a few minutes daily for only two months, Nering found:9
Of
the six highest-ranking experimental subjects...,
four show acquisition of the ability [italics
hers] ... Indeed Burge's Perfect Pitch course seems
to be a very effective method for acquiring Perfect
Pitch.10
Although
literature has shown the powerful association between
... early age and Perfect Pitch possession,
this experiment has shown that by training in the
Burge method, the ability can be improved and even
acquired among adults ... This improvement can take
place in a fairly short time, as was the case in
this experiment. A few with keen pitch acuity can
even acquire Perfect Pitch ability in a short
time.11
This
experiment among others should lay to rest the myth
about Perfect Pitch possessors being born, not made
... It is similar to learning a skill such as swimming,
in that one must be exposed to it and work at it
to one extent or another.12
The
greatest composers and musicians possess or have
possessed Perfect Pitch ability or at the very least
a high degree of pitch acuity. This alone is enough
to attest to the value of Perfect Pitch training.
Music is a hearing art; a musician can perform only
as well as he or she can hear. As aural acuity is
improved, so is musicianship. Perfect Pitch
is a high degree of aural acuity.13
Some
of [the] benefits [of Absolute Pitch/Perfect Pitch] are greater
creativity, sensitivity, enjoyment, better ability
to tune, listen keenly, compose, better knowledge
of key, greater language adaptability.14
As
more musicians acquire the ability and an acceptance
of Perfect Pitch as an acquirable ability becomes
more commonplace, it should become regarded as a
more natural ability that ... always benefits [one's]
musicianship.15
Burge
deserves much credit for removing a great deal of
the mystery from Perfect Pitch and for making
it readily available to the average musician. He
does this in terms any layman can understand. By
setting aside the technical discussions ... he has
been able to get on with the practicalities ...
devising a course capable of benefiting many. Lessons
... follow a logical and complete sequence and are
simple to understand.16
Of
importance to this study is that through this method
almost anyone, it seems, can acquire the ability
of Perfect Pitch ... His course seems to be
an idea whose time has come.17
The
Burge course has proven itself through this study
and that [at Ohio State University] to be an effective
means of improving pitch discrimination and even
acquiring Perfect Pitch.18
Because
of the effectiveness of the Burge Perfect Pitch
technique and the apparent value of Perfect Pitch
ability, it seems a reevaluation of theory course
content and of methods of teaching ear training
in schools, universities, and musical institutions
is in order.19
See other professional reviews of Burge's ear training courses at: RichardBosworth.org
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The
real proof is when you hear it for yourself.
David Lucas Burge more quotes |
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 More info on Burge's Perfect Pitch® Ear Training SuperCourse
Footnotes:
Study #1: Rush, M. A. An experimental investigation
of the effectiveness of training on absolute pitch
in adult musicians, The Ohio State University, 1989:
1 p. 212; 2 p. 196; 3 p. 400;
4 p. 400; 5 p. 397; 6 p. 399;
7 p. 400; 8 p. 399. Study #2:
Nering, Marguerite Elaine. A study to determine the
effectiveness of the David Lucas Burge technique for
development of Perfect Pitch, The University
of Calgary, 1991: 9 p. 161; 10 p. 342;
11 p. 355; 12 pp. 355-6; 13 p. 356;
14 p. 357; 15 p. 357; 16 p.
135; 17 pp. 135-6; 18 p. 133;
19 p. 357.
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