Though perfect pitch can probably be used for party tricks, I've seen
it put to some fairly astounding purposes. Our choir director in high
school had perfect pitch, as did one or two of the singers, who could
be depended on at performances to give the initial pitches, accurately,
to the rest of the ensemble.

I have also watched a piano teacher standing with her back to the piano
correcting a student playing Shostakovich, calling out the names of
incorrectly played notes. Try that with relative pitch.

Our editor, Robbie Rhodes, also has perfect pitch, neatly coupled with
the ability to play piano in any key. This double-barreled skill has
served him well in the past accompanying nervous singers who start a
tune in one key and finish in another.

Doug Rhodes

 [ Young Winthrop sang "Gary, Indiana" just fine during rehearsals,
 [ but on the opening night of the high school production of "Music
 [ Man" the lad hit the melody three notes higher than the score!
 [ After a few measures the conductor waved off the orchestra and the
 [ bass player and I provided the accompaniment in Winthrop's key.
 [ -- Robbie