Phenomenal Tonal Memory Covering Retention between 64 and 3072 cps

Abstract

By a process of screening 114 music students with superior ability for tonal memory, 24 were found to possess a tonal memory span greater than 6 tones on a test of 30 paired non-melodic tonal patterns specially designed by the author for measuring a 7 to 12 span retention. Only 2 had a 12-tone memory span for each of the three areas of the piano, namely, 64 to 192 cps, 256 to 768 cps, and 1024 to 3072 cps. Two of the students possessed a 12 tone memory span, but for only one of the three areas. The maximum span given in the test was double the 6 tone upper limit span of the Seashore—Series B Tonal Memory Test. Statistically speaking, the 4 with the 12-tonal memory span are 3 sigmas or more beyond the mean. The findings of this experiment indicate that unusual tonal memory is not necessarily the same in extent for all pitch areas of the piano.