Relative pitch or what

[alistaircrane4]

Is there any classification for the ability to tell a pieces key by listening to it or even hearing a few notes? I can tell what key a piece is in just by hearing it. I can tell whether its sharp or flat and also the letter of the key. i can also hear enharmonics differently a piece in g flat major sounds so much different than a piece in f sharp major to me. I can't however tell the key of a piece that isn't instrumental but i can tell if it has piano accompaniment. I was listening to puccini's quando men vo and i couldn't tell what key it was but then i heard a version with piano accompaniment and i knew it was e major. I knew vocalise was e minor(the violin). I had a friend play random preludes from bach's well tempered clavier and i heard the intent of the keys and i knew them without even thinking.

[coda_colossale]

Not absolute pitch, but possibly an exceptional pitch memory, which can and will over time develop into absolute pitch.

[alistaircrane4]

Not absolute pitch, but possibly an exceptional pitch memory, which can and will over time develop into absolute pitch.

do you believe what I'm saying though? i got into a huge argument with another musician i know about f sharp major and g flat major. i told him i get that they are enharmonic and i can't tell the difference if you play the note or the chord but i can tell the difference when a piece is played in that key like etude op 25 no 9 or barcarolle i can hear the difference. he got really heated and said that no one can tell what key a piece is in just by hearing it saying only beethoven and other great composers can do that and that all i do is guess

[goldentone]

You say you can identify the actual enharmonic key the composer wrote it in?  An analogy would be a word that is spelled in two ways, one in American English, the other in British English, and your being able to identify which word they spelled it in in their mind while speaking it.  It would seem to be impossible unless somehow enharmonic keys radiate a different characteristic color or aura, because composers are said to choose a key based on its inherent quality.  If composers did distinguish and utilize specific enharmonic keys for their purposes, then that would be evidence of the phenomenon.  Such an ability would be a rare "soul" perception to distinguish between the inherently true and false enharmonic, beyond what is normally radiated to the ears.

[alistaircrane4]

You say you can identify the actual enharmonic key the composer wrote it in?  An analogy would be a word that is spelled in two ways, one in American English, the other in British English, and your being able to identify which word they spelled it in in their mind while speaking it.  It would seem to be impossible unless somehow enharmonic keys radiate a different characteristic color or aura, because composers are said to choose a key based on its inherent quality.  If composers did distinguish and utilize specific enharmonic keys for their purposes, then that would be evidence of the phenomenon.  Such an ability would be a rare "soul" perception to distinguish between the inherently true and false enharmonic, beyond what is normally radiated to the ears.

i don't see an aura but i do see certain keys in color but when i hear a piece i hear the intent of the key it lets me know what the composer is trying to convey in the piece so i can tell the difference between c sharp major and d flat major to me the intent is totally different same with a flat minor and sharp i can hear which is sharp and which is flat by the intent that i hear in the key

[coda_colossale]

Tonal Synesthesia?

[goldentone]

i don't see an aura but i do see certain keys in color but when i hear a piece i hear the intent of the key it lets me know what the composer is trying to convey in the piece so i can tell the difference between c sharp major and d flat major to me the intent is totally different same with a flat minor and sharp i can hear which is sharp and which is flat by the intent that i hear in the key

The intent of the key.  That makes sense.  Assimilating the "long line" of the key?

Tonal Synesthesia?

I would put his ability as being in the meta-tonal region.