So, for as long as I could remember, I've been able to identify, in isolation, any type of pitch and give the key of it. It can extend from such things as a piano, guitar, to random noises (sirens, doorbells, etc.). Every quiz that I take on the internet comes up as 100%, etc. If you need to know the key of a song, I can tell you (at least as far as my general chord knowledge goes, but even then, I can give you a root). I'm self-taught in piano and didn't take my first theory class until I was a freshman in college (a couple of years ago). It was a great class and very informative and I got a nice lesson in relative pitch, although I pretty much already knew it, despite not being taught, since I already knew the individual pitches. Though it was at this class that I discovered something very interesting...
Despite how I've always felt I've had perfect pitch throughout the years, whenever it came to melodic dictation, it wasn't as much of a breeze as I expected. Granted, I still finished before everyone else, but the notes didn't pop out to me like they would in isolation and sometimes I could just be flat out lost, but pretty much only due to the speed. If the teacher slowed it down, I could nail it, but I did have my problems. On the other hand, when I listen to actual music, for the most part, trying to figure out the pitch of, say, the melody that is being sung or even a solo... I'm usually lost.
And it's precisely that why I post all this. After not really paying much attention to theory and the like since that class, I'm now sort of into it again. Mostly because my goal is this: I want to be able to hear a song and right after hearing it, go to the piano and play it, melody/riff and all perfectly, or at least close to it. I know this sounds a bit unrealistic, but if I have perfect pitch, shouldn't I have the ability to do this? Or does my inability mean that I don't have it? Or is acquiring such a goal as mine more of a non-perfect pitch issue?
I suppose I would be really interested to know why 1. I have trouble identifying notes when NOT in isolation and 2. what could be done to remedy this.
Your help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!