Perfect Pitch: Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test]

Estimated reading time 5 minutes

Perfect Pitch - Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test] #1: An Astonishing Talent

Perfect Pitch – Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test] #1: An Astonishing Talent

Do you have perfect pitch or wish you did? Why do certain musicians have this astonishing talent, and others don’t? And is perfect pitch singing really a musical superpower? Keep reading Perfect Pitch: Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test] to learn the secret that nobody talks about.

This post uses music terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the article.

Perfect Pitch - Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test] #2: What is Perfect Pitch Singing?

What’s absolute pitch (aka perfect pitch)? It’s when a person has a really good memory for notes:

When someone has absolute pitch, they have the capacity to identify notes without first being given a reference pitch.
Musicians with this ability sit on a continuum that ranges from those who can recognize any note to those who can only recognize them on instruments they play.
This is contrasted with relative pitch (which most musicians have), where the musician figures out what the notes are relative to the reference pitch.

Perfect Pitch - Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test] #3: How Does Someone Develop Absolute Pitch?

This section deals not with a secret, but rather with a question:

How does a musician develop absolute pitch?
To answer that we’ll look at a couple of theories, the innate theory and the critical period theory, that endeavor to explain how it works.
Dealing with this question will then set up our discussion of the truth (in the next section).

Innate Theory

Innate theory states that absolute pitch ability is inherited:

In other words, they assume that environmental factors have little impact on the acquisition of this ability.
The fact that it runs in families makes it seem likely that it’s hereditary.
Having said that, it can be difficult to separate environmental and genetics components.

Calum Moulton asserts:

Of the AP [absolute pitch] possessors in the… study, 48% indicated that they had first-degree relatives who also possessed AP, whereas only 14% of the non-AP possessors reported first-degree relatives with AP. (AP Reconsidered 517)

Critical Period Theory

Conversely, the critical period theory argues that perfect pitch singing is developed during early childhood in what’s called the “critical period.” This theory claims that getting trained at a young age is necessary for developing these skills.

Ellen Winner states:

One study showed that the possession of perfect pitch was related to the age at which instruction was initiated. Of those who had begun instruction before age four, 95 percent had perfect pitch; of those who had begun instruction at age twelve, 55 percent had perfect pitch. (Gifted Children 95)

These numbers offer robust support for the critical period theory.

Nonetheless, direct experimental data in support of the critical period theory is lacking. Moulton states:

Despite the weight of evidence supporting the early learning model, most music college students who began music lessons at, or before, 6 years of age did not exhibit AP. (AP Reconsidered 517)

In addition, it’s still an open question whether adults can develop absolute pitch:

Stephen C. Van Hedger, Shannon L. M. Heald, and Howard C. Nusbaum found that some adults could develop AP.
This supports the idea that it’s a skill rather than a hereditary ability.
However, it’s not clear whether these individuals already had a genetic predisposition toward AP.

Van Hedger, Heald, and Nusbaum assert:

Here, we demonstrate that these “genuine” levels of AP performance can be achieved within eight weeks of training for at least some adults, with the best learners passing all measures of AP ability after training and retaining this knowledge for at least four months after training. (AP Can Be Learned by Some Adults 1)

Probably a Bit of Both

It’s likely that perfect pitch singing has both a genetic and skill acquisition aspect. Moulton states:

AP probably has a genetic predisposition… early musical training is almost certainly essential for AP acquisition… (AP Reconsidered 517)

Even though it runs in families, musical exposure remains a critical component:

For example, Mozart had perfect pitch.
However, the frequency of the note A in Mozart’s day isn’t the same as it is today.
In 1936, A 440 Hz was adopted as the tuning standard reference pitch.
This was necessary for piano tuners, allowing them to count the beats so they could tune scientifically accurate equal temperament.
Conversely, in Mozart’s time, the standard for tuning forks varied by city and region.

According to Robert Jourdain:

Mozart’s D is not our D. Yet somehow the absolute-pitcher hears quintessential D-ness in today’s D, just as did Mozart in the D of his time. (Music, the Brain, and Ecstasy 115)

Hence this clearly shows that environmental factors do have an impact on people with AP.

Perfect Pitch - Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test] #4: Is It a Musical Superpower?

The big truth: Perfect pitch singing isn’t the musical superpower that some musicians seem to think it is.

Transposing

Transposing can be a real issue:

Most people just need the melody to have internally consistent intervals regardless of the specific notes in the melody. It doesn’t matter so much what key the melody’s in.
However, people with absolute pitch get thrown off when the melodies are transposed to different keys.
I knew a violinist at UMass Lowell (both he and I attended the college of music) who complained about transposing, stating that the notes were the notes and should stay that way.

According to Moulton:

AP is generally regarded as useful to a musician, for example as an aid to [melodic] intonation or sight singing. However, experimental evidence shows that some AP possessors have considerable difficulty in identifying pitch relations in transposed tonal contexts. (AP Reconsidered 518)

Intonation

While absolute pitch is definitely useful for sight singing and melodic intonation, it can actually interfere somewhat with singing harmony in an a cappella context:

Since perfect pitch singing is good pitch memory, it’s a skill that lends itself to melodic tuning.
Why? Because practice room pianos help singers remember their melodies.
However, harmonic tuning focuses on the blend of the notes and will often yield lower pitches than the keys on the equal temperament tuned piano.
Therefore, singers with perfect pitch singing ability will sometimes sing their major thirds a little higher than ideal because of their reliance on their piano trained pitch memory.
This in turn means that absolute pitch can make it difficult to achieve a cappella level vocal intonation.

Does this mean that perfect pitch singers can’t tune up their thirds?

No, they have the ability.
However, it might make them a little uncomfortable as they do it.
The trick is to focus on the tone color of the harmonies.

Likewise, for when a chorus or choir drifts off from equal temperament. One perfect pitch singer laments:

[I] internally cry while following the group’s tone/pitches. (Reddit)

For more information on the different ways the brain tunes music:

Harmony and Melody Tune Differently

For more information on singing a cappella quality harmony:

Singing Exercises with Harmony

Transcribing

Perfect pitch also helps with transcribing melodies and harmonies, but doesn’t help with transcribing rhythm:

For example, I had a buddy at UMass Lowell who had absolute pitch, and one day he was late for ear training class.
He walked in the door, and the teacher hit a note on the piano and said, “What note is that?”
The teacher obviously hoped to embarrass him and make a point about how he needed to be on time.
However, he skated out of trouble because he said, “E^b.” Then, the teacher grumbled and sent him to his seat.
Conversely, my friend said that while AP helped him tremendously with transcribing melodies and harmonies, he was in the same boat as everyone else when it came to rhythm.

Late in Life

Absolute pitch can create problems later in life. Jourdain explains:

As we age our cochleas shrink slightly, often leading to a gradual rise in perceived pitch. Since all pitches rise together, we don’t realize that our ears have retuned. Senior absolute-pitchers sometimes lament that their favorite compositions, memorized from many hearings, sound out of tune… (Music, the Brain, and Ecstasy 116 – 117)

As you can see, the big truth is that AP isn’t a musical superpower. It’s just a different way of hearing music with its own strengths and weaknesses.

See the next section to take the absolute pitch test.

Perfect Pitch - Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test] #5: Do You Want to Take the Absolute Pitch Test?

Have you wondered if you have perfect pitch? Take this test and find out for yourself.

Video: The Absolute Pitch Test

Perfect Pitch - Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test] #6: Final Thoughts

Here’s a summary of Perfect Pitch – Discover the Truth [Plus Absolute Pitch Test]:

Perfect pitch singing relies on good pitch memory.
The innate and critical period theories help explain how people acquire AP. However, it’s likely not an either-or question, but a little bit of both.
In addition, perfect pitch singing isn’t a musical superpower, but rather a useful ability with attendant strengths and weaknesses.

Be sure to check out the Absolute Pitch Test to see if you and your loved ones have the ability to do perfect pitch singing.

Have fun singing!

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