Sunseed Music

The ability to identify or replicate a certain tone without the need to refer to an external source is commonly labeled as perfect pitch or absolute pitch (AP). For an excellent course on learning perfect pitch, check out this perfect pitch review.

It can be done verbally or through other codes like sensorimotor responses or auditory imagery. What this means is that without the need for a musical code, a musician from an auditory tradition is capable of demonstrating the ability to recognize pitch without a reference. Both relative and absolute pitch can be displayed by a person. When trying to listen and practice music, both are equally important. Still, there are those who lean towards different strategies to hone those skills.

Note that absolute pitch is not unconditional, meaning, the quality can be shown in varying degree. There are those who can name a specific pitch played on an instrument (A, G#, Gm). Other abilities identifying a perfect pitch include:

· Identifying tones of a chord or a tonal mass

· Without using a reference, has the ability to sing a specific pitch.

· Identify and name the common noises heard everyday

· Without the need for an external reference, can name a key of a tone just by hearing the sound

Evidence shows that most absolute listeners were able to identify the C-major tone without any problem and more quickly compared to the other five “black key tones” except for B. A research performed by Dutch non-musicians have reached the conclusion that most people are more inclined to use the C-major during an ordinary speech, more prominently on syllables that speak of emphasis.

Still, keep in mind that an absolute pitch is not a vital ingredient for the development of musical talent. Although musicians and composers disagree in the importance of absolute pitch to overall musical quality, the fact is, history has been unable to prove whether notable musicians and composers possess absolute pitch or not. According to historical evidence, Mozart is thought to possess perfect pitch during the Baroque and Classical eras. It was said that the famous musician developed the talent when he was 3 years old. Others believe that Beethoven also had absolute pitch based on the fact that he was still capable of producing undamaged music after being deaf.

At six years of age, Nicolas Slonimsky was hailed to have perfect pitch, leading his aunt – Isabelle Vengerova – to give him music lessons. The same goes for Keith Jarrett, a jazz pianist whose absolute pitch was discovered by his parents when he was three.

The ability to transpose is also believed to be influenced by absolute pitch with musicians more concerned with a specific note rather than the characteristics shown by the notation.

Some believe that cultural exposure influences a person’s ability to develop absolute pitch.

One example of this is the European society which has produced very little individuals with absolute pitch, so much so that musicians who claim to possess the ability are initially doubted.