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Absolute pitch is the ability to identify or sing a specific musical note without using a reference note. For example, a person with absolute pitch may hear a note and immediately know that it is an F-sharp or a C.
This is different from relative pitch, where you recognize notes by comparing them to other notes.
What is absolute pitch?
Absolute pitch is sometimes called perfect pitch. A person with absolute pitch can often name a note just by hearing it, or sing a requested note from memory without first hearing another note.
Research suggests that absolute pitch often develops in early childhood. It may involve a strong connection between hearing, memory and the part of the brain that gives names to sounds.
How is absolute pitch used in piano playing?
For piano players, absolute pitch can be useful when learning songs by ear. If you hear the first note of a melody, you may be able to find it on the piano immediately without searching for it.
However, absolute pitch is not required to become a good pianist. Most skilled musicians rely much more on relative pitch, ear training, intervals and chord understanding. These skills can be practiced and improved throughout life.
Absolute pitch vs. relative pitch
The main difference is that absolute pitch identifies a note by itself, while relative pitch identifies the distance between notes. Relative pitch is usually more important in everyday music making, because music is built from relationships between notes, chords and intervals.