Absolute pitch

Two ways of hearing

In its first section the page Ear training distinguishes two abilities. With relative pitch you recognise notes in relation to each other, for instance whether a leap is a fifth or an octave. That is the ability that carries almost everything in everyday music: singing back melodies, playing along, judging harmonies. Absolute pitch, being able to name a note without any reference, is rare and usually develops early.

What you really need

The answer of the ear training page is clear: for practical music-making absolute pitch is not needed. And the FAQ adds that only the rare absolute pitch is mostly tied to early childhood; relative pitch can be trained at any age. Ear training works like strength training for the ear: short, regular sessions achieve more than rare long ones, and about ten minutes a day is recommended.

How to train relative pitch

• Reference songs: assign each interval a familiar song that begins with exactly that leap. Interval Ear Training recommends writing your own list.
• Solfège: Do, Re, Mi and so on give each degree a syllable and make melodies graspable independently of the key. The “Do” is always the tonic.
• Singing along: according to the FAQ your own voice is the most important aid.

A reference note helps

Even without absolute pitch you can orient yourself by a reference note. The ear training page points out that a piano note on the screen or an app is enough as a reference. The standard pitch A4 at 440 Hz is the usual reference that tuners work to (page Tools).