Absolute Pitch Verses The Struggling Musician

Do you have perfect pitch? Do you feel inferior by not having it? By the way, what in blazes is perfect pitch? Let's investigate!

Perfect pitch, also called absolute pitch (AP) is an accurate recall of any concert pitch note that one hears played by an instrument. This skill also allows a perfect pitch individual to sing a particular note that is asked of him or her, provided the AP person is also armed with a good set of vocal chords.

Should you feel inferior if you do not have this attribute? Indeed not! Of course it's not fair that some individuals have AP while others don't. However, mature individuals understand that life is not fair. This unfairness is compounded by the reality that perfect pitch cannot be acquired through practice, although some would argue that this is disputable.

Some websites claim that one can achieve the skill of AP through practice. Although it is profound to be open-minded to new techniques for improving oneself, I have not yet seen one conversion of a non-perfect pitch musician into an absolute pitch musician, although the length that some people go through in order to achieve perfect pitch is often mind-boggling.

One prevalent way some individuals try to get AP is by repeating a note continuously for hours in the hope of memorizing the note's particular pitch. This accomplishes three things:

1. It makes the musician attempting to achieve perfect pitch look like they're having a monumental nervous breakdown;

2. The act of repeating a note continuously takes time away from quality family and fun activities;

3. Repeating a note continuously requires the purchase of some kind of pain medication from the resulting headache that it most certainly ensues.

So why is there so much hoopla over this accurate recall of particular notes on an instrument? The fact is that many musicians get along splendidly without perfect pitch. How, you inquire? Well, they develop their relative pitch; the ability to judge the distance between notes by recalling interval distances. An interval distance is a specific distance between two concert pitch notes on an instrument.

The skilful use of interval distances can give a musician accurate dictation skills. As a composer, an intensely developed relative pitch is a must if absolute pitch is not attainable.

Go onward with no fear, dear non-absolute pitch colleagues! Compose, arrange and perform with the best of them because developed relative pitch is a valid tool and a viable substitute for AP.

By the way, some websites stress the theory that babies are all possibly born with perfect pitch. This is fascinating, but like so many theories surrounding AP, it is very tough to prove. Maybe it's time we throw out some theories of our own:

1. Owls might have absolute pitch;

2. Chimpanzees would like perfect pitch, but they can't get it because they have too much potassium in their blood;

3. Avalanches can frighten you into having AP, especially if you're buried alive by one;

4. Falling off a huge cliff gives you perfect pitch, but only while you're falling. When you collide with the ground, the perfect pitch immediately disappears.

Who knows? Maybe we're on to something here. Only time and research will tell. For now, however, we have simply stated four captivating and peculiar theories. Let's move on.

As a final point, AP and solid relative pitch are only effective tools when combined with one crowning and immense component: hard work.