Perfect pitch, relative pitch, & how to improve your sense of pitch with ear training
What is “perfect pitch”?
Perfect pitch, or “absolute pitch,” is the ability to identify or produce any given pitch (within the singer’s range) without reference. For example, identification could be one person playing (or singing) a note, and the person with perfect pitch correctly identifying that note by its pitch letter name (ie: Bb, D, G#). Similarly, producing a pitch without reference would look like one person saying, “sing an A”, and the person with perfect pitch correctly singing an A.
It is generally agreed upon that genetics play the biggest role in determining whether someone will have perfect pitch. Even though it is desirable, you can’t train yourself to truly have perfect pitch. The benefits to having perfect pitch are obvious: you never need a pitch pipe or other tuning device; sight reading will be easier; and your ability to analyze or transcribe will be at a higher level.
The downside, is that it can be frustrating when the written and sung pitches don’t match. For example, singers will sometimes be asked to read a piece of music in a key other than the one it was written in. I’ve been in this situation several times: my choir or a capella quartet is performing a piece written in C, but we’ve chosen to sing it in B instead. The bottom line is: musicians with perfect pitch still need to learn pitch relationships and develop relative pitch.
What is “relative pitch”?
Relative pitch is the ability to identify and sing any given pitch (within the singer’s range) when given another pitch for reference. For example: if a violinist plays an E and says “this is an E” (or has that indicated within the score), then the person with relative pitch can find and sing any pitch in reference to that. They know, for example, that a C is a major third below E (or a minor 6th above E); they also know how to sing a major 3rd (or a minor 6th) in tune; so, in turn, they can find a C from an E.
As you can imagine, relative pitch is essential for most musicians! Developing relative pitch takes time, and it requires that you do ear training AND learn music theory.
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How do I start?
- Consider a book, app, program, or other system that incorporates both ear training and music theory. I recommend this book (under $10!) for learning music theory and sight singing: Alfred Music’s Sing at First Sight – https://www.alfred.com/sing-at-first-sight-level-1/p/00-22017/
- Ensure accountability with a teacher, audible reference, or app that analyzes your pitch.
Check out this article for 8 recommended ear training apps and websites: https://blog.landr.com/best-ear-training-apps/
- Commit to a sight-reading system. My preference is solfege, specifically “moveable Do”; and if you use Sing at First Sight, you will learn using that system! Other singers use “fixed Do” or numbers; and less common, but certainly helpful, is using pitch letter names.
- Learn and practice common scales: major, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor, blues, pentatonic, etc.
- Learn and practice different modes (scales that have distinct melodic characteristics). They are: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian.
- Learn your intervals: be able to sing and identify them, both by ear and sight.
- Be aware of common pitch problems (and your specific tendencies). See our tutorial on intonation for more on that!
Okay, I know you said I can’t develop “true” perfect pitch. But what if I want to try?
Some people are successful in memorizing a pitch, which then becomes their internal point of reference. For example, instrumentalists who play in an orchestra always tune to the pitch A (specifically, A440). After years of hearing this pitch and tuning to it, many of these musicians have that pitch memorized.
If you don’t play an instrument, but would like to memorize a pitch:
- You can choose a pitch to memorize, get a tuner (or keyboard) app on your phone, and periodically play that pitch. Match the pitch with your voice. Then, test yourself at a different point in the day by singing what you think the pitch is, and then playing the pitch to check your accuracy.
- Consider memorizing the starting pitch of a song you know very well. Find out what that pitch is and follow step 1 above.
- An extra tip for singers: although it may not be completely reliable, you can use your range in “placing” pitches. For example, if you know that a low E is your lowest comfortable pitch, and you hear a pitch that feels very low when you sing it, you can assume it might be close to an E.
