Absolute Pitch

Absolute pitch is the ability to recognize and name a note when played at random, without reference to a previously played note. It is also called perfect pitch. A person with this gift may also be able to sing any note perfectly in pitch when asked, without prompting from any instrument.

Some people are born with this ability, others can learn it over a period of intense musical training. Whilst it can be useful, especially for a singer who sings unaccompanied, it is by no means an essential skill for a  musician.

On this screen, you can try to recognize notes played at random by the computer, by naming them, and then checking your answer. If you need a bit of help, you can ask to hear a middle C for reference.

Firstly, select your level of difficulty by clicking one of the 3 option buttons at the top of the screen for Easy, Intermediate, or Advanced. 

Then click the green button Play me a new note.  The computer will play a random note within the constraints imposed by your chosen level of difficulty.  You can listen to the same note again as many times as you wish, by clicking the blue button Play it again. If you need a reference note, click the yellow button Play a middle C for reference, and you will hear a middle C.

If you wish to test yourself rigorously,  you can select the name of the note by clicking one of the 12 option buttons labelled with all notes in the chromatic scale from C, C# D etc up to B.  Then, if you are also confident of the octave, click the appropriate octave button from the four available. Then click the purple button Am I right?  a panel will appear informing you if your answer was right or wrong.

At any time you may click the lavender button I give up. What note was it?   The computer will tell you the name of the note in a panel near the bottom left of the screen.


PractiseAbsolutePitch.htm     01/10/06 16:53                   MENU -> Practise  ->  Absolute Pitch