Can adults learn to develop absolute pitch? Our research challenges a longstanding myth

By Yetta Kwailing Wong, Lecturer in Psychology, University of Surrey

Absolute pitch has long been viewed as a kind of musical superpower. It refers to the ability to identify or produce a tone, like an A or a C-sharp, without any provided reference point.

With only 12 possible answers, naming the pitch of a tone may seem easy. However, it is somehow incredibly difficult for most musicians, including the professionally trained ones.

Adding to this mystery, for gifted musicians and composers such as Mozart, Chopin, and Beethoven, absolute pitch…

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