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What Is Perfect Pitch? It's Absolute Pitch By Another Name
Some people have absolute pitch, informally called perfect pitch. A rare skill. If you have it, you can name a particular note without reference to any other sound.
For example, if you had absolute pitch, someone could blindfold you, then play any single note on a piano or other instrument. You would be able to identify the exact note:
“That’s F sharp, two and a half octaves above Middle C.”
An extraordinary few with absolute pitch can even hum an exact note on demand, without even hearing it played:
“Hum E below Middle C.”
“Okay. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.”
“Dang, you’re good!”
To acquire absolute pitch, you need training as a young child, during a critical period of roughly 3 to 6 years. Also, it appears you need a particular gene variant. If you don’t have both—training during the critical period and the genetic endowment—you won’t acquire absolute pitch.
Hardly anybody has absolute pitch, although many claim to, as if it confers musical superiority.
Fortunately, absolute pitch has little practical value for musicians. If you don’t have it, you’re in good company. Composers such as Tchaikovsky and Wagner did not have it, yet did pretty well.
This is only a guess, but it’s unlikely Lou Reed has it, or Kris Kristofferson. Or William Hung.