For decades, people believed absolute pitch was an exclusive ability granted only to those with the right genetics or early music training. But new research from the University of Surrey proves otherwise.
It's been a long-held belief that absolute pitch — the ability to identify musical notes without a reference — is a rare talent limited to those with specific genetic traits or early musical training. However, new research from the University of Surrey challenges this idea, showing that adults can develop absolute pitch through dedicated training.
The study, published today in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, followed 12 adult musicians with varying levels of experience as they completed an eight-week online training program. Unlike previous research, which often focused on recognizing exact pitch heights, this program emphasized learning pitch classes — the core of absolute pitch. To prevent reliance on relative pitch strategies, participants were trained without external cues or mental note comparisons. They also had to complete the final level multiple times to rule out lucky guesses.
Despite the common belief that absolute pitch cannot be learned in adulthood, the participants showed remarkable progress. On average, they successfully identified seven musical pitches with at least 90% accuracy. Two individuals even demonstrated perfect recognition of all twelve pitches, performing at a level comparable to those naturally possessing absolute pitch.
Dr. Yetta Wong, principal investigator and lecturer at the University of Surrey said:
"Our findings provide compelling evidence that absolute pitch is not limited to a select few. With focused training, adults can acquire this remarkable skill, much like how they learn other complex cognitive skills."
Dr. Alan Wong, co-author of the paper and senior lecturer at Surrey's School of Psychology added:
"This research has significant implications for our understanding of musical cognition and learning and opens doors for musicians of all ages to explore and develop their musicality to its fullest potential."
Reference: "Learning fast and accurate absolute pitch judgment in adulthood" by Yetta Kwailing Wong, Leo Y. T. Cheung, Vince S. H. Ngan and Alan C.-N. Wong, 12 February 2025, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.
DOI: 10.3758/s13423-024-02620-2
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