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
News
What If Consciousness Exists Beyond Your Brain
Scientists still don’t know how consciousness emerges from the brain. New ideas suggest it may not emerge at all, but instead be a basic feature of reality. Is consciousness produced by the brain, or [...]
Scientists Discover Way To Treat Lung Cancer and Its Deadly Side Effect Together
A new approach using lipid nanoparticles to deliver genetic material is showing promise in tackling two major challenges in lung cancer at once.Researchers at Oregon State University have designed a new way to tackle two of [...]
Saunas Activate Your Immune System
A brief sauna session may quietly mobilize the immune system. A sauna session may do more than raise your heart rate and body temperature. A new study from Finland found that it also briefly [...]
Why music from your youth still has such an intense effect years later: A psychological perspective
You're driving, and suddenly a familiar song fills the air. Before you even know it, a wave of emotions comes over you – not just memories, but a deep, almost physical feeling. This powerful [...]
AI to antibody in days: breaking the wet lab bottleneck via high-throughput integration
The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in drug design has fundamentally shifted from a speculative tool to a central pillar of pharmaceutical research and development (R&D). Sino Biological plays a critical role in this [...]
Regenerative Healthcare by Design: Engineering Health-Centric Buildings and Urban Ecosystems
Introduction The next evolution of healthcare will not be confined to hospitals, clinics, or episodic interventions—it will be embedded into the infrastructure of everyday life. Regenerative health ecosystems require a systemic re-architecture of how [...]
Scientists Warn: Humanity Has Pushed the Planet Past Its Limits
Human population and consumption have surpassed Earth’s limits, increasing risks to climate and global stability. The Earth is already operating beyond its capacity to sustainably support the global population, according to new research highlighting [...]
Breakthrough Study Reveals Why Damaged Nerves Struggle To Heal
A newly identified molecular mechanism reveals how neurons weigh survival against repair after injury. Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have identified a molecular switch in neurons that limits the regrowth of [...]
Popular Vitamin B3 Supplements May Help Cancer Cells Survive, Scientists Warn
A new study raises important questions about widely used NAD+ supplements, suggesting that compounds often taken to boost energy and support healthy aging may have unintended consequences in cancer treatment. Millions of Americans take [...]
Scientists Discover Cancer Tumors Are “Addicted” to This Common Antioxidant
Cancer cells may be exploiting a common antioxidant as fuel, revealing a potential weakness that future therapies could target. Cancer cells may be tapping into an unexpected energy source: an antioxidant long associated with [...]
Nanotube injector transfers cytoplasmic contents and organelles between living cells safely
Cells are not isolated units; they continuously exchange proteins, genetic material, and even entire organelles with their neighbors. Intercellular transfer influences how tissues develop, respond to stress, and repair damage. In certain cancers, for [...]
CEO of America’s largest public hospital system is ready to replace radiologists with AI
The chief executive of America’s largest public hospital system says he is prepared to start replacing radiologists with artificial intelligence in some circumstances, once the regulatory landscape catches up. Mitchell H. Katz, MD, president [...]
Our books now available worldwide!
Online Sellers other than Amazon, Routledge, and IOPP Indigo Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artifcial Intelligence Global Health Care Equivalency In The Age Of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine And Artificial [...]
Study finds higher heart disease risk in long COVID patients
People with long COVID are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in eClinicalMedicine. The results show that the risk of conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias [...]
The Corona variant Cicada is here – we know that
Online and on social media, reports are piling up about a new Sars-Cov-2 variant that is currently on the rise: BA.3.2, also known as Cicada. That's what it's all about: The Omicron variant BA.3.2, [...]
A Simple Blood Test Could Predict Dementia Risk 25 Years Early
A single blood marker may quietly signal dementia risk decades in advance. Scientists at the University of California, San Diego, have identified a blood signal that could forecast dementia risk decades before symptoms begin. Their [...]
