Perfect pitchPerfect pitch is the ability to identify any pitch simply by hearing it. No one knows why some people have it and most of us don't. What can we do about it?
People with perfect or absolute pitch have mystified me my entire life. Some don't even know they have it! I went to college with people whose pitch recognition was perfect and it was so infuriating! They aced music tests while I struggled to take dictation, identify intervals, and play in tune. How does one get this skill? No one knows. When my oldest son was about 7 or 8 years old, I decided I was going to teach him to have good relative pitch. We started working on naming notes and he was getting every one correct! It wasn't long until I realized... My child had perfect pitch! I have three other children who don't have it. They have good relative pitch, though, and that can definitely be developed to a high degree.
Can working with a software product improve your relative pitch recognition? Absolutely! Ear training is like training any other muscle--the more you work on it, the better it gets. Does having absolute pitch guarantee that you will be a wonderful musician? No, not at all. It certainly gives that person an advantage, but they still have to work on the other elements of musicianship, such as mastering their instrument, playing expressively, and blending with other musicians to name a few. Working to develop perfect or absolute pitch can help with your intonation as you develop as a flutist.
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