New research challenges long-held musical belief

It’s been a long-held belief that absolute pitch—the ability to identify musical notes without reference—is a rare gift reserved for a select few with special genetic gifts or those who began musical training in early childhood. However, new research from the University of Surrey challenges this, demonstrating that adults can acquire this skill through rigorous training.

The findings have been published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.

The study involved a diverse group of 12 adult musicians, with varying levels of musical experience, who participated in an eight-week online training program.

Unlike previous studies, this training encouraged learning the pitch class—what absolute pitch is really about—rather than specific pitch heights. It also minimized the reliance on relative pitch strategies, such as comparing notes mentally with external cues and feedback during tests, to determine the correct answers. Additionally, to minimize the chance of accidental success, participants were required to complete the final level of training multiple times.

Despite the widespread belief that absolute pitch is impossible to learn in adulthood, participants made significant progress, learning to identify an average of seven musical pitches with 90% accuracy or higher. Notably, two participants achieved fast and accurate performance with all twelve pitches comparable to those naturally possessing this skill in the real world.

Dr. Yetta Wong, principal investigator and lecturer from 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.”

It’s been a long-held belief that absolute pitch—the ability to identify musical notes without reference—is a rare gift reserved for a select few with special genetic gifts or those who began musical training in early childhood. However, new research from the University of Surrey challenges this, demonstrating that adults can acquire this skill through rigorous training.

The findings have been published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.

The study involved a diverse group of 12 adult musicians, with varying levels of musical experience, who participated in an eight-week online training program.

Unlike previous studies, this training encouraged learning the pitch class—what absolute pitch is really about—rather than specific pitch heights. It also minimized the reliance on relative pitch strategies, such as comparing notes mentally with external cues and feedback during tests, to determine the correct answers. Additionally, to minimize the chance of accidental success, participants were required to complete the final level of training multiple times.

Despite the widespread belief that absolute pitch is impossible to learn in adulthood, participants made significant progress, learning to identify an average of seven musical pitches with 90% accuracy or higher. Notably, two participants achieved fast and accurate performance with all twelve pitches comparable to those naturally possessing this skill in the real world.

Dr. Yetta Wong, principal investigator and lecturer from 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.”