
Why perfect pitch isn't worth wanting: Adam Neely on absolute and relative pitch
Adam NeelyRecommended by 6 people on Hacker News, 2021–2025
2.5M views · 5 years ago · talk
What absolute pitch actually is, how it differs from untrained and quasi-absolute pitch, why trained relative pitch matters more to working musicians, and the downsides of perfect pitch, including drift with age.
Clears up a common myth and points ear training toward relative pitch, the skill you can actually build.
1 comment from Hacker News
The good news for people without perfect pitch who feel bad about it is that people who learn relative pitch retain it for life while perfect pitch declines precipitously with age.