Relative pitch
The ability to identify or reproduce a note by relating it to another note rather than by recognising its absolute frequency.
Relative pitch is what most musicians actually use: given a reference note, they can find any interval above or below it and name what they hear. It is distinct from perfect pitch, which recognises a pitch with no reference at all, and it is far more useful in practice because music is made of relationships. Singers, improvisers and anyone who transposes by ear depend on it, and it improves steadily with practice.
Example: A player who can find the fifth above any note that is played to them is demonstrating relative pitch.
See also
Related
- PageEar training
- PageInterval
- PageTuning
- PageAugmented chord
- PageBlue note
- PageBlues scale
- PageAaron Dessner
- PageAce Frehley