Meaning and Definition of absolute ear | Concept and What is.

What is the absolute ear?

The absolute ear is defined as that capacity that have some people, especially musicians, to capture exactly what note is when they hear a noise; the capacity goes beyond the common "good ear", which denotes a good intonation or musical sense. In the most extreme and rare cases, the very thin, comes to identify notes that deviate from the standard pitch of 440 Hz.

The most common case (relatively speaking since it occurs in one in every ten thousand people), consists of people who can sing one note either on the scale without having a reference note of departure, what would be the 'active' case. In his '' inactive '' mode, occurs frequently in people that suffer from autism (not exclusively, of course that occurs in people with musical knowledge and certain affinity), and consists in the ability to identify a tone without any reference, but in this case the person who owns this hearing can not sing the note or tonality in question.

The pitch usually occurs in people who have had a strong contact with music and language from early childhood, since it is a skill that is necessarily developed bodies of 10 or 9 years of age. Sensitivity that have people with pitch is impressive, since they can capture up to the minimum desafinaciones, therefore, that if a note has an error for them can turn into something truly unbearable.

The origin of this ability has been much discussed. There are some experts who say that it is the legacy of a gene that includes this ability, being able to find it in one of every 1500 people. However, there are others who say that this can be developed, since there are some studies showing that 95% of people with absolute ear began to study music before the age of seven years of age, so it might be a form of musical memory. On the other hand, there is the myth that if to a newly born becomes him, from his earliest days playing a campaign in the note, then develop absolute ear.

As well as there is the absolute ear, there is also the so-called relative ear. The latter is more common than the former and is characterized by the capacity that have those who have it recognize the notes having a particular reference. For example, request the person to sing a, not will he succeed with accuracy, but if given to hear such a note you can sing any other notes of the scale.

While the accuracy of relative ear is less, with proper training can achieve things as impressive as that can be an absolute ear.

Translated for educational purposes.