🧠 Learning Fast and Accurate Absolute Pitch Judgment in Adulthood (2025)
🧠 Study Overview
This study investigates whether adults can acquire absolute pitch (AP), challenging the traditional view that it requires early childhood training or innate genetics. The authors conducted an 8-week online training program with 12 adult musicians, focusing on pitch class recognition without relying on relative pitch strategies. Key findings include:
- Learnable Skill: Participants learned to identify an average of 7.08 pitches with 90% accuracy, with some mastering all 12 pitches at near-native levels.
- New Training Method: The program minimized external cues and required repeated mastery, demonstrating that AP can be developed in adulthood with rigorous training.
- Challenges Old Beliefs: The study refutes the critical period hypothesis, suggesting AP is not exclusively innate or limited to early childhood, opening new possibilities for musical training.
The authors conclude that AP is a learnable skill for some adults, with significant implications for musical cognition and education, though individual variability and training intensity play key roles.
📄 Citation
Wong, Y.K., Cheung, L.Y.T., Ngan, V.S.H., & Wong, A.C.-N. (2025). Learning Fast and Accurate Absolute Pitch Judgment in Adulthood. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. Available at:
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