"Relative Pitch" Is Human | The Institute for Creation Research

"Relative Pitch" Is Human

A new study out of the University of Rochester has revealed that more people have perfect pitch than was expected. Perfect, or “absolute,” pitch is the ability to recognize or produce a specific musical note without a known reference and has traditionally been associated with musically trained individuals.

A collaboration between the university’s Eastman School of Music and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, this study developed a method involving replaying certain trios of notes, then testing whether listeners recognized those from among new trios. The researchers discovered that some non-musicians have perfect pitch, a fact that previous tests had been unable to assess since such individuals typically do not have the training necessary to identify musical notes by name.

Research has also yielded an interesting distinction regarding pitch perception in humans and animals.

Humans are unique in that we possess the ability to identify pitches based on their relation to other pitches, an ability called relative pitch. Previous studies had shown that animals such as birds, for instance, can identify a series of repeated notes with ease, but when the notes are transposed up or down even a small amount, the melody becomes completely foreign to the bird.1

In other words, only humans have the ability to recognize a melody that has been modulated even a half step up or down the note scale.

People also experience a complex pattern of brain activity when they recognize sounds by relative pitch. An electroencephalograph study confirmed that the brain’s electrical activity during absolute pitch recognition was “automatic,” but relative pitch recognition involved “broader areas of the cortex over longer periods of time.”2 This suggests that “relative pitch hearing may require more brainpower than perfect pitch.”1

Similarities between humans and apes are often highlighted as indications of an evolutionary relationship. But here is an empirical example of a distinctly human capacity. Among the many other differences between mankind and the animal kingdom, this is a further confirmation of man’s creation as a unique being, with intellectual, creative, and musical abilities that are found in no other creature. Again, empirical science reflects the biblical testimony that man is made in the image of God.3

References

  1. 'Perfect Pitch' in Humans Far More Prevalent than Expected. University of Rochester press release, August 25, 2008.
  2. Itoh, K. et al. 2005. Electrophysiological Correlates of Absolute Pitch and Relative Pitch. Cerebral Cortex. 15 (6): 760-769.
  3. Genesis 1:26-27.

* Mr. Thomas is Science Writer.

Article posted on September 3, 2008.

The Latest
NEWS
Valued Longtime ICR Employee Mary Smith Retires
Mary Morris Smith, an employee of the Institute for Creation Research for many years, has retired. The second daughter of ICR founder Dr. Henry M. Morris...

NEWS
Man of Science, Man of God: George Washington Carver
Who:  George Washington Carver What: Father of Modern Agriculture When: 1864 or 1865 – January 5, 1943 Where: Diamond Grove,...

ACTS & FACTS
The Scopes Monkey Trial: A Battle of Worldviews
Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee, and its statue of William Jennings Bryan Image credit: M. Mueller The Scopes Monkey...

ACTS & FACTS
Long Non-Coding RNAs: The Unsung Heroes of the Genome
Evolutionary theory holds that all living things came about through random, natural processes. So conventional scientists believe the genome has developed...

ACTS & FACTS
Yosemite National Park, Part 1: Tiny Clues of a Grand Picture
Yosemite National Park in California is a sure source of stunning scenery. It’s no wonder that American naturalist John Muir persuaded President...

ACTS & FACTS
From Inference to Theory: A Common Design Case Study
Without a doubt, humans, chimpanzees, and other organisms share similar features. An early explanation was that these features reflect similar designs...

ACTS & FACTS
Creation Kids: T. rex
by Michael Stamp and Susan Windsor* You're never too young to be a creation scientist and explore our Creator's world. Kids, discover...

ACTS & FACTS
Entering By The Door
Recently, I hosted a visiting pastor from a large church at ICR’s Discovery Center. As I guided him through our Dallas museum, one conversation...

ACTS & FACTS
Creation Mission in Fiji
Michele discusses pages from Explore the World with boys at an orphanage Image credit: Brian Thomas In 2024 my wife, Michele,...

NEWS
Distant Galaxies Continue to Challenge the Big Bang
Recently, a team of scientists released data collected from 800,000 galaxies at different distances from Earth, all lying within the same narrow slice...