Pitch tests
Two short tests. About two minutes each. Headphones help.
Name the note
Same or different
What this is
Two short listening games, about two minutes each. One is naming a note with nothing to compare it to. The other is hearing whether a second note is higher, lower or the same. You get a score, not a verdict on your hearing.
How to use it
- Put on headphones and sit somewhere quiet. Set the volume to a comfortable level before you start.
- Pick a test and answer each round by ear. Do not hum, and do not check a piano or a tuner.
- Read your score, then save the card or copy the result. Try again on another day to see how it changes.
Questions
What is perfect pitch?
Perfect pitch, also called absolute pitch, is naming a note you hear with nothing to compare it to. It is rare, and many musicians play, mix and write well without it.
Can perfect pitch be learned?
Whether adults can acquire it is debated, and most people who have it started young. What you can train is relative pitch: hearing how far one note is from another. That is the useful skill for making music, and the ear training game teaches it.
What does tone deaf mean?
People use it for anyone who struggles to hear pitch differences. A real condition called amusia exists but is uncommon, and this test does not diagnose it. If you are worried, ask a doctor or a music teacher.
What is a cent?
A cent is one hundredth of a semitone. 100 cents is one row on the piano roll, the step from one key to the next.
How can I get better?
Train intervals: learn to recognise the gap between two notes, then chords. Short daily sessions work better than long ones. The Ear training game does this step by step.