In order to train your left brain and ears with relative pitch, you have to have a basic understanding of music theory. Many agree that relative pitch is a “logical” way of interpreting pitch, whereas perfect pitch is the more “artistic” way, as each uses different parts of the brain. Perfect pitch is an innate ability that can’t necessarily be taught, which is why relative pitch is so important. Of course, you still have to rehearse just as others do, but having perfect pitch is beneficial. With the ability to identify notes as you hear them, you can oftentimes sing more in-tune because you are able to hear the quality of your own pitch. Relative pitch still means you can identify the C sharp, but you are able to do so based off of the note’s relationship with others. For instance, if you hear a C sharp, you know that it is a C sharp. Just to clear things up a bit, “perfect pitch” means that you are able to identify a single pitch.

Here’s what you need to know when it comes to perfect pitch vs relative pitch and being able to sing more in-tune.

Don’t fret if you don’t naturally have such an ability, because there are ways you can train your ear in order to develop better pitch. Some are brought into this world with perfect pitch, but not all of us can be so lucky. A large part of becoming a better singer means becoming a better listener first.

Ear trainer for perfect pitch