Musical hearing and perception

The article uses “musical aptitude” to mean a person's capacity for musical learning and discusses it in terms of inherited potential. It describes musical hearing and perception tests as one way of assessing aspects of that capacity; such results should not be treated as a fixed limit on learning.

Among the best-known tests are those associated with Seashore, Wing and Gordon. The article dates an early Seashore trial in the United States to 1912 and mentions use in Turkey in 1992; these historical dates require separate verification.

In Turkey, assessments of musical perception often ask candidates to reproduce single notes or groups of two, three or four notes, tonal or makam-based melodies, and rhythmic patterns, with some differences between institutions.

• Reproducing rhythmic patterns gives an indication of rhythmic awareness.

• Reproducing successive intervals gives an indication of the ability to perceive separate pitches and their relationships.

• Reproducing simultaneous groups of notes, or chords, gives an indication of the ability to hear relationships between pitches.

• Reproducing melodies gives an indication of musical memory.

Musical hearing includes perceiving, identifying, distinguishing and analysing sounds. This article discusses three categories: approximate pitch perception, relative pitch and absolute pitch.

1. Approximate pitch perception

Approximate pitch perception identifies the general register of a sound, such as low or high, without necessarily naming its exact pitch.

2. Relative pitch

Relative pitch is the ability to recognise, distinguish and name pitches by comparing them with a known reference tone.

3. Absolute pitch

Absolute pitch is the ability to identify and name a pitch without comparing it with a known reference tone. The article contrasts earlier explanations based solely on inheritance with research considering environment, early musical education and sustained practice. This should not be read as a guarantee that any particular training will produce absolute pitch.

Gülden Şair
Rekor Sanat – Piano Teacher