[ #SugaHQ_Misc] What is relative pitch and absolute pitch?

In his 2019 Vlive, Namjoon explains that he does not have absolute pitch the way Yoongi does, in reference to a fan asking him about his piano.

So what is absolute pitch? Absolute pitch, sometimes referred to as perfect pitch, is the ability to discern a musical note without the use of a reference note. It is an ability found in about 1 out of every 10.000 people.

In this video snippet we can see a musician use the keyboard to find his way to the correct note by playing several other notes. This is relative pitch, an ability most musicians develop as they learn to play any given instrument.

Here, someone with absolute pitch would not need to use the keyboard to work their way to the note, but simply know what it is by sound. Should you play a C or an F# on the piano - someone with absolute pitch would be able to recognize them as such instantly.

It is likely that Yoongi has a strong relative pitch rather than an absolute pitch, knowing how to play piano, more recently guitar, and having started composing music at a young age would lead to a well-developed ear. This in addition to studying advanced music theory.

Here we can hear Yoongi try to figure out the chord progression to BTS' Begin without reference or sheet music - simply by ear. You do not necessarily need absolute pitch to do this, but a well-trained relative pitch and a gifted hand at the piano.

While having perfect pitch is an advantage, the majority of musicians learn to fine-tune their relative pitch and simply deduce the correct notes by learning what the C or G# sounds like, and from there work their way through the scales to identify any other note.

Yoongi's background in the more formal aspects of music such as music theory and piano is the reason for the interesting chord progressions, layered productions, and varied soundscapes found in his music along with his name on the instrumental credits of his productions.

Hope this short thread provided some interesting insight into absolute and relative pitch, how it relates to the way music is played, and finally, how it applies to Yoongi's admirable skill set as a musician.

- Admin L