Can You Develop Perfect Pitch?

Throughout the hallways of any music college, a swirling maelstrom of unfounded egos and unwashed clothing blends into a silent storm of tension, with eyes darting to and fro, analyzing, judging, comparing.. It’d be a nightmare if it weren’t a dream come true for these blissfully ignorant young musicians (I’m speaking from experience).

During my time at a higher music education establishment, there was constant competition, which is meant to, whether on purpose or otherwise, to emulate the music industry. Who had the coolest licks, who was in the most intense ensembles, and who was always seen burning the midnight oil in the practice rooms were all trumped by one characteristic, whispered about longingly by most: “Do you have perfect pitch?”

As if touched by some holy musical force, perfect pitch distinguished you beyond even the most virtuosic musicians in the school. You were the most rare flower, the most special star, and despite the fact you didn’t really have to work hard to achieve your status, you were looked upon with great respect and admiration. If only there was a way to develop this majestic power.

Tyler Larson is the founder of the guitar-centric brand Music is Win. His insightful, uncomplicated guitar lessons and gear demonstrations along with entertaining, satirical content about life as a musician receive tens of millions of video views per month across social media. Tyler is also the creator of the extremely popular online guitar learning platform, Guitar Super System. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Tyler has been teaching guitar for over a decade and operates a production studio in Nashville, TN.