# Can perfect pitch be lost?



## Gordontrek (Jun 22, 2012)

I was reading about Gustav Mahler, and it is said that he possessed absolute pitch earlier in his life but lost it as he got older. Those of you more knowledgeable about Mahler may want to correct me if I got that wrong, though. 
This made me ask the question- is it really possible to lose the ability over time? If it happened to Mahler, I suppose it could happen to anyone, but that leaves the question of whether Mahler really did lose his absolute pitch. 
I'm sure that if one has perfect pitch early in life but neglects music for a long time, he might lose it, but suppose he never does quit. Can he still lose his perfect pitch?


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I know that perfect pitch gets lost on my guitar strings a lot sooner than I'd wish. Must be my frenetic strumming!

Check out these articles. You may find them of interest.

http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/2007/10/10/why-perfect-pitch-isnt-always/

http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2013/06/11/perfect-pitch-may-not-be-absolute-after-all


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Interesting. I had never heard that story about Mahler supposedly losing his perfect pitch . I've never heard of anyone actually losing absolute pitch, although I supposed it's possible .
I occasionally get confused temporarily and become a bit uncertain about pitch, especially when I'm listening to a complex work new to me or which I don't know very well , but I always regain my bearing before long .


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Maybe he found it again in the 9th


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

There are unusual mental competencies that can be lost as one ages -- eidetic memories, for instance -- so I guess absolute pitch could be a similar thing.


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

I never had perfect pitch, but I had good relative pitch identification as a child. Since I was in my late 20's I have been losing my hearing, especially at higher frequencies. At 52 my relative pitch identification is now rather poor (and is slightly different in each ear for some frequencies). 

I'm guessing that if I had had perfect pitch as a child, I wouldn't have now.


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## jenspen (Apr 25, 2015)

Gerald Moore, the accompanist, had absolute pitch and was relieved to lose it over time because he so frequently had to transpose piano pieces to accommodate different voices.

I am in awe of those with absolute pitch, or even perfect pitch, but not of the suffering they must endure having to listen to the rest of us being a quarter tone off.


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