Absolute pitch, also known as "perfect pitch", is a relatively rare cognitive trait that involves the ability to identify and name musical pitches without the use of a reference pitch.

We are conducting a genetic study of absolute pitch. The purpose of this study is to learn the location of the gene or genes (a segment of DNA required to contribute to a function) that contributes to absolute pitch ability.

If you, and/or another member of your family has absolute pitch, you may be eligible to participate.

Participation is simple and not time consuming. It is conducted by mail and over the telephone. You will be asked to complete a brief telephone interview, take a seven-minute pitch identification test over the telephone and provide a cheek cell sample. There will be no cost to you to participate.

A bibliography of absolute pitch that contains more than 350 papers

PK Gregersen (1998), "Instant recognition: the genetics of pitch perception", American Journal of Human Genetics, 62(2):221-223. [PDF]

PK Gregersen, E Kowalsky, N Kohn, EW Marvin (1999), "Absolute pitch: prevalence, ethnic variation, and estimation of the genetic component" (letters to the editor), American Journal of Human Genetics, 65(3):911-913. [PDF]

PK Gregersen, E Kowalsky, N Kohn, EM Marvin (2001), "Early childhood music education and predisposition to absolute pitch: teasing apart genes and environment", American Journal of Medical Genetics, 98(3):280-282. [PDF]

PK Gregersen, E Kowalsky, W Li (2007), "Reply to Henthorn and Deutsch -- Ethnicity versus early environment: Comment on 'Early childhood music education and predisposition to absolute pitch: teasing apart genes and environment", American Journal of Medical Genetics, 143A:104-105. [PDF]

Supplement materials: (1) README file on the 785 AP samples; (2) 785APsamples(.txt)

Center Website: http://www.boasgeneticscenter.org/genetics/

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