Final answer:
Absolute pitch, or perfect pitch, is the ability to identify or reproduce a musical note without an external reference. It contrasts with relative pitch, where a person can distinguish between different pitches based on frequency differences. Perfect pitch is a rare skill that allows one to recognize notes like A-sharp or C solely by their sound.
Step-by-step explanation:
Absolute pitch, commonly referred to as perfect pitch, is the rare ability of a person to identify or recreate a given musical note without the benefit of an external reference. Pitch, in general, refers to the perception of sound frequencies, and most individuals have what is known as relative pitch—they can discern differences between pitches if the frequency change is significant (around 0.3% or more). For example, people can typically tell that a sound with a frequency of 500.0 Hz is different from one with a frequency of 501.5 Hz. However, those with perfect pitch can identify specific notes, such as A-sharp or C, just by hearing them, and can often sing or play a given note on demand without any reference tone.