It often happens that children and other humans wanting to get into a music program are given a test to determine their musical aptitude. The test is likely to include a segment where the test giver plays two different notes and asks the applicant which note is higher. When the individual does not answer correctly, he or she is often determined to be “tone deaf.” Many people carry this label with them for life.

But hold on – “High” and “low” are, in the physical world, arbitrary terms, are they not? One end of the piano is not actually higher off the ground than the other, and the fingerboard of the violin is likewise horizontal. On a cello, the players hand actually moves farther and farther down the fingerboard as the pitch rises.

In my work with children, I have discovered that individuals with extremely discerning ears simply perceive relationships among notes as something other than high or low. They might hear two different notes as brighter and darker, lighter and heavier, little animal and big animal, younger and older. To find out Max’s take on it, click  here.

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