Relative Pitch Test

What it measures

This test checks your relative pitch — the ability to recognise musical intervals, the distance between two notes, by ear. It measures how accurately you can name an interval such as a perfect fifth or an octave after hearing the two notes that form it.

How it works

You hear two piano-like notes played one after the other, low note then high note, and choose the interval between them from six common options (major 2nd, major 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, major 6th, octave). Each trial uses a different randomly chosen starting note, so you can't rely on remembering a fixed pitch — only on hearing the relationship between the two notes. You do this across twelve trials. With six options, pure guessing scores about 17%, so the result compares your accuracy against that chance level to show whether your interval recognition is meaningfully better than guessing.

Tips for an accurate result

• 1Anchor intervals to songs you know — Many intervals match the opening of a well-known tune — for example a perfect fifth opens 'Twinkle, Twinkle' and an octave opens 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'. Linking sounds to songs is a classic ear-training shortcut.
• 2Practise a little and often — Relative pitch responds well to short, frequent sessions. A few minutes of interval drills most days improves recognition faster than occasional long sessions.
• 3Retest to track your progress — Because this skill is trainable, retaking the test after some ear training is a good way to see real improvement over weeks rather than a fixed verdict on your ability.