We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions from our customers.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us through
the Correspondence Course Inquiry/Application Formor via email.
[ Music Theory Correspondence Course ]
Do I send my answers to the practice questions via email?
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Please submit your answers via email. We will usually provide feedback
within one week.
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Is the tuition fee listed on the website a monthly fee?
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The tuition fees listed on the site for both the Music Theory Correspondence
Course and the Absolute Pitch Training Correspondence Course cover the
entire course up to the final stage. There are no additional charges for
registration fees or teaching materials. |
[ Absolute Pitch Training Correspondence Course ]
Can adults truly acquire absolute pitch?
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Training for absolute pitch has some similarities to language learning.
The idea that "absolute pitch cannot be acquired after childhood"
is analogous to the idea that "adults cannot become native speakers
of a foreign language." Indeed, no matter how diligently adults study
a foreign language, they may not become completely native-like in pronunciation,
vocabulary, grammar, or listening comprehension. However, with effort,
it is possible to attain a level of proficiency that is effective for everyday
conversations and business.
Similarly, with proper and continuous training in absolute pitch, even
adults can acquire a level of absolute pitch that is useful for composing,
arranging, and improvising. |
Will taking this course guarantee that I will acquire absolute pitch?
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There is significant individual variation in aptitude for developing absolute
pitch. While we will provide lessons to the best of our ability, not everyone
can acquire absolute pitch, and some participants may not achieve results
even after fully completing the course content. Therefore, in the Basic
Course, we have incorporated several checkpoints in the curriculum and
conduct ongoing aptitude evaluations through email correspondence. If we
determine that a participant is not suited for developing absolute pitch
through our course, we will cancel their enrollment, deduct a JPY 1,000
processing fee, and refund the full tuition amount.
As of December 2024, the cancellation rate for foundation course students
is less than 5%. The average duration of study in the Basic Course is between
six months and one and a half years for both the first and second stages
combined. The maximum duration of study is one year for each stage. Re-enrollment
after the end of the study period is generally not permitted. |
Will I gain anything besides absolute pitch from this course?
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In this course, we aim not only to develop absolute pitch but also to improve
tonal perception, relative pitch, rhythm sense, sight-reading ability,
and chord resolution skills, resulting in a comprehensive enhancement of
musicality. Additionally, the course includes vocal training, which will
help you develop the ability to sing in tune.
One of the most significant benefits of acquiring absolute pitch is the
ability to intuitively understand music theory, such as chord progressions.
This understanding, in turn, will support the application of absolute pitch.
(The relationship between absolute pitch and music transcription is also
explained on our "Our Philosophy on Music Transcription" page.) |
Can I take lessons during my commute or in the car?
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Simply listening to the MP3/CD materials without actively engaging in the
content will not yield the desired results. It is crucial to concentrate
and work with the sheet music. Therefore, it is not recommended to practice
in an environment, like inside a train car, where there are many distractions
and it may be difficult to focus. |
I have very little previous musical experience; is that okay?
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Previous musical experience has no bearing on aptitude for developing absolute
pitch. A strong desire to acquire absolute pitch, along with the ability
to dedicate at least 30 minutes to an hour every day (or every other day)
to lessons, is the minimum requirement for developing absolute pitch through
our course.
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Once absolute pitch is acquired, will it remain with me for life?
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As long as you complete the first stage of the Basic Course (i.e., acquire
the ability to identify single tones), you can maintain your absolute pitch
by simply listening to and identifying the various sounds that enter your
ears, as long as you don't lead a completely music-free life. In other
words, as long as there is music in your daily life, it is unlikely that
your absolute pitch will disappear, even without continuing the training
from our course. |
Will I lose the ability to read transposing instrument sheet music if I
develop absolute pitch?
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When you develop absolute pitch, the notes on sheet music are strongly
linked to the actual sound of the note, not just its name. As a result,
reading sheet music in a so-called "transposing key" becomes
fundamentally impossible.
The way sheet music is read by those with absolute pitch and those without
is significantly different. Many people with absolute pitch are excellent
at sight-reading and can play an instrument immediately from a new piece
of sheet music. This is because they can perceive the notes on the sheet
music as the actual sound of the note itself. When looking at sheet music,
the notes "sound" in their head even before they play the instrument,
and the instrument's keys or positions are associated with both the note
name and the actual sound of the note. This allows them to directly reproduce
the sound on the instrument as if they were following an example. This
is very similar to the process we go through when reading a text, pronouncing
each word in our heads and then vocalizing it.
On the other hand, for many people without absolute pitch, the notes on
sheet music are perceived as symbols, from which they read the note names
(do/C, re/D, mi/E, etc.) and play the corresponding keys or positions on
the instrument. Only then do the notes on the sheet music become actual
sounds. It's a matter of whether the notes function as a source of sound
themselves or serve as symbols.
When people with absolute pitch read sheet music by its note names (do,
re, mi, etc.), the actual sound of the note simultaneously "sounds"
in their head. They then play the corresponding keys or positions on the
instrument and confirm that the sound in their head matches the actual
sound coming from the instrument. It's like having a monitor speaker inside
their head during a live performance.
Because of these differences in how sheet music is read, once you develop
absolute pitch, you cannot return to your previous way of reading. Notes
will always be perceived as the actual sound itself.
Returning to the topic of "transposing keys," this method of
reading sheet music is based on relative pitch. People with absolute pitch
also have relative pitch, but the former has a stronger effect than the
latter, making "transposing keys" fundamentally impossible.
Although the sheet music for transposing instruments is not written in
a "transposing key," it is similar to it in that the notes on
the sheet music are linked to sounds of different pitches than the actual
sound.
Instruments such as clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, and horns are transposing
instruments, so their sheet music is written in a different key than non-transposing
instruments like pianos and flutes. (While guitars, basses, and piccolos
are technically octave-transposing instruments, they are written in the
same key and note names as non-transposing instruments, so we will ignore
them here.)
Even those with absolute pitch can handle the sheet music for transposing
instruments with appropriate training. Details about this training method
will be explained as necessary during the lessons. |
Are there any inconveniences associated with having absolute pitch?
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Whether or not having absolute pitch is inconvenient varies from person
to person, depending on the individual's level of absolute pitch and their
environment.
However, as mentioned in a previous question, once you acquire absolute
pitch, you can no longer read sheet music using "transposing key."
Consequently, those who play transposing instruments will experience a
significant decline in speed and accuracy when reading sheet music unless
they undertake the coping strategies mentioned earlier. The constant discrepancy
between the pitch playing in one's head and the actual sound produced by
the instrument can cause considerable stress, and in some cases, it may
even prevent a person from playing altogether.
Some people also find it somewhat inconvenient to hear everyday sounds
as musical notes. For example, when trying to concentrate on reading or
some other task, even the slightest background music playing can unintentionally
catch their attention, and the "words" of the notes can be distracting,
undermining their focus. Moreover, because they can understand music intuitively,
people with absolute pitch may feel a significant difference in how they
interact with music compared to those without it, and in some cases, they
may find absolute pitch to be a hindrance when trying to simply enjoy music. |
Is it possible for an elementary school student to take this course?
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This course is specifically designed for adults to develop absolute pitch,
and as a general rule, individuals under the age of 18 are not eligible
to enroll. |
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