What is the ability to identify a note on the musical scale without a single reference point called?

Perfect pitch, or absolute pitch, is the ability to identify tones without a reference note. People with perfect pitch are able to recreate these tones, and typically do so perfectly. They do not have to "hunt" for the sound, which means making similar sounds to find the one they're looking for, and they do not need someone to play the tone beforehand. If you ask them to sing or hum a certain note, they will do so with ease.

They can also identify the key signature of certain songs, and identify what notes are being played. People with absolute pitch tend to excel at learning songs by ear, and some never learn sheet music.

Absolute pitch is a rare ability, and most people with this skill are born with it. While some argue that perfect pitch can be somewhat learned as an adult, others claim that it must be acquired at birth or learned as a young child. There have been no definite cases of an adult obtaining an innate sense of perfect pitch, though training and practice can make them well-versed in identifying tones.