Pitch is the psychological attribute of sound that corresponds most closely to frequency. It is the quality that makes a tone sound high or low.

Higher frequencies are heard as higher pitches; lower frequencies as lower pitches. The relationship is orderly but not perfectly linear, and it is influenced by intensity and by the presence of overtones. Place coding on the basilar membrane and temporal coding in the auditory nerve both contribute to pitch perception, with place mechanisms dominating at high frequencies and temporal mechanisms at low frequencies.

Absolute pitch—the ability to name or produce a given pitch without a reference—is rare and usually requires early musical training. Relative pitch, the ability to judge intervals and contours, is far more common and is essential for recognizing melodies. Disorders of pitch perception can leave loudness and rhythm intact while disrupting the recognition of speech intonation and music.

When a note sounds high or low, pitch is the experience the auditory system has constructed from frequency.