My mom is so tone-deaf she literally (I've tested this) cannot tell you which of 2 consecutive tones is higher. She loves opera and sings along. My oldest sister can hearwhich note is higher, but sings just like our mom - randomly. Her daughters didn't seem to be able to carry a tune in a picnic basket, but the younger one has just been "diagnosed" as having perfect pitch. She's now a gifted middle school oboist. Turns out she was singing exactly what she was hearing - her mother singing to her, randomly.

This made me wonder if perfect pitch might not be more common and less reported than thought. I know what I read in the media, but what's your experience?