I read an article a few weeks ago about tone deafness being a genetic trait. I don't know about perfect pitch but my mother couldn't carry a note in a bucket and I inherited it from her. I can hear when a guitar is out of tune only because over the years I have tuned mine so many times. I am able to learn songs by listening to them a little easier than I used to so I know that your ear can be trained to an extent. I cannot sing. I have tried and even had a friend try to coach me. I can hear that I am out of key but cannot make my voice "get the note". I think in my case it would classify as a handicap because I love music (all kinds).I always wondered why some of my friends that picked up a guitar about the same time I did, progressed so much faster than I. And it wasn't for lack of practice. Over the years my ear has gotten much better, but it is definetly due to exposure and practice. When I first started I could no more learn a song from an album than split an atom, but it comes more easily now. I am always awed by someone like Patsy Cline. The girl had an incredible voice and no clue what key she was singing in. Maybe not perfect pitch but definetly talent that she was born with.