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Timbre

Definition

Timbre refers to the quality of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds, even when they have the same pitch and loudness. It is often described as the "color" or "tone color" of a sound.

Analogy

Think of timbre like different flavors of ice cream. While all ice creams have a similar texture (pitch) and sweetness (loudness), they can taste very different due to their unique flavors (timbres). Just like how you can recognize different ice cream flavors by their taste, you can recognize different sounds by their timbre.

Related terms

Harmonics: These are additional frequencies that accompany the main frequency in a sound. They contribute to the timbre of a sound.

Overtones: Similar to harmonics, overtones are higher frequencies present in a complex sound wave. They also play a role in determining the timbre.

Spectrogram: A visual representation that displays how various frequencies change over time in a sound. It helps analyze and understand the timbral characteristics of music.