7/26/2019 How, Physically, Do We Define the Timbre of Sound?

1/3

5/13/16, 30ow, physically, do we define the timbre of sound? - Quora

Page ttps://www.quora.com/How-physically-do-we-define-the-timbre-of-sound

How, physically, do we define the timbre of sound?If pitch corresponds to the frequency of the wave, volume to the amplitude. Then what

characteristic of a wave maps itself to 'quality' and 'timbre'

Related Questions

More Answers Below

Physics: Is the velocity of sound in air independent of the velocity of the sound source?

Why?

Blues Music: What is the tonal or timbre di!erence between playing guitar with a slide

and without? What are the physics of the "slidey" soun...

In terms of qualities of sound like pitch, loudness, phase, direction, distance, and timbre,

how do Hi-Fi vinyl recordings sound di!erent tha...

What sounds defines the Domino music genre?

Does my singing Timbre change everyday? If it sounds the same to others, why do I feel

that it sounds di!erent?

Physics: Is the velocity of sound in air independent of

the velocity of the sound source? Why?

Blues Music: What is the tonal or timbre di!erence

between playing guitar with a slide and without? Whaare the physics of the "slidey" soun...

In terms of qualities of sound like pitch, loudness,

phase, direction, distance, and timbre, how do Hi-Fi

vinyl recordings sound di!erent tha...

What sounds defines the Domino music genre?

Does my singing Timbre change everyday? If it

sounds the same to others, why do I feel that it

sounds di!erent?

What causes di!erent timbres?

What defines the firing sound of car or bike?

What is the technique called that produces a vocal

e!ect to the timbres to sound as if they had been

pitch shifted without touching the actua...

What does timbre mean?

How can I physically sound like di!erent people?

Physics of Sound Acoustics Sound Music

2 Answers

Idon't know so much about physically, except that, of course, sound is physical.

Mathematically, we define the timbre according to the frequency distribution of the

Fourier analysis of the waveform associated with the sound.

The "pitch" is only the fundamental frequency (usually). Other frequencies exist, and they

are what's responsible for the timbre.

This is a pretty good introduction:

Fourier analysis in Music - Rhea

With a piano, it gets a bit more complicated, because there are three or two strings per

note, and they are tuned to slightly different frequencies. So you get overtones and

undertones that can be below the fundamental frequency. Still, the assumption of a single

fundamental is pretty good for most instruments.

Written Mar 28, 2014"View Upvotes"Answer requested by Aanand Srinivas

Eric Pepke

91 Views

Timbre, or tone quality, is most closely related to the physical phenomena of unfolding

partials in the spectrum of a sound, called the spectral envelope. It is what allows us to

distinguish between two different instruments playing the same note at the same

amplitude.

Other aspects of timbre include vibrato (most important) and tremolo (less important).

Violins have very narrow formants (or resonating frequencies), and the addition of vibrato

may push a tone in and out of a peak formant region, making for a very dynamic sound.

This is further tempered by our perception of the complex of formants for a particular

Dan Styles, Music Producer & Audio Engineer. OG Junglist. Web Developer.

Programmer.

44 Views

Related Questions

Sign InSearch for questions, people, and topics

https://www.quora.com/https://www.quora.com/Does-my-singing-Timbre-change-everyday-If-it-sounds-the-same-to-others-why-do-I-feel-that-it-sounds-differenthttps://www.quora.com/Physics-Is-the-velocity-of-sound-in-air-independent-of-the-velocity-of-the-sound-source-Whyhttps://www.quora.com/profile/Eric-Pepkehttps://www.quora.com/In-terms-of-qualities-of-sound-like-pitch-loudness-phase-direction-distance-and-timbre-how-do-Hi-Fi-vinyl-recordings-sound-different-than-compressed-MP3shttps://www.quora.com/Blues-Music-What-is-the-tonal-or-timbre-difference-between-playing-guitar-with-a-slide-and-without-What-are-the-physics-of-the-slidey-soundhttps://www.quora.com/In-terms-of-qualities-of-sound-like-pitch-loudness-phase-direction-distance-and-timbre-how-do-Hi-Fi-vinyl-recordings-sound-different-than-compressed-MP3shttps://www.quora.com/Blues-Music-What-is-the-tonal-or-timbre-difference-between-playing-guitar-with-a-slide-and-without-What-are-the-physics-of-the-slidey-soundhttps://www.quora.com/https://www.quora.com/profile/Dan-Styles-3https://www.quora.com/profile/Dan-Styles-3https://www.quora.com/profile/Eric-Pepkehttps://www.quora.com/profile/Eric-Pepkehttps://www.quora.com/profile/Aanand-Srinivashttps://www.quora.com/api/mobile_expanded_voter_list?type=answer&key=1s86YRZjadHhttps://www.quora.com/How-physically-do-we-define-the-timbre-of-sound/answer/Eric-Pepkehttps://kiwi.ecn.purdue.edu/rhea/index.php/Fourier_analysis_in_Musichttps://www.quora.com/topic/Musichttps://www.quora.com/topic/Soundhttps://www.quora.com/topic/Acousticshttps://www.quora.com/topic/Physics-of-Soundhttps://www.quora.com/How-can-I-physically-sound-like-different-peoplehttps://www.quora.com/What-does-timbre-meanhttps://www.quora.com/What-is-the-technique-called-that-produces-a-vocal-effect-to-the-timbres-to-sound-as-if-they-had-been-pitch-shifted-without-touching-the-actual-pitch-or-speed-of-the-sung-vocalhttps://www.quora.com/What-defines-the-firing-sound-of-car-or-bikehttps://www.quora.com/What-causes-different-timbreshttps://www.quora.com/Does-my-singing-Timbre-change-everyday-If-it-sounds-the-same-to-others-why-do-I-feel-that-it-sounds-differenthttps://www.quora.com/unanswered/What-sounds-defines-the-Domino-music-genrehttps://www.quora.com/In-terms-of-qualities-of-sound-like-pitch-loudness-phase-direction-distance-and-timbre-how-do-Hi-Fi-vinyl-recordings-sound-different-than-compressed-MP3shttps://www.quora.com/Blues-Music-What-is-the-tonal-or-timbre-difference-between-playing-guitar-with-a-slide-and-without-What-are-the-physics-of-the-slidey-soundhttps://www.quora.com/Physics-Is-the-velocity-of-sound-in-air-independent-of-the-velocity-of-the-sound-source-Whyhttps://www.quora.com/Does-my-singing-Timbre-change-everyday-If-it-sounds-the-same-to-others-why-do-I-feel-that-it-sounds-differenthttps://www.quora.com/unanswered/What-sounds-defines-the-Domino-music-genrehttps://www.quora.com/In-terms-of-qualities-of-sound-like-pitch-loudness-phase-direction-distance-and-timbre-how-do-Hi-Fi-vinyl-recordings-sound-different-than-compressed-MP3shttps://www.quora.com/Blues-Music-What-is-the-tonal-or-timbre-difference-between-playing-guitar-with-a-slide-and-without-What-are-the-physics-of-the-slidey-soundhttps://www.quora.com/Physics-Is-the-velocity-of-sound-in-air-independent-of-the-velocity-of-the-sound-source-Whyhttps://www.quora.com/How-physically-do-we-define-the-timbre-of-sound#MoreAnswers

7/26/2019 How, Physically, Do We Define the Timbre of Sound?

2/3

5/13/16, 30ow, physically, do we define the timbre of sound? - Quora

Page ttps://www.quora.com/How-physically-do-we-define-the-timbre-of-sound

Related Questions

What causes di!erent timbres?

What defines the firing sound of car or bike?

What is the technique called that produces a vocal e!ect to the timbres to sound as if

they had been pitch shifted without touching the actua...

What does timbre mean?

How can I physically sound like di!erent people?

Physics of Sound: What causes vibrations in transsonic aircraft?

Why can't we see sound? Is it physical?

Can we hear sound from far away places without physical connection? Light: telescope,

sound?

If not Nirvana, what band would have defined the musical sound shift of the 90s?

Is there a way to quantify timbre?

Is it physically accurate to apply Snell's Law to sound waves?

Physics: sound: does the subjective sense of volume depend on the size of the room the

sound is heard in?

I would like to study the physics of sound and music. Any resource recommendations?

Do physically larger speakers sound better than smaller ones when played at the same

volume?

Is it possible to define a musical note in terms of purely objective, physically measurable

terms?

sound or instrument regardless of its register, so that, although somewhat different, a low

clarinet note may still be considered related to a much higher one.

Temporal relationships also form an aspect of timbre. Though highly influenced by the

intervallic distance between pitches, if a series of tones is played rapidly enough, they will

merge into a single timbre in a process called fusion. With sufficient reverberation, even

disparate tones can fuse.

Written Feb 25"Answer requested by Bujanca Mihai

Top Stories

If the 21st Amendment were

repealed, would the 18th

Amendment automatically come

back into e!ect, or would such a

repeal e!ectively repeal both

Amendments?

Yes. The repeal of the 21st would,

amusingly, bring the 18th amendment back

into force. But, we'd likely just pass a new

amendment banning alcohol outright, rather

Dan Holliday, I've got it almost

memorized.

4.1k Views "Dan is a Most Viewed Writer

in Politics of the United States of America

with 53 endorsements.

Have we become too politically

correct?

Don't hide behind the gibberish term

"politically correct." What is it you are really

asking? For greater freedom to hurl racial

epithets? For greater freedom to display

anti-Semitism or Islamophobia? For the

right to deny that the Holocaust happened?

For the right to wear a white hood or display

a Confederate flag? Or to mendaciously deny

knowing who David Duke is? For the right to

disrespect wome...

Andrew Weill, Fighting thisnonsensical term for too many years

1.1k Views "Andrew is a Most Viewed

Writer in Political Correctness.

How gullible is the American voter

compared to voters in other

nations?

Americans aren't any more gullible than any

other voters. Unfortunately, because the

country is so large, and so few people ever

leave it, too many of them are woefully

uninformed about the world beyond its

borders. This tends to elect politicians who

are ignorant too, and enact foolish policies.

Ernest W. Adams, Game Design

Consultant, Author, and Professor

12.3k Views "Ernest is a Most ViewedWriter in Voting.

Read More Read More Read More

https://www.quora.com/How-gullible-is-the-American-voter-compared-to-voters-in-other-nationshttps://www.quora.com/Have-we-become-too-politically-correcthttps://www.quora.com/If-the-21st-Amendment-were-repealed-would-the-18th-Amendment-automatically-come-back-into-effect-or-would-such-a-repeal-effectively-repeal-both-Amendmentshttps://www.quora.com/topic/Votinghttps://www.quora.com/profile/Ernest-W-Adamshttps://www.quora.com/profile/Ernest-W-Adamshttps://www.quora.com/profile/Ernest-W-Adamshttps://www.quora.com/How-gullible-is-the-American-voter-compared-to-voters-in-other-nationshttps://www.quora.com/topic/Political-Correctnesshttps://www.quora.com/profile/Andrew-Weillhttps://www.quora.com/profile/Andrew-Weillhttps://www.quora.com/profile/Andrew-Weillhttps://www.quora.com/Have-we-become-too-politically-correcthttps://www.quora.com/How-physically-do-we-define-the-timbre-of-sound#https://www.quora.com/topic/Politics-of-the-United-States-of-America-1https://www.quora.com/profile/Dan-Hollidayhttps://www.quora.com/profile/Dan-Hollidayhttps://www.quora.com/profile/Dan-Hollidayhttps://www.quora.com/If-the-21st-Amendment-were-repealed-would-the-18th-Amendment-automatically-come-back-into-effect-or-would-such-a-repeal-effectively-repeal-both-Amendmentshttps://www.quora.com/https://www.quora.com/profile/Bujanca-Mihaihttps://www.quora.com/How-physically-do-we-define-the-timbre-of-sound/answer/Dan-Styles-3https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-define-a-musical-note-in-terms-of-purely-objective-physically-measurable-termshttps://www.quora.com/Do-physically-larger-speakers-sound-better-than-smaller-ones-when-played-at-the-same-volumehttps://www.quora.com/I-would-like-to-study-the-physics-of-sound-and-music-Any-resource-recommendationshttps://www.quora.com/Physics-sound-does-the-subjective-sense-of-volume-depend-on-the-size-of-the-room-the-sound-is-heard-inhttps://www.quora.com/Is-it-physically-accurate-to-apply-Snells-Law-to-sound-waveshttps://www.quora.com/Is-there-a-way-to-quantify-timbrehttps://www.quora.com/If-not-Nirvana-what-band-would-have-defined-the-musical-sound-shift-of-the-90shttps://www.quora.com/unanswered/Can-we-hear-sound-from-far-away-places-without-physical-connection-Light-telescope-soundhttps://www.quora.com/Why-cant-we-see-sound-Is-it-physicalhttps://www.quora.com/unanswered/Physics-of-Sound-What-causes-vibrations-in-transsonic-aircrafthttps://www.quora.com/How-can-I-physically-sound-like-different-peoplehttps://www.quora.com/What-does-timbre-meanhttps://www.quora.com/What-is-the-technique-called-that-produces-a-vocal-effect-to-the-timbres-to-sound-as-if-they-had-been-pitch-shifted-without-touching-the-actual-pitch-or-speed-of-the-sung-vocalhttps://www.quora.com/What-defines-the-firing-sound-of-car-or-bikehttps://www.quora.com/What-causes-different-timbres

7/26/2019 How, Physically, Do We Define the Timbre of Sound?

3/3

5/13/16, 30ow, physically, do we define the timbre of sound? - Quora

Page ttps://www.quora.com/How-physically-do-we-define-the-timbre-of-sound

Sitemap # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

About- Careers- Privacy- Terms- Contact

https://www.quora.com/How-gullible-is-the-American-voter-compared-to-voters-in-other-nationshttps://www.quora.com/Have-we-become-too-politically-correcthttps://www.quora.com/If-the-21st-Amendment-were-repealed-would-the-18th-Amendment-automatically-come-back-into-effect-or-would-such-a-repeal-effectively-repeal-both-Amendmentshttps://www.quora.com/contacthttps://www.quora.com/about/toshttps://www.quora.com/about/privacyhttps://www.quora.com/careershttps://www.quora.com/abouthttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/zhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/yhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/xhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/whttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/vhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/uhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/thttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/shttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/rhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/qhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/phttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/ohttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/nhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/mhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/lhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/khttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/jhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/ihttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/hhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/ghttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/fhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/ehttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/dhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/chttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/bhttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/ahttps://www.quora.com/sitemap/alphabetical_topics/0https://www.quora.com/sitemap