Home / Topics / Waves & Sound
Timbre
Beginner
The tone quality that distinguishes instruments.
Timbre (tone quality) is determined by which harmonics are present and how they change over time, letting you tell a piano from a violin.
Same note with different harmonic mixes.
Not the same as pitch or loudness.
In more detail
Timbre is the quality that lets us distinguish instruments playing the same note. It depends on the harmonic content and how the sound starts and stops.
Real-world uses
- Synthesisers recreate instrument timbres by combining harmonics.
- Musicians recognise instruments by timbre rather than pitch.
- Musicians recognise a violin and a trumpet playing the same note by their timbre, which comes from the mix of harmonics.
Open the interactive lesson, with simulation and quiz →
Frequently asked questions
Why does a violin sound different from a flute?
Because they produce different mixes of harmonics for the same fundamental pitch.
Does attack matter?
Yes. The onset of a note helps us identify the instrument.
What exactly is timbre?
The quality of a sound that distinguishes it from others of the same pitch and loudness, set by the harmonic structure and its evolution.
Related topics in Waves & Sound
Loudness and intensity · Decibel scale · Intensity and distance · Range of hearing · Ultrasound · Infrasound