Timbre
Definition
The characteristic quality of a sound that distinguishes it from another sound at the same pitch and volume. Determined by the harmonic content, envelope, and spectral distribution of a sound. Timbre is what makes a piano sound different from a guitar playing the same note at the same loudness.
In Simple Terms
The unique "color" or "texture" of a sound, what makes a trumpet sound like a trumpet and not a violin, even when they play the same note at the same volume. Every instrument, every voice, every sound has its own timbre. EQ, saturation, and effects all shape timbre.
In Practice
A vocalist and a flute both perform the note A4 at 440 Hz at the same volume. Despite identical pitch and loudness, the sounds are instantly distinguishable because their harmonic content, the pattern of overtones above the fundamental, is completely different. That difference is timbre.
Sources & Verification
- Howard, D. M. & Angus, J. A. S.. Acoustics and Psychoacoustics (5th ed.)Routledge, 2017
- Moore, B. C. J.. An Introduction to the Psychology of Hearing (6th ed.)Brill, 2012
Last verified: 2026-05-05