Timbre

A quick overview...

Timbre is the sound quality, or tone quality, of a note played on a particular instrument. Two different instruments could be playing exactly the same note at the same time, but it is the timbre that allows us to distinguish the two. Timbre can be influenced by:

• the material that the instrument is made from

• the techniques being used to produce the sound

• layering different sounds

• using electronic effects and additional sound manipulating devices

We will break this element down into the subelements: instrumentation, instrumental and vocal techiques, electronic manipulation, and register.

Before we begin...

It is really helpful to know a little bit about how sound is produced and then percieved by the human ear! Sounds is created by something vibrating...

• When you strum the strings on a guitar, the vibration of the strings creates the sound

• When you hit a drum, the vibration of the skin creates the sound

• When you play a trumpet, the vibration of your lips creates the sound

• When you hit a triangle, the vibration of the triangle creates the sound

Therefore, music is just sound waves vibrating through the air and into our ears!

Words to Describe Timbre
in alphabetic order