what is timbre

Timbre, also known as tone color or tone quality, is the perceived sound quality of a musical note, sound, or tone. It is what makes a particular musical instrument or human voice have a different sound from another, even when they play or sing the same note. Timbre distinguishes different types of sound production, such as choir voices and musical instruments, and enables listeners to distinguish different instruments in the same category. Timbre is the distinguishing characteristic that differentiates one sound from another, despite the fact that they might be playing the same frequency with the same amplitude. When describing a sounds timbre, words like sharp, round, reedy, brassy, or bright are used. Timbre is also known as tone quality, tone color, or voice. Some of the many words used to describe the timbre of instruments include rich, bright, mellow, dark, buzzy, and warm. The timbre also includes the way the sound changes over time, such as attack and fade.