Tone

Tone is what allows us to distinguish between two sounds that have the same pitch and loudness. It’s the sound color of an instrument or voice, shaped by waveform, harmonics, dynamics, attack, resonance, and more. For example, a violin and a flute can play the same note at the same volume, yet sound completely different. Timbre is central to the sonic identity of an instrument, plugin, or mix, and plays a key role in sound design and synthesis.