Overtone
A higher frequency that sounds simultaneously above a fundamental pitch, shaping the tone colour of a note.
Category
pitch
Pronunciation
/ˈəʊvətəʊn/
Origin
German (Oberton)
Length
172 words · 1 min read
About Overtone
When any instrument plays a note, it does not produce a single pure frequency but a whole series of higher vibrations called overtones. The specific pattern and relative strength of these overtones is what makes a violin sound different from a flute even when both play the same written note.
More pitch terms
Tuning
View all pitchterms →The process of adjusting an instrument so its pitches match a chosen reference standard.
Pitch ClassA group containing all notes that share the same letter name regardless of octave, such as every C on the keyboard.
SharpAn accidental that raises the pitch of a note by one semitone.
Concert PitchThe internationally agreed standard tuning reference where A above middle C vibrates at 440 Hz.
RegisterA particular range or portion of the pitch spectrum available to a voice or instrument.
Synonyms
Antonyms
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