The goal of this article is to help develop knowledge of basic acoustic principles. This in turn will help you to understand, and eventually master, the basic techniques of sound engineering and recording. Each section has a theme that is first defined in technical terms and then commented on in practical terms in respect to audio equipment.

Definition of timbre

Timbre (pronounced /tam-ber'/) is a sound's identity. This identity depends on the physical characteristics of the sound's medium (the matter or substance that supports the sound). Let's take an A at 440 Hertz produced at 60 decibels: we can immediately tell if the sound was emitted from a violin, saxophone, or piano. Yet, even though the instrument is different, it's the same note and the same amplitude. The difference is in the sound production: string, air column, etc.. Plus, the sound isn't generated by the same "tool": a bow for violin strings, a reed and an air column for the sax, and felt covered hammers that strike the piano strings. It's the different physical characteristics of the medium and the « tool » that determine the characteristic sound waves in each case. Later we will also see how a sound chamber adds another dimension to this definition.