Mon Prof Augmenté
Same note, different instruments
Age 16 · Music
A flute and a violin can play the same note just as loudly and still sound completely different. Each instrument adds its own set of overtones on top of the note, and that mixture is what your ear hears as timbre.
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Every lesson is open to everyone for 7 days after it is published. This one came out on October 16, 2026: its text stays readable here, and its picture opens with a subscription.
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Age 16: open this week
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In the picture
- Wooden flute: the instrument whose smooth tube adds few overtones
- The flute’s ribbon: a smooth rounded wave with the same height and the same crest spacing as the violin’s
- Violin body: the instrument whose wooden box and strings enrich the sound heavily
- The violin’s ribbon: a sharp jagged wave with pointed peaks
Examples
- A guitar and a piano playing the same melody in the same key
- Recognising a friend’s voice on the phone before they say their name
Key takeaways
- Pitch comes from how fast the vibration repeats; loudness comes from how large the vibration is.
- Timbre comes from which overtones ride along with the note and how strong each one is.
Quiz: Same note, different instruments (Age 16)
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Why can a flute and a violin sound different even when they play the same note at the same loudness?
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What does timbre depend on?
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What does pitch come from?
The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.
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