What musical element allows us to hear the difference between a piano and a trumpet playing the same pitch?

Question

Chemistry

Conner Mullen

29 July, 12:18

What musical element allows us to hear the difference between a piano and a trumpet playing the same pitch?

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Answers (1)

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Dillan Lewis · Answer 1

The musical element that allows us to hear the difference between a piano and a trumpet playing the same pitch is quality or timbre.

Explanation:

Quality or timbre of a musical note is used to describe the quality of the waveform as it appears to the listener. Therefore the quality of a note depends upon the waveform.

Two notes of the same pitch and loudness, played from different instruments such as piano and a trumpet do not sound the same because the waveforms are different and therefore differ in quality or tone.

Therefore, quality" or "timbre" describes those characteristics of sound which allow the ear to distinguish sounds which have the same pitch and loudness.