A note’s onset phase matters most for perceived timbre

Evidence

The note onset phase is particularly important to perceived timbre. Since listeners can reliably perceive the timbre of notes during the steadystate phase, it is clear that the offset phase is rather less important to the perception of timbre than the onset and steady-state phases. The onset phase is also more acoustically robust from the effects of the local environ­ ment in which the notes are played, since coloration of the direct sound by the first reflection (see Chapter 6) may occur after the onset phase is complete (and therefore transmitted uncolored to the listener). By defini­ tion the first reflection certainly occurs after part of the note onset has been heard uncolored. The onset phase is therefore a vital element and the off­ set phase an important factor in terms of timbre perception. — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1469

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines what onset, steady-state, and offset phases are and ranks their perceptual importance for timbre.
• XREF: Connects to the architectural acoustics discussion of first reflections in Chapter 4/6, which the reader is also studying. — connects to: Phase relations of partials do not affect perceived timbre.; An instrument’s normal attack transient is essential to its characteristic timbre; Timbre depends on sound order over time, not just spectral content. (+11 more)
• corroborated: 4 independent passages support this claim — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1469

Broader Connections

• Attack and release phases lasting milliseconds largely determine a note’s timbre #corroborates (0.95) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1454
• Note onsets have staggered harmonic entry times that define each instrument’s timbre #expands (0.82) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1449
• Note onsets are composed of many separable acoustic cues #expands (0.75)
• Instrument note onsets vary hugely across takes, players, and environments #qualifies (0.70) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1473