An instrument’s identity is set by its unique recipe of frequency components

Evidence

Every instrument therefore has an underlying set of partials in its spec­ trum (see Chapter 1) from which we are able to recognize it from other instruments. These can be thought of as the frequency component “rec­ ipe” underlying the particular sound of that instrument. Figure 3.1 shows the acoustic pressure waveform for different notes played on four orches­ tral instruments and Figure 3.2 shows the amplitude–frequency spectrum for each. Notice that the shape of the waveform for each of the notes is dif­ ferent and so is the recipe of frequency components. Each of these notes would be perceived as being the note A4 but as having different timbres. — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 784

Categorization

• DEFINE: Introduces the ‘recipe’ mental model for how amplitude-frequency spectra encode an instrument’s sonic identity.
• XREF: connects to: Each instrument’s timbre is defined by its unique recipe of harmonic partials; The spectrum of partials forms a unique recognizable signature for each instrument; Instrument timbre differences stem from harmonic spectra that shape masking breadth — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 449 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Each instrument’s timbre is defined by its unique recipe of harmonic partials #corroborates (0.97)
• The spectrum of partials forms a unique recognizable signature for each instrument #corroborates (0.95)
• Instrument timbre differences stem from harmonic spectra that shape masking breadth #expands (0.78) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 449
• Frequency-domain analysis may hide the very properties that make violins great #complicates (0.78) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1780