Instrument onset timbre varies so much that any single recording is only an example

Evidence

In order to provide some data to enable appreciation of the importance of the note onset phase for timbre perception, Figures 5.2 to 5.4 are presented, in which the note onset and start of the steady-state phases for four organ stops, four woodwind instruments and four brass instruments, respectively, are presented for the note C4 (except for the trombone and tuba, for which the note is C3). By way of a caveat, it should be noted that these figures are presented to provide only examples of the general nature of the acoustics of the note onset phases for these instruments. Had these notes been played at a different loudness, by a different player, on a different instrument, in a different environment or even just a second time by the same player on the same instrument in the same place while attempting to keep all details constant, the waveforms and spectra would probably be noticeably different. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1447

Categorization

• DEEPTHINKING: The point that even the same player repeating the same note produces a measurably different onset is a quietly radical claim about the instability of timbre as an identity category — worth sitting with.
• SHARE: Good send to a recording engineer or instrument-maker friend who insists on chasing a definitive timbre.
• XREF: connects to: Instrument note onsets vary hugely across takes, players, and environments — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1473; Note onsets have staggered harmonic entry times that define each instrument’s timbre — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1449; Current acoustic models cannot explain how experts distinguish fine timbre differences between instruments (+17 more)

Broader Connections

• Individual instrument note onsets are irreproducible even under identical conditions #corroborates (1.00) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1447
• Instrument note onsets vary hugely across takes, players, and environments #corroborates (0.90) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1473
• An instrument’s opening attack largely determines its perceived timbre #corroborates (0.90) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 2245
• Timbre analysis requires a method that preserves when acoustic changes occur #corroborates (0.90) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1433
• Note-onset timbre differs measurably across instruments and lasts tens to 160 milliseconds. #corroborates (0.90) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1489
• Timbre comprises spectral content and how frequencies and amplitudes shift over a note #corroborates (0.90) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1427
• Note onsets have staggered harmonic entry times that define each instrument’s timbre #complicates (0.85) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1449
• Current acoustic models cannot explain how experts distinguish fine timbre differences between instruments #qualifies (0.80)
• Instrument timbre differences stem from harmonic spectra that shape masking breadth #complicates (0.80) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 449
• A note’s onset phase matters most for perceived timbre #complicates (0.80) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1469
• Instrument timbre determines how dissonant the same two-note interval sounds #complicates (0.80)
• Instrument timbre identity persists across notes via a stable tristimulus position #complicates (0.80) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1489
• Violin timbre changes with direction as high frequencies become increasingly directional #complicates (0.80) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1785
• Equalizer adjustments at specific frequencies produce predictable perceptual shifts in timbre #complicates (0.80)
• Instrument timbre comes from waveform shape, not pitch #complicates (0.80) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 786