Instrument spectra vary with player, loudness, pitch, and room

Evidence

Based on this notion, the perceived timbre of instruments for which acoustic analyses are presented in this book is discussed. Bear in mind though, that these analyses are for single examples of notes played on these instruments by a particular player on a particular instrument at a particular loudness and pitch in a particular acoustic environment. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1474

Categorization

• QUESTION: How much does timbre perception of an instrument actually shift across players and dynamics? Worth chasing in the cited figures.
• XREF: connects to: Pitch strength and loudness scale at sharply different rates with level changes.; 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; Instrument note onsets vary hugely across takes, players, and environments — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1473 (+12 more)

Broader Connections

• Measured instrument spectra reveal both the source and the sound modifiers at once #expands (1.00)
• Pitch strength and loudness scale at sharply different rates with level changes. #expands (0.96)
• The auditory spectrum differs from the physical power spectrum in resolution and shape #expands (0.96)
• Musicians describe sounds using pitch, loudness, and timbre descriptors #corroborates (0.94)
• Auditory spectra differ from power spectra for identical sounds. #expands (0.93)
• Instrument timbre differences stem from harmonic spectra that shape masking breadth #expands (0.92) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 449
• Pitch shifts with intensity but individual listener variability is large. #expands (0.89) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1253
• Instrument note onsets vary hugely across takes, players, and environments #expands (0.87) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1473
• Spectral variations inside one critical band alter perceived timbre #expands (0.84) — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 962
• Pitch strength of pure tones varies with their frequency #corroborates (0.81) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 3292
• Brass instruments differ sharply in how many harmonics their tones carry #expands (0.81)
• Signals identical in loudness and pitch can differ markedly in pitch strength #corroborates (0.78) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 3289
• Perceived instrument character is shaped by the time evolution of sound amplitude #expands (0.78)
• Perceived pitch depends on listening context, not just the physical spectrum present. #expands (0.78) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 2111
• Pure-tone instruments readily produce audible combination tones #expands (0.74) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1621