Timbre is conditioned entirely by the strength and presence of overtones

Evidence

The one and only factor in sound production which conditions timbre is the presence or absence, or relative strength or weakness, of overtones.” (In Chapter 3, Table 3.1 gives the relationship between overtones and harmonics.) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1426

Categorization

• XREF: Ties directly to the overtone-harmonic relationship table from Chapter 3 — the mechanism behind timbre perception. — connects to: An instrument’s normal attack transient is essential to its characteristic timbre; Each instrument’s timbre is defined by its unique recipe of harmonic partials; 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 (+13 more)
• QUESTION: Is overtone content truly the ‘one and only’ factor? Attack transients and noise components matter too — Scholes’s claim looks dated.
• corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1426

Broader Connections

• An oboe-like timbre is reproduced by four harmonics with exponentially decreasing amplitudes #exemplifies (0.90) — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 5290
• Instrument timbre differences stem from harmonic spectra that shape masking breadth #expands (0.85) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 449
• Timbre reduces to a weighted ratio of fundamental and resolved versus unresolved harmonics #expands (0.80)
• Bright timbres stem from strong energy in harmonics above the seventh #exemplifies (0.80)
• Timbre perception arises from basilar membrane vibration patterns, not pitch alone #qualifies (0.75) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 783
• Reversing a sound changes perceived timbre without any spectral change. #contradicts (0.75)
• Timbre served as a residual basket for non-loudness non-pitch sensations #qualifies (0.75) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 1339
• Critical bands govern tonal discrimination and timbre, not overall hearing resolution #qualifies (0.75)
• Phase alignment creates a ‘buzzy’ timbre perceptible without room reflections #contradicts (0.72)
• A note’s onset phase matters most for perceived timbre #contradicts (0.72) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1469