Characteristics of Musical Sound

(i) Pitch (related with frequency).
(ii) Loudness (related with intensity).
(iii) Quality (related with timbre).

(i) Pitch

• Pitch is a sensation that depend upon the frequency. It is the mental sensation experienced by the observer.
• The pitch is determined by the frequency and is directly proportional to the frequency.
• If the frequency of a musical sound is greater, pitch of sound increases to have a shrill sound. Also, with the decrease in frequency, pitch of sound decreases to have a grave sound.
• The voice produced by ladies and children are of high pitch type because, the frequency is high.

(ii) Loudness

• The characteristic of sound due to which a sound appears to be feeble or loud is called loudness.
• It is a degree of sensation produced in our ears. Thus, it varies from one listener to another.
• Loudness depends upon intensity and the sensitiveness of the ear.

(iii) Quality

• It is a quality of sound which is used to distinguish between different sounds having the same loudness and pitch.
• Thus, we can define, the characteristic of sound which is used to distinguish between two sounds having same frequency and same loudness is called quality.
• Quality helps us to distinguish a particular voice of a singer from the voices of many singers, though they sing with the same pitch and loudness.
• It recognizes the sound of a violin from that of a trumpet even if they are having same loudness.