pure tone

sound

Also known as: simple tone

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July 13, 2026

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A pure tone is a sound with only one frequency. This is in contrast to a complex tone, which is made up of multiple simple tones, including a fundamental frequency and overtones. The quality of a sound, known as timbre, depends on its waveform, which is determined by the number, frequencies, and intensities of the overtones present. Musical sounds, or tones, are characterized by controlled pitch and timbre, produced by instruments with controllable vibrations. The pitch of a sound is determined by its frequency, while timbre is a result of the simultaneous motions within its vibration.123

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sound
Dynamic range of the ear
…varying absolute intensities of a pure tone that has the same loudness to the ear at various frequencies. The determination of each curve, labeled by its loudness level in phons, involves the subjective judgment of a large number of people and is therefore an average statistical result. However, the curves…
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…varying absolute intensities of a pure tone that has the same loudness to the ear at various frequencies. The determination of each curve, labeled by its loudness level in phons, involves the subjective judgment of a large number of people and is therefore an average statistical result. However, the curves…
Read More

timbre
…wave form that results when pure tones of frequencies 100, 300, and 500 hertz (cycles per second) and relative amplitudes of 10, 5, and 2.5 are synthesized into a complex tone. At the right is the resultant of the three sine curves when their ordinates are added point by point…
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…wave form that results when pure tones of frequencies 100, 300, and 500 hertz (cycles per second) and relative amplitudes of 10, 5, and 2.5 are synthesized into a complex tone. At the right is the resultant of the three sine curves when their ordinates are added point by point…
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tone
A simple tone has only one frequency, although its intensity may vary. A complex tone consists of two or more simple tones, called overtones. The tone of lowest frequency is called the fundamental; the others, overtones. The frequencies of the overtones may be whole multiples (e.g.,…
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A simple tone has only one frequency, although its intensity may vary. A complex tone consists of two or more simple tones, called overtones. The tone of lowest frequency is called the fundamental; the others, overtones. The frequencies of the overtones may be whole multiples (e.g.,…
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