CHAPTER 9
The Effects of Reflections on Sound Quality/Timbre
In the perception of sound qualities, timbre is what is left after we have accounted for pitch and loudness. It is that quality of a sound that allows us to recognize different voices and musical instruments, and what allows us to distinguish the intonations of a superb musician from those of a learner. It is fundamental to the notion of “high fidelity,” a much abused but still highly relevant concept.
When we talk of timbre change as a result of reflections, or anything else for that matter, the natural tendency is to think that any audible change is a negative thing—a degradation. However, as we will see, in some circumstances judgments can go either way—either for better or worse. ...
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