A Fourier analysis of a note played on a flute and a guitar would show that the:
A) flute is always louder than the guitar.
B) flute plays a different fundamental frequency.
C) flute and guitar produce different harmonic frequencies at the same amplitude.
D) flute and guitar produce the same harmonic frequencies but at different amplitudes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fundamental frequency of a note (which determines its pitch) is the same on any instrument playing that note, but the timbre (characteristic sound) of the note differs due to different harmonic frequencies being emphasized (i.e., played at different amplitudes). This is why the same note sounds different on a flute versus a guitar. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because loudness is not inherently greater in flutes, the fundamental frequency is not instrument-dependent for the same note, and while the harmonic frequencies are the same for a given note, their amplitudes vary between instruments, not the frequencies themselves.

A Fourier Analysis of a Note Played on a Flute