Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
💬 Hidden meaning 🎵 A higher note
overtone

overtone

3 7.4
A higher musical tone that sounds above the main note
  • noun
  • /ˈoʊvərˌtoʊn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : armónico
  • The first peak will show the fundamental frequency of the sound, and most of the following peaks will be overtones of this fundamental frequency.
  • overtone of the fundamental
  • overtone series
  • high overtones

OK, so there is actually harmonic information in the overtone series.

Examples

  • There may be other harmonic content not from the overtone series present in the analysis.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The researchers noted that the instruments have a rich overtone structure, giving them a full sound like bells or human voices.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Notice that the amplitude of this overtone is very low compared with the fundamental frequency.

    Academic text (2011)

  • A good pan will have all the notes in tune and all the overtones in line.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The pitch of a complicated sound that is with many overtones and harmonics depends strongly on the fundamental frequency.

  • The combination of the strong fundamental or first partial with weaker, higher partial tones or overtones.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Have your students "engineer" their own timbres using a combination of overtones set to different loudness levels.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Analysis tools allow students to visualize sound waves and to experiment with the relationship of overtones to the sound of unique instrumental and vocal timbres.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Discuss the fundamental pitch and the amplitude (loudness) of the overtones that are most visually prominent in the analysis window.

    Academic text (2011)

  • In music theory, the overtone is a higher frequency that enhances the sound of the fundamental note.

Synonyms

harmonic
vsovertone
  • Specialized
3 6.7

A tone made when a string vibrates in parts above the main tone

is the same tone but given here under a different name
partial tone
vsovertone
  • Specialized
7.7

A higher sound made when the main note vibrates a whole number of times

is the same tone but expressed with an alternate two-word label
partial
vsovertone
  • Specialized
8.6

A tone inside a sound that helps make an instrument's unique sound

is the same component but named here by a different term

Surface Forms

overtone singular
overtones plural

Morphology

overtone = tone (transparent) = over + tone

Direct combination of 'over' (above) and 'tone' (musical sound) giving 'a tone above the fundamental', which is straightforward for learners.

Etymology

Overtone comes from over- meaning 'above' and tone meaning 'sound', so in music an overtone is a higher sound that sits 'above' the main note and changes how the note sounds.