Loudness – It is the property by virtue of which a loud sound can be distinguished from a faint one, both having the same pitch and frequency. Loudness is expressed in a unit called decibel (dB). It is directly proportional to the amplitude of vibration.

Explanation:

Timbre:
Timbre refers to the quality or character of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds of the same pitch and loudness. It is also known as tone color or tone quality. Timbre allows us to differentiate between sounds produced by different instruments or voices, even when they are playing or singing the same pitch at the same volume.

Example:
For example, if a piano and a guitar both play the same note at the same volume, we can still distinguish between the two instruments because they have different timbres. The piano has a rich and full timbre, while the guitar has a bright and twangy timbre.

Distinguishing Factors:
The distinguishing factors that contribute to timbre include the harmonic content, attack and decay of a sound, and any additional elements such as vibrato or tremolo.

Pitch and Loudness:
Pitch refers to the perceived highness or lowness of a sound and is determined by the frequency of the sound waves. It is related to the speed of vibrations, where higher frequencies correspond to higher pitches and lower frequencies correspond to lower pitches.

Loudness, on the other hand, refers to the perceived volume or intensity of a sound and is determined by the amplitude or strength of the sound waves. It is related to the size or magnitude of vibrations, where larger amplitudes correspond to louder sounds and smaller amplitudes correspond to softer sounds.

Differentiating Between Sounds:
While both pitch and loudness are important characteristics of sound, they do not help us distinguish between sounds of the same pitch and loudness. It is the timbre that allows us to perceive the unique qualities of different sounds, even when their pitch and loudness are the same.

Conclusion:
In summary, timbre is the characteristic that enables us to distinguish between sounds that have the same pitch and loudness. It is the quality or color of a sound that is specific to a particular instrument or voice, and it is determined by factors such as harmonic content, attack and decay, and additional elements.