Lisäystaajuudet

Lisäystaajuudet, often translated as "additional frequencies" or "overtones," refers to frequencies present in a sound that are higher than the fundamental frequency. When a musical instrument or voice produces a note, it doesn't just vibrate at its primary frequency; it also vibrates at multiples of that frequency. These multiples are the additional frequencies. The combination and relative intensities of these additional frequencies are what give a sound its unique timbre or tonal quality, distinguishing, for example, a piano from a violin playing the same note.

These additional frequencies are not consciously perceived as separate pitches but rather contribute to the richness and complexity of the sound. The pattern of these overtones, known as the harmonic series, is consistent for a given instrument or voice, although the specific amplitudes of each overtone can vary. This is why different instruments sound different even when playing the same fundamental note. In acoustics and music theory, understanding additional frequencies is crucial for analyzing sound and for instrument design. Psychoacoustics also explores how the human ear perceives and interprets these complex frequency mixtures.