Töne

Töne is the German word for tones or sounds. In everyday use it covers audible vibrations that have a definite pitch, especially musical notes, but it is also used for any sound with a perceptible pitch or harmonic content. The term can refer to simple tones, such as a pure sine tone, or complex tones produced by musical instruments.

Physically, a tone results from a vibrating object. The pitch is determined by the frequency of the fundamental vibration (measured in hertz). Real tones usually contain multiple overtones or harmonics, which shape the timbre or color of the sound. The loudness depends on amplitude, while the evolution of a note over time is described by its envelope (attack, decay, sustain, release).

Perception and tuning: The human ear perceives pitch with octave equivalence, so pitches separated by a factor of two in frequency are heard as the same note class in higher or lower registers. In Western music, tones are organized in scales and tuned within an octave. The most common system is 12-tone equal temperament. In German notation, B natural is called H, while B flat is written B.

In music theory, Töne are the basic building blocks of melodies and harmonies. They can be arranged in scales, intervals, and chords, and they define tonal relationships and hierarchy. The term also extends to descriptions of tonal centers and modes, in contrast to atonal or modal approaches.

Beyond music, Töne describe any audible sound phenomena, including speech prosody, environmental sounds, and synthesized audio. They are analyzed in acoustics by frequency spectra, phase, and temporal envelopes, linking physical properties to perceptual experience.