overtone series
The naturally occurring sequence of frequencies (harmonics) that vibrate simultaneously above any fundamental pitch, forming the acoustic basis of all musical timbre and harmony.
In Depth
The entire Western system of harmony — major and minor chords, consonance and dissonance, even the twelve-note scale — can be derived from the overtone series, a pattern that exists in the physics of vibrating objects independent of human musical culture.
Related Terms
More in Theory
Browse allA sharp, flat, or natural sign that alters a note from the prevailing key signature.
Symbols placed before notes to raise or lower their pitch by a semitone or return them to their natural state
Relating to sound or the properties of sound, especially music produced without electronic amplification.
The natural minor scale, with the pattern W-H-W-W-H-W-W, producing the most common minor tonality in Western music.
Music in which some element of the composition is left to chance or to the performer's discretion.
The second-highest voice type, or an instrument pitched between soprano and tenor.
The measure of a sound wave's intensity, perceived as loudness or volume.
One or more notes before the first full bar of a piece, also called a pickup or upbeat.