Mark Henderson answered
Tone is a musical concept which is commonly associated or used in conjunction with pitch. Whereas pitch refers to a specific note sounded, such as a C, tone refers to the sound quality of that note.
An instrument or vocalist can produce a perfect C note but, if the tone is poor, then that note will sound weak and dull. In addition to pitch, tone can be characterized by its intensity, duration and timbre.
Tone can also be used to refer to someone's musical ability, usually in reference to guitar players. If a guitarist is said to have good tone, then it means that his guitar, equipment and ability are producing good, clear notes.
The concept of tone is important in producing variation and quality in music. A vocalist's tone can make a huge impact on the feel and emotional context of the song. In popular music, a happy song may be in a major key, be up-tempo, and use instruments with a bright tonality such as a trumpet.
A vocalist's tone contributes the genre of music with which they are associated and the themes they are trying to portray through their lyrics. For example, Kurt Cobain of the rock band Nirvana was known for his harsh, gravelly and melancholy vocal tone. His tone perfectly complemented the band's sound and his lyrics of social alienation, teen angst and depression.
An instrument or vocalist can produce a perfect C note but, if the tone is poor, then that note will sound weak and dull. In addition to pitch, tone can be characterized by its intensity, duration and timbre.
Tone can also be used to refer to someone's musical ability, usually in reference to guitar players. If a guitarist is said to have good tone, then it means that his guitar, equipment and ability are producing good, clear notes.
The concept of tone is important in producing variation and quality in music. A vocalist's tone can make a huge impact on the feel and emotional context of the song. In popular music, a happy song may be in a major key, be up-tempo, and use instruments with a bright tonality such as a trumpet.
A vocalist's tone contributes the genre of music with which they are associated and the themes they are trying to portray through their lyrics. For example, Kurt Cobain of the rock band Nirvana was known for his harsh, gravelly and melancholy vocal tone. His tone perfectly complemented the band's sound and his lyrics of social alienation, teen angst and depression.
