Tone and Timbre

“Communication is key.” This is phrase we hear a lot of times. We focus so much on the things we feel we need to say, and most of the time we get it right. However, there is a major aspect that we forget to address – tone.

In music, composers and [smart] producers use timbre and orchestration to set a mood or tone to whatever message they’re communicating in their music.  Sometimes it works, other times it doesn’t – personal taste – but I assume that the writer knew what he was trying to say and how he wanted to say it: What Makes Good Writing?

Timbre is what helps us tell the difference between a piano and violin or any combination of intsruments. The tonal colour is unique for each instrument. Regardless of whether they are playing the same note or not. Similarly, the colour of the voice [tone] helps us distinguish the difference between mommy’s anger or love.

Some people are very sensitive to tone and timbre. You can spew out the nastiest words to someone in a well-coloured tone and your words may not have as much of an impact as they would if you had said something kind in a dark tone.

I don’t think the things we say matter as much as how we say them. What do you think?