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3.2.8What is Tone Color? Distinctive Musical Instrument Sounds
When you play a single note on any musical instrument, the note consists of a fundamental tone plus a whole series of simultaneous overtones. No matter what the instrument is. Not only that, it’s the same group of simultaneous overtones, regardless of the musical instrument.
So, if it’s the same group of overtones, why does a guitar sound different from a piano when you play Middle C on each instrument?
Because the loudness (volume) of each individual overtone is different for each type of instrument, depending on the instrument’s shape, size, construction, etc.This accounts for an individual musical instrument's unique sound, or tone color.
Your brain’s evolved music-processing modules instantaneously analyse the varying loudness levels of the overtones and accurately sort out which overtone series belongs to which instrument.