Tone colour refers to that aspect of sound that allows the listener to identify the sound source or combinations of sound sources.
Students should be able to discuss the following aspects of tone colour as relevant to the music studied:
• sound source material, for example, wood, metal, string, skin, electronic and vocal
• method of sound production, for example, blowing, hitting, plucking, scraping and shaking
• combination of sound sources, for example, single voice, multiple voices, voices accompanied or unaccompanied by instruments.
Students should understand and apply the following (where appropriate to the musical context):
• types of instruments and voices
• combinations of voices and instruments
• acoustic sounds
• electronic sounds
• synthesised sounds
• sound production methods
• traditional and non-traditional ways of using sound sources.