Spectral characteristics in linguistics

[Forbes]

In the Wikipedia article on prosody in linguistics it says:

There is no agreed number of prosodic variables. In auditory terms, the major variables are:

• the pitch of the voice (varying between low and high)
• length of sounds (varying between short and long)
• loudness, or prominence (varying between soft and loud)
• timbre or voice quality (quality of sound)

In acoustic terms, these correspond reasonably closely to:

• fundamental frequency (measured in hertz, or cycles per second)
• duration (measured in time units such as milliseconds or seconds)
• intensity, or sound pressure level (measured in decibels)
• spectral characteristics (distribution of energy at different parts of the audible frequency range)
  

I have no problem with frequency, duration and intensity. However, I am at a loss to grasp what spectral characteristics refers to. I have done some Googling, but the explanations are too technical for me. Can someone please explain what spectral characteristics involve which is not covered by frequency and intensity?

 

[PeroK]

My understanding is that each instrument produces a range of frequencies and not a single frequency. Even if the range is closely distributed around a mean frequency.

The way we identify different instruments playing the same note is by the distribution of energy across this range.

I found this relevant Wikipedia page on pitch

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_(music)

 

[hutchphd]

For instance the trumpet and the flugelhorn have the same length tube (something like 5 ft), but the conical taper is quite different. This makes the overtone (octave) mixture quite different in emphasis (and very slightly in tone) which our ear hears as timbre.

 

[DrGreg]

Overtones or harmonics.

 

[Forbes]

I understand overtones/harmonics. So is that all spectral characteristics refers to when it comes to sound?

 

[hutchphd]

Spectral characteristics means the magnitude and phase of the various frequency components into which any sound can be decomposed (this is known as Fourier analysis). I am not going to parse your question for the meaning of "is that all"

 

[Forbes]

Thank you. I am now not so bemused as I was.