Tone (musical instrument) their tone. These may include equalization controls (such as the tone controls on electric guitars, basses, and amplifiers), "gain, drive, or fuzz" controls, reverb, etc. Electronic keyboards and synthesizers typically have multiple patches that can be selected to make the instrument produce a different timbre. Timbre Tone (musical instrument) Tone and sound are terms used by musicians and related professions to refer to the audible characteristics of a player's sound. Tone is the product of all influences on what can be heard by the listener, including the characteristics of the instrument itself, differences in playing technique (e.g. embouchure for woodwind
Brass instrument characteristics. Trumpets, trombones, and tubas are characteristically fitted with a cupped mouthpiece, while horns are fitted with a conical mouthpiece. One interesting difference between a woodwind instrument and a brass instrument is that woodwind instruments are non-directional. This means that the sound produced propagates in all directions with approximately equal volume. Brass instruments, on the other hand, are highly directional, with most of the sound produced traveling straight outward from the bell. This difference makes it significantly more difficult to record a brass instrument accurately. It also plays a major role in some performance situations, such as in marching bands.