Loudness vs. Pitch: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Published on February 28, 2024
Loudness is the perceived intensity of a sound, while pitch is the perceived frequency of a sound.
Key Differences
Loudness is a subjective measure of the strength or intensity of a sound as perceived by the human ear, often related to the amplitude of a sound wave. Pitch, in contrast, is a subjective perception of the frequency of a sound wave, determining how high or low a sound is. Both concepts are fundamental in understanding auditory experiences but represent different aspects of sound.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
While loudness is often associated with the volume or the power of a sound, it is not a direct measure of amplitude but rather how humans perceive this amplitude. Pitch, on the other hand, reflects how humans interpret the frequency of a sound wave, with higher frequencies being perceived as higher pitches. These perceptions can vary from person to person.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
The decibel scale is commonly used to quantify loudness, though it does not linearly correlate with human perception of loudness. Conversely, pitch is not measured in decibels but rather in Hertz (Hz), reflecting the frequency of sound vibrations. Although both loudness and pitch are perceptions, they have different physical correlates.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Loudness is greatly influenced by the context and environment, such as background noise, which can affect how loud a sound is perceived. Pitch, however, is generally consistent in a given context, making it a more stable attribute of a sound. Both loudness and pitch are essential in music, speech, and environmental sound interpretation.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
In summary, loudness and pitch are distinct yet interconnected aspects of sound perception. Loudness relates to how strong or intense a sound appears, and pitch refers to the highness or lowness of a sound. Understanding both is crucial for audio engineering, music, and studying human auditory perception.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
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Comparison Chart
Subjectivity
Can vary based on listener and environment
Generally consistent across listeners
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Feb 28, 2024
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Loudness and Pitch Definitions
Loudness
Loudness is the perceived volume or intensity of a sound.
The loudness of the concert left my ears ringing.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 20, 2024
Pitch
Pitch is the aspect of sound that allows melodies and harmonies.
The pitch of the choir's singing created a beautiful harmony.
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Jan 20, 2024
Loudness
Loudness is the subjective experience of sound pressure.
The loudness of the thunderstorm was startling.
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Jan 20, 2024
Pitch
Any of various thick, dark, sticky substances obtained from the distillation residue of coal tar, wood tar, or petroleum and used for waterproofing, roofing, caulking, and paving.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Loudness
Loudness is the auditory sensation of the amplitude of sound waves.
The loudness of the music in the club was overwhelming.
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Jan 20, 2024
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Loudness
Loudness refers to how loud or soft a sound appears to a listener.
The loudness of her voice varied dramatically during the speech.
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Jan 20, 2024
Pitch
A resin derived from the sap of various coniferous trees, as the pines.
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Jan 18, 2024
Loudness
Characterized by high volume and intensity. Used of sound
A loud whistle.
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Jan 18, 2024
Loudness
Producing sound of high volume and intensity
A loud construction work site.
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Jan 18, 2024
Loudness
The perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure, measured in sones or phons
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Loudness
The physical strength of the sound pressure level, measured in decibels
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(Sports) A single interval between ledges or anchors used as belaying points in mountaineering
A climb of six pitches.
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Jan 18, 2024
Loudness
The magnitude of sound (usually in a specified direction);
The kids played their music at full volume
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Loudness
Loudness measures the perceived strength of a sound.
The loudness of the engine indicated a powerful motor.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 20, 2024
Pitch
(Acoustics) The distinctive quality of a sound, dependent primarily on the frequency of the sound waves produced by its source.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(Music) The relative position of a tone within a range of musical sounds, as determined by this quality.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(Music) Any of various standards for this quality associating each tone with a particular frequency.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The distance between two corresponding points on adjacent screw threads or gear teeth.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The distance that a propeller would travel in an ideal medium during one complete revolution, measured parallel to the shaft of the propeller.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
A line of talk designed to persuade
"[his] pious pitch for ... austerity" (Boston Globe).
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(Printing) The density of characters in a printed line, usually expressed as characters per inch.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To set at a specified downward slant
Pitched the roof at a steep angle.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To set at a particular level, degree, or quality
Pitched her expectations too high.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To adapt so as to be applicable; direct
Pitched his speech to the teenagers in the audience.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(Informal) To attempt to promote or sell, often in a high-pressure manner
"showed up on local TV to pitch their views" (Business Week).
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(Sports) To hit (a golf ball) in a high arc with backspin so that it does not roll very far after striking the ground.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To discard (a card other than a trump and different in suit from the card led).
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To oscillate about a lateral axis so that the nose lifts or descends in relation to the tail. Used of an aircraft.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To oscillate about a lateral axis that is both perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and horizontal to the earth. Used of a missile or spacecraft.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(Sports) To hit a golf ball in a high arc with backspin so that it does not roll very far after striking the ground.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
A sticky, gummy substance secreted by trees; sap.
It is hard to get this pitch off my hand.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
A dark, extremely viscous material remaining in still after distilling crude oil and tar.
They put pitch on the mast to protect it.
The barrel was sealed with pitch.
It was pitch black because there was no moon.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
A throw; a toss; a cast, as of something from the hand.
A good pitch in quoits
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(baseball) The act of pitching a baseball.
The pitch was low and inside.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The field on which cricket, soccer, rugby, gridiron or field hockey is played. cricket pitch.}} Not often used in the US or Canada, where "field" is the preferred word.
The teams met on the pitch.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The distance between evenly spaced objects, e.g. the teeth of a saw or gear, the turns of a screw thread, the centres of holes, or letters in a monospace font.
The pitch of pixels on the point scale is 72 pixels per inch.
The pitch of this saw is perfect for that type of wood.
A helical scan with a pitch of zero is equivalent to constant z-axis scanning.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The degree to which a vehicle, especially a ship or aircraft, rotates on such an axis, tilting its bow or nose up or down. Compare with roll, yaw, and heave.
The pitch of an aircraft
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(aviation) A measure of the angle of attack of a propeller.
The propeller blades' pitch went to 90° as the engine was feathered.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(by extension) The place where a busker performs, a prostitute solicits clients, or an illegal gambling game etc. is set up before the public.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
An area on a campsite intended for occupation by a single tent, caravan or similar.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
Collectively, the outermost points of some part of the body, especially the shoulders or hips.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The height a bird reaches in flight, especially a bird of prey preparing to swoop down on its prey.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(climbing) A section of a climb or rock face; specifically, the climbing distance between belays or stances.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(caving) A vertical cave passage, only negotiable by using rope or ladders.
The entrance pitch requires 30 metres of rope.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(cricket) That point of the ground on which the ball pitches or lights when bowled.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The point where a declivity begins; hence, the declivity itself; a descending slope; the degree or rate of descent or slope; slant.
A steep pitch in the road
The pitch of a roof
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(mining) The limit of ground set to a miner who receives a share of the ore taken out.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The perceived frequency of a sound or note.
The pitch of middle "C" is familiar to many musicians.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(music) The standard to which a group of musical instruments are tuned or in which a piece is performed, usually by reference to the frequency to which the musical note A above middle C is tuned.
Are we in baroque pitch for this one?
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(music) In an a cappella group, the singer responsible for singing a note for the other members to tune themselves by.
Bob, our pitch, let out a clear middle "C" and our conductor gave the signal to start.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To throw (the ball) toward a batter at home plate.
The hurler pitched a curveball.
He pitched high and inside.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(transitive) To promote, advertise, or attempt to sell.
He pitched the idea for months with no takers.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(transitive) To deliver in a certain tone or style, or with a certain audience in mind.
At which level should I pitch my presentation?
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(transitive) To assemble or erect (a tent).
Pitch the tent over there.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(intransitive) To fix or place a tent or temporary habitation; to encamp.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To move so that the front of an aircraft or boat goes alternatively up and down.
The typhoon pitched the deck of the ship.
The airplane pitched.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To play a short, high, lofty shot that lands with backspin.
The only way to get on the green from here is to pitch the ball over the bunker.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To bounce on the playing surface.
The ball pitched well short of the batsman.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
(intransitive) To plunge or fall; especially, to fall forward; to decline or slope.
To pitch from a precipice
The field pitches toward the east.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
A thick, black, lustrous, and sticky substance obtained by boiling down tar. It is used in calking the seams of ships; also in coating rope, canvas, wood, ironwork, etc., to preserve them.
He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
A throw; a toss; a cast, as of something from the hand; as, a good pitch in quoits.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
That point of the ground on which the ball pitches or lights when bowled.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
A point or peak; the extreme point or degree of elevation or depression; hence, a limit or bound.
Driven headlong from the pitch of heaven, downInto this deep.
Enterprises of great pitch and moment.
To lowest pitch of abject fortune.
He lived when learning was at its highest pitch.
The exact pitch, or limits, where temperance ends.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The point where a declivity begins; hence, the declivity itself; a descending slope; the degree or rate of descent or slope; slant; as, a steep pitch in the road; the pitch of a roof.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The relative acuteness or gravity of a tone, determined by the number of vibrations which produce it; the place of any tone upon a scale of high and low.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The limit of ground set to a miner who receives a share of the ore taken out.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The distance from center to center of any two adjacent teeth of gearing, measured on the pitch line; - called also circular pitch.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The distance between symmetrically arranged or corresponding parts of an armature, measured along a line, called the pitch line, drawn around its length. Sometimes half of this distance is called the pitch.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
Fig.: To darken; to blacken; to obscure.
The welkin pitched with sullen could.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To throw, generally with a definite aim or purpose; to cast; to hurl; to toss; as, to pitch quoits; to pitch hay; to pitch a ball.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To thrust or plant in the ground, as stakes or poles; hence, to fix firmly, as by means of poles; to establish; to arrange; as, to pitch a tent; to pitch a camp.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To set, face, or pave with rubble or undressed stones, as an embankment or a roadway.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To light; to settle; to come to rest from flight.
The tree whereon they [the bees] pitch.
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To fix one's choise; - with on or upon.
Pitch upon the best course of life, and custom will render it the more easy.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
To plunge or fall; esp., to fall forward; to decline or slope; as, to pitch from a precipice; the vessel pitches in a heavy sea; the field pitches toward the east.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
A vendor's position (especially on the sidewalk);
He was employed to see that his paper's news pitches were not trespassed upon by rival vendors
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
Degree of deviation from a horizontal plane;
The roof had a steep pitch
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
Abrupt up-and-down motion (as caused by a ship or other conveyance);
The pitching and tossing was quite exciting
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
The action or manner of throwing something;
His pitch fell short and his hat landed on the floor
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
Throw or toss with a light motion;
Flip me the beachball
Toss me newspaper
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Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
Throw or hurl from the mound to the batter, as in baseball;
The pitcher delivered the ball
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
Set the level or character of;
She pitched her speech to the teenagers in the audience
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 18, 2024
Pitch
Pitch is the perceived frequency of a sound, determining how high or low it is.
The pitch of the violin was perfectly tuned.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 20, 2024
Pitch
Pitch refers to the tonal quality of a sound, distinguishing different notes.
He could identify songs easily by their pitch.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 20, 2024
Pitch
Pitch is the auditory attribute of sound ordered on a scale from low to high.
Her voice had a high pitch that was quite distinctive.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 20, 2024
Pitch
Pitch indicates the musical note a sound corresponds to.
The musician adjusted the pitch of his guitar before playing.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 20, 2024
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can loudness affect hearing?
Prolonged exposure to high loudness levels can damage hearing.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Does loudness depend on the listener?
Yes, loudness can be subjective and vary between listeners.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
What is loudness in simple terms?
Loudness is how loud or soft a sound seems to a person.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Is loudness the same as volume?
Loudness is related to volume but also includes perception factors.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
How is pitch measured?
Pitch is measured in Hertz (Hz), indicating sound frequency.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Can everyone perceive pitch the same?
Generally, pitch perception is consistent, but it can vary slightly.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Is pitch important in music?
Yes, pitch is crucial for melody and harmony in music.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Does pitch change with loudness?
Pitch is independent of loudness; a sound can be loud or soft at any pitch.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Is pitch related to musical notes?
Yes, pitch corresponds to specific musical notes.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
How does pitch vary in languages?
Different languages use pitch variations for intonation and meaning.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Can loudness be controlled?
Yes, loudness can be controlled using volume controls and soundproofing.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Can loudness be harmful?
Extremely high loudness levels can cause hearing damage.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Are pitch and frequency the same?
Pitch is a perception of frequency, but they are not exactly the same.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Why do voices have different pitches?
Voice pitch varies due to physical differences in vocal cords and resonance.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Can technology alter pitch and loudness?
Yes, technology like auto-tune and amplifiers can alter both pitch and loudness.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
What factors affect loudness perception?
Distance, environment, and listener's hearing ability affect loudness perception.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 28, 2024
Can animals perceive pitch?
Many animals can perceive pitch, often at different ranges than humans.
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Feb 28, 2024
Why is loudness important in communication?
Loudness helps convey emotions and intentions in speech.
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Feb 28, 2024
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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