Loudness vs. Pitch — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 30, 2024
Loudness is the perception of sound volume, while pitch is perceived as the sound's highness or lowness, depending on the frequency.
Difference Between Loudness and Pitch
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Loudness is a subjective perception that describes how strong or intense a sound appears to a listener, typically measured in decibels (dB). It depends on the amplitude of sound waves; higher amplitudes produce louder sounds. Pitch, on the other hand, is determined by the frequency of sound waves, with higher frequencies resulting in higher pitches. It's how we perceive the highness or lowness of a sound.
While loudness is influenced by the energy of the sound wave and its distance from the source, pitch is purely a function of the sound wave's frequency. For example, a whisper and a shout may have the same pitch if spoken in the same note, but their loudness levels would be vastly different. Conversely, two instruments playing at the same volume but different notes will have the same loudness but different pitches.
In the context of music and audio, loudness is often manipulated to achieve a desired impact or emotional response, independent of pitch. Adjusting the volume on a music player changes the loudness without affecting the pitch of the music. Pitch, however, is altered by changing the frequency of the sound waves, as when a musician presses different keys on a piano or a singer adjusts the tightness of their vocal cords.
Human perception of loudness is not linear; it is more sensitive to certain frequencies. This means a sound of lower frequency needs to have a higher amplitude to be perceived as equally loud as a higher frequency sound. Pitch perception, conversely, is more straightforward, with changes in frequency directly affecting the perceived pitch.
Understanding the difference between loudness and pitch is crucial in various fields, including music, audio engineering, and acoustics. Loudness is key to mixing and mastering in music production to ensure sound levels are balanced and comfortable for listening. Pitch is central to musical theory, defining notes, scales, and melodies.
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Comparison Chart
Measurement
Decibels (dB)
Hertz (Hz)
Determined By
Amplitude of sound waves
Frequency of sound waves
Perception
Volume or intensity of sound
Highness or lowness of sound
Example
Shouting is louder than whispering
A high note vs. a low note
Adjustments
Volume control on a device
Tuning instrument or vocal cords
Compare with Definitions
Loudness
Describes how intense or powerful a sound seems.
The loudness of the concert left my ears ringing.
Pitch
The perceived highness or lowness of a sound.
Birds often sing at a higher pitch than humans speak.
Loudness
Sound systems and devices allow for loudness manipulation.
Increasing the volume on your TV raises the loudness of the program.
Pitch
Across cultures, high and low pitches are recognized similarly.
Both Western and Eastern music recognize the concept of high and low notes.
Loudness
Quantified using decibels, reflecting sound wave amplitude.
Sound above 85 dB can cause hearing damage over time.
Pitch
Musicians adjust pitch through instrument design and playing techniques.
Shortening a guitar string by pressing a fret raises the pitch of the note played.
Loudness
Can vary significantly from person to person.
What is moderately loud to one person may be overwhelming to another.
Pitch
Pitch defines notes, melodies, and harmonies in music.
A song's melody relies on the sequential arrangement of pitches.
Loudness
Background noise can affect loudness perception.
A conversation may seem quieter in a noisy café than in a quiet room.
Pitch
Frequency of sound waves determines pitch.
Middle C on a piano vibrates at about 261.6 Hz.
Loudness
In acoustics, loudness is the subjective perception of sound pressure. More formally, it is defined as, "That attribute of auditory sensation in terms of which sounds can be ordered on a scale extending from quiet to loud".
Pitch
The quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone
Her voice rose steadily in pitch
Loudness
Characterized by high volume and intensity. Used of sound
A loud whistle.
Pitch
The steepness of a slope, especially of a roof.
Loudness
Producing sound of high volume and intensity
A loud construction work site.
Pitch
A level of the intensity of something, especially a high level
The media furore reached such a pitch that the company withdrew the product
Loudness
Clamorous and insistent
Loud denials.
Pitch
An area of ground marked out or used for play in an outdoor team game
A football pitch
Loudness
Having strikingly bright colors
A loud necktie. See garish.
Pitch
A delivery of the ball by the pitcher.
Loudness
Having a very strong or overpowering odor.
Pitch
A form of words used when trying to persuade someone to buy or accept something
He put over a very strong sales pitch
Loudness
In a loud manner.
Pitch
A place where a street vendor or performer stations themselves or sets up a stall
The traders had already reserved their pitches
Loudness
The perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure, measured in sones or phons
Pitch
A swaying or oscillation of a ship, aircraft, or vehicle around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the direction of motion
The pitch and roll of the ship
Loudness
The physical strength of the sound pressure level, measured in decibels
Pitch
The distance between successive corresponding points or lines, for example between the teeth of a cogwheel.
Loudness
The quality or state of being loud.
Pitch
A sticky resinous black or dark brown substance that is semi-liquid when hot and hardens when cold, obtained by distilling tar or turpentine and used for waterproofing.
Loudness
The magnitude of sound (usually in a specified direction);
The kids played their music at full volume
Pitch
Set (one's voice or a piece of music) at a particular pitch
You've pitched the melody very high
Loudness
Tasteless showiness
Pitch
Throw roughly or casually
He crumpled the page up and pitched it into the fireplace
Pitch
Throw (the ball) for the batter to try to hit.
Pitch
Make a bid to obtain a contract or other business
I've been pitching for this account for over a month
Pitch
Set up and fix in position
We pitched camp for the night
Pitch
(of a moving ship, aircraft, or vehicle) rock or oscillate around a lateral axis, so that the front moves up and down
The little steamer pressed on, pitching gently
Pitch
Cause (a roof) to slope downwards from the ridge
The roof was pitched at an angle of 75 degrees
Pitch
Pave (a road) with stones
Another sort of stone is used for pitching streets
Pitch
(in brewing) add yeast to (wort) to induce fermentation.
Pitch
Cover, coat, or smear with pitch.
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.
Pitch
Any of various natural bitumens, such as mineral pitch or asphalt.
Pitch
A resin derived from the sap of various coniferous trees, as the pines.
Pitch
The act or an instance of pitching.
Pitch
A throw of the ball by the pitcher to the batter.
Pitch
A ball so thrown
Hit the pitch into left field.
Pitch
(Sports) A playing field. Also called wicket.
Pitch
(Nautical) The alternate dip and rise of a vessel's bow and stern.
Pitch
The alternate lift and descent of the nose and tail of an airplane.
Pitch
A steep slope.
Pitch
The degree of such a slope.
Pitch
(Sports) A single interval between ledges or anchors used as belaying points in mountaineering
A climb of six pitches.
Pitch
The angle of a roof.
Pitch
The highest point of a structure
The pitch of an arch.
Pitch
A level or degree, as of intensity
Worked at a feverish pitch.
Pitch
(Acoustics) The distinctive quality of a sound, dependent primarily on the frequency of the sound waves produced by its source.
Pitch
(Music) The relative position of a tone within a range of musical sounds, as determined by this quality.
Pitch
(Music) Any of various standards for this quality associating each tone with a particular frequency.
Pitch
The distance traveled by a machine screw in a single revolution.
Pitch
The distance between two corresponding points on adjacent screw threads or gear teeth.
Pitch
The distance between two corresponding points on a helix.
Pitch
The distance that a propeller would travel in an ideal medium during one complete revolution, measured parallel to the shaft of the propeller.
Pitch
A line of talk designed to persuade
"[his] pious pitch for ... austerity" (Boston Globe).
Pitch
An advertisement.
Pitch
Chiefly British The stand of a vendor or hawker.
Pitch
(Games) See seven-up.
Pitch
(Printing) The density of characters in a printed line, usually expressed as characters per inch.
Pitch
To smear or cover with pitch.
Pitch
To throw, usually with careful aim.
Pitch
To discard by throwing
Pitched my worn-out sneakers.
Pitch
To throw (the ball) from the mound to the batter.
Pitch
To play (a game or part of a game) as pitcher.
Pitch
To assign as pitcher
The manager decided to pitch a left-hander.
Pitch
To erect or establish; set up
Pitched a tent.
Pitch camp.
Pitch
To set firmly; implant; embed
Pitched stakes in the ground.
Pitch
To set at a specified downward slant
Pitched the roof at a steep angle.
Pitch
To set at a particular level, degree, or quality
Pitched her expectations too high.
Pitch
(Music) To set the pitch or key of.
Pitch
To adapt so as to be applicable; direct
Pitched his speech to the teenagers in the audience.
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).
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.
Pitch
To lead (a card), thus establishing the trump suit.
Pitch
To discard (a card other than a trump and different in suit from the card led).
Pitch
To throw or toss something, such as a ball, horseshoe, or bale.
Pitch
(Baseball) To play in the position of pitcher.
Pitch
To plunge headlong
He pitched over the railing.
Pitch
To stumble around; lurch.
Pitch
To buck, as a horse.
Pitch
(Nautical) To dip bow and stern alternately.
Pitch
To oscillate about a lateral axis so that the nose lifts or descends in relation to the tail. Used of an aircraft.
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.
Pitch
To slope downward
The hill pitches steeply.
Pitch
To set up living quarters; encamp; settle.
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.
Pitch
A sticky, gummy substance secreted by trees; sap.
It is hard to get this pitch off my hand.
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.
Pitch
(geology) Pitchstone.
Pitch
A throw; a toss; a cast, as of something from the hand.
A good pitch in quoits
Pitch
(baseball) The act of pitching a baseball.
The pitch was low and inside.
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.
Pitch
(rare) The field of battle.
Pitch
An effort to sell or promote something.
He gave me a sales pitch.
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.
Pitch
The angle at which an object sits.
The pitch of the roof or haystack
Pitch
The rotation angle about the transverse axis.
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
Pitch
(aviation) A measure of the angle of attack of a propeller.
The propeller blades' pitch went to 90° as the engine was feathered.
Pitch
An area in a market (or similar) allocated to a particular trader.
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.
Pitch
An area on a campsite intended for occupation by a single tent, caravan or similar.
Pitch
A level or degree, or (by extension), a peak or highest degree.
Pitch
A point or peak; the extreme point of elevation or depression.
Pitch
The most thrust-out point of a headland or cape.
Pitch
Collectively, the outermost points of some part of the body, especially the shoulders or hips.
Pitch
The height a bird reaches in flight, especially a bird of prey preparing to swoop down on its prey.
Pitch
A person's or animal's height.
Pitch
Prominence; importance.
Pitch
(climbing) A section of a climb or rock face; specifically, the climbing distance between belays or stances.
Pitch
(caving) A vertical cave passage, only negotiable by using rope or ladders.
The entrance pitch requires 30 metres of rope.
Pitch
(cricket) That point of the ground on which the ball pitches or lights when bowled.
Pitch
A descent; a fall; a thrusting down.
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
Pitch
(mining) The limit of ground set to a miner who receives a share of the ore taken out.
Pitch
The perceived frequency of a sound or note.
The pitch of middle "C" is familiar to many musicians.
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?
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.
Pitch
To cover or smear with pitch.
Pitch
To darken; to blacken; to obscure.
Pitch
(transitive) To throw.
He pitched the horseshoe.
Pitch
To throw (the ball) toward a batter at home plate.
The hurler pitched a curveball.
He pitched high and inside.
Pitch
To play baseball in the position of pitcher.
Bob pitches today.
Pitch
(transitive) To throw away; discard.
He pitched the candy wrapper.
Pitch
(transitive) To promote, advertise, or attempt to sell.
He pitched the idea for months with no takers.
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?
Pitch
(transitive) To assemble or erect (a tent).
Pitch the tent over there.
Pitch
(intransitive) To fix or place a tent or temporary habitation; to encamp.
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.
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.
Pitch
To bounce on the playing surface.
The ball pitched well short of the batsman.
Pitch
To settle and build up, without melting.
Pitch
To alight; to settle; to come to rest from flight.
Pitch
(with on or upon) To fix one's choice.
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.
Pitch
To set, face, or pave with rubble or undressed stones.
Pitch
To set or fix.
Pitch
To discard for some gain.
Pitch
To attack, or position or assemble for attack.
Pitch
(intransitive) To produce a note of a given pitch.
Pitch
(transitive) To fix or set the tone of.
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.
Pitch
See Pitchstone.
Pitch
A throw; a toss; a cast, as of something from the hand; as, a good pitch in quoits.
Pitch
That point of the ground on which the ball pitches or lights when bowled.
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.
Pitch
Height; stature.
Pitch
A descent; a fall; a thrusting down.
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.
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.
Pitch
The limit of ground set to a miner who receives a share of the ore taken out.
Pitch
The distance from center to center of any two adjacent teeth of gearing, measured on the pitch line; - called also circular pitch.
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.
Pitch
To cover over or smear with pitch.
Pitch
Fig.: To darken; to blacken; to obscure.
The welkin pitched with sullen could.
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.
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.
Pitch
To set, face, or pave with rubble or undressed stones, as an embankment or a roadway.
Pitch
To fix or set the tone of; as, to pitch a tune.
Pitch
To set or fix, as a price or value.
Pitch
To fix or place a tent or temporary habitation; to encamp.
Pitch
To light; to settle; to come to rest from flight.
The tree whereon they [the bees] pitch.
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.
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.
Pitch
The property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
Pitch
(baseball) the throwing of a baseball by a pitcher to a batter
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
Pitch
Promotion by means of an argument and demonstration
Pitch
Degree of deviation from a horizontal plane;
The roof had a steep pitch
Pitch
Any of various dark heavy viscid substances obtained as a residue
Pitch
A high approach shot in golf
Pitch
An all-fours game in which the first card led is a trump
Pitch
Abrupt up-and-down motion (as caused by a ship or other conveyance);
The pitching and tossing was quite exciting
Pitch
The action or manner of throwing something;
His pitch fell short and his hat landed on the floor
Pitch
Throw or toss with a light motion;
Flip me the beachball
Toss me newspaper
Pitch
Move abruptly;
The ship suddenly lurched to the left
Pitch
Fall or plunge forward;
She pitched over the railing of the balcony
Pitch
Set to a certain pitch;
He pitched his voice very low
Pitch
Sell or offer for sale from place to place
Pitch
Be at an angle;
The terrain sloped down
Pitch
Heel over;
The tower is tilting
The ceiling is slanting
Pitch
Erect and fasten;
Pitch a tent
Pitch
Throw or hurl from the mound to the batter, as in baseball;
The pitcher delivered the ball
Pitch
Hit (a golf ball) in a high arc with a backspin
Pitch
Lead (a card) and establish the trump suit
Pitch
Set the level or character of;
She pitched her speech to the teenagers in the audience
Common Curiosities
What unit is used to measure pitch?
Pitch is measured in Hertz (Hz), indicating the frequency of sound waves.
Does the loudness of a sound affect its pitch?
No, the loudness (volume) of a sound does not inherently change its pitch (frequency), although perception of pitch can slightly change at very high volumes due to nonlinearities in human hearing.
Can a sound be loud and low-pitched at the same time?
Yes, a sound can be loud with a high volume and low-pitched, like a bass drum in music.
Is there a psychological effect of loudness and pitch?
Yes, both can evoke emotional responses; for example, loud sounds can startle or alert, while pitch can influence mood and feelings.
What defines the loudness of a sound?
Loudness is defined by the amplitude of sound waves and perceived volume.
How do musicians use loudness and pitch?
Musicians manipulate loudness for dynamic expression and pitch to create melodies, harmonies, and rhythms.
Why do some sounds seem louder at night?
Absence of background noise during night can make sounds seem louder due to less auditory competition, not because their loudness actually increases.
How is pitch different from loudness?
Pitch refers to the perceived highness or lowness of a sound, determined by the frequency of sound waves, whereas loudness is about the sound's volume.
How do audio engineers work with loudness and pitch?
They adjust loudness for clarity and balance in mixes, and modify pitch for artistic effects or to correct tuning.
Can everyone perceive the same pitches?
While there's a general range of frequencies most humans can hear, the ability to perceive or distinguish between pitches can vary among individuals.
Can loudness damage hearing?
Yes, prolonged exposure to high levels of loudness can damage hearing, leading to noise-induced hearing loss.
How do digital devices simulate loudness and pitch changes?
Digital devices use signal processing to amplify or reduce sound wave amplitude for loudness and alter wave frequency for pitch adjustments.
What happens to our perception of loudness with age?
Aging can lead to a decreased sensitivity to certain frequencies, potentially altering loudness perception, especially at higher frequencies.
Why is pitch important in language?
In tonal languages, pitch changes the meaning of words, making precise pitch perception crucial for understanding.
Do animals perceive loudness and pitch differently than humans?
Yes, different species have varying ranges of hearing and sensitivity to pitch and loudness, adapted to their communication needs.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
