Timbre
Timbre is the fundamental property of sound that helps you to identify an instrument type. The other sound properties include pitch, duration, and volume, all of which are nonspecific with regards to the recognition of an instrument or voice. Recognizing the timbre of a musical instrument or voice can become second nature, although describing it in words is often difficult. We use a variety of nonspecific terms to describe timbre that people often interpret differently. The timbre of the trumpet might be described as having a “brassy” sound, which makes sense since the instrument is made of brass. The trombone is also made of brass, so describing its timbre as “brassy” might also be used, but that description does not distinguish it from the timbre of the trumpet; the term is nonspecific. Perhaps “deep and brassy” would help to qualify the timbre of the trombone, but, again, there are many instruments that can be described as “deep.”