Question

what distinguishes the timbre of an instrument?
a. the pitch it plays
b. the loudness of its sound
c. the harmonic content of the sound
d. the duration of the sound

Explanation:

Timbre, also known as tone color or tone quality, is what makes a particular musical sound have a different quality from another. It is determined by the harmonic content (overtones and their relative amplitudes) of a sound. Pitch is related to frequency, loudness to amplitude, and duration to time.

Answer:

C. The harmonic content of the sound