Timbre denotes the specific sound of an ukulele (or any other instrument). It is mainly determined by the following factors:
Since the age of Romanticism timbre has been counted among the determining elements of a musical composition alongside melody, harmony and rhythm.
As with all plucked instruments, the ukulele can use techniques of attack that produce distinctive sound effects (intonation). This includes:
The use of such techniques alters the tone quality, especially the sound spectrum (the frequency of the sounds), and thus affects the listening experience.