...between an undertone and an overtone?
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What's the Difference?
- Thread starter Left Coast
- Start date
PoetPhilosopher
Veteran Member
Doing a Google search, I'm skeptical there's a difference. But I'm not an English teacher either, though.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Musically, what I found was this
"While overtones naturally occur with the physical production of music on instruments, undertones must be produced in unusual ways. While the overtone series is based upon arithmetic multiplication of frequencies, resulting in a harmonic series, the undertone series is based on arithmetic division."
PoetPhilosopher
Veteran Member
Wait. We're talking music?
That was my assumption.
I'm open to any/all of the words' usages.
'Overtone' is a musical term. 'Undertone' seems like a creative play on words to me, but it could be a musical term, too.
In nature there is a progression of tones which follow one another. For example most objects do not ring with only one note.
"The lowest normal mode frequency is known as the fundamental frequency, while the higher frequencies are called overtones. Often, when an oscillator is excited — for example, by plucking a guitar string — it will oscillate at several of its modal frequencies at the same time." --- Overtone - Wikipedia
As I understand it, overtones are multiples of a frequency, and undertones are the opposite. So, for any frequency f, the overtones are 2f, 3f, 4f, etc, and the undertones are f/2, f/3, f/4, etc..
So for 440 Hz (A), the overtones are (all in Hz) 880, 1320, 1760, etc, and the undertones are 220, 146.6, 110, etc.
nPeace
Veteran Member
I'm sure about 'undertone', because of understanding
(Joshua 1:8) . . .and you must read it in an undertone day and night. . . See Psalms 1:2
This mean in a meditative way - reflecting on what one reads. So, like reading, or repeating what one reads, in a low tone, to oneself. Sort of like muttering.
Overtone, I haven't studied, but it seems to indicate something that is subtle or that has traces of...
I'm guessing this based on phrases I heard with the word 'overtone'.
For example, sexual overtone... See here.
HonestJoe
Well-Known Member
One is Antony's shoes and the other is Antony's hat.
From dictionary.com, the kinds of meanings I think the OP seeks....
Definition of undertone | Dictionary.com
3 an underlying quality or element; undercurrent:
There was an undertone of regret in his refusal.
Definition of overtone | Dictionary.com
2 an additional, usually subsidiary and implicit meaning or quality:
an aesthetic theory with definite political overtones.
The difference strikes me as hard to remember.
The undertone is more fundamental?
I don't recall using either term.
Definition of undertone | Dictionary.com
3 an underlying quality or element; undercurrent:
There was an undertone of regret in his refusal.
Definition of overtone | Dictionary.com
2 an additional, usually subsidiary and implicit meaning or quality:
an aesthetic theory with definite political overtones.
The difference strikes me as hard to remember.
The undertone is more fundamental?
I don't recall using either term.
Well, undertone also refers to whether a color is cool, warm, or neutral (often applied to skin tones and makeup.)
Ah yes I remember that! And can't it be applied to hair color as well?
Yep, any kind of color context. Makeup, hair, clothes, paint and interior decorating palettes, etc.
An undertone lifts up. An overtone drowns out.
Callisto
Hellenismos, BTW
They're close and often used interchangeably but the difference is basically an undertone is an underlying meaning to something without outwardly conveying that it's part of what's being expressed. An often-used example of this is The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Outwardly, it's about a fantasy realm accessed through a child's wardrobe. But it contains Christian themes and parallels to biblical stories. This is deliberate as Lewis was a devout Christian. It's conveying something without outwardly seeming to convey it, nor even pertain to the undertone, the recipients are exposed to something without realizing it.
For examples see Christian Symbolism in Narnia, and Religion in The Chronicles of Narnia.
Overtones are less subtle, the recipient is more likely to pick up on the attitude of what's being expressed even if what's being said (the words themselves) seems to not be expressing that attitude. E.g., you can tell someone is biased for/against something while saying something on the surface that suggests something else. It's why people use emojis or "/s" in text-only discussions, a typed comment can sometimes be taken more than one way and the person reading it isn't sure. It's not always evident what the person is "really" saying by their choice of words. Whereas if they were speaking it directly to you, you can pick up on how they said it and their body language. Undertones aren't usually obvious and don't necessarily pertain to what's being said, overtones often relate to what's being said.
For examples see Christian Symbolism in Narnia, and Religion in The Chronicles of Narnia.
Overtones are less subtle, the recipient is more likely to pick up on the attitude of what's being expressed even if what's being said (the words themselves) seems to not be expressing that attitude. E.g., you can tell someone is biased for/against something while saying something on the surface that suggests something else. It's why people use emojis or "/s" in text-only discussions, a typed comment can sometimes be taken more than one way and the person reading it isn't sure. It's not always evident what the person is "really" saying by their choice of words. Whereas if they were speaking it directly to you, you can pick up on how they said it and their body language. Undertones aren't usually obvious and don't necessarily pertain to what's being said, overtones often relate to what's being said.