Overtones are defined as frequencies that are

• A. Above the fundamental frequency
• B. Below the fundamental frequency
• C. Equal to the fundamental frequency
• D. Unrelated to the fundamental

Answer: (A)

Overtones are the higher-frequency components that accompany a note beyond its lowest pitch. When a sound vibrates, the fundamental frequency establishes the pitch you hear, and the other vibrating modes add additional pitches that are higher in frequency. These higher tones are typically harmonically related to the fundamental, meaning their frequencies are integer multiples of the fundamental (2×, 3×, 4×, and so on). Because they sit above the fundamental, the overtones are the higher-frequency parts of the timbre that shape the character of the sound.

So the best answer says they are above the fundamental frequency. They aren’t below it, they aren’t the same as the fundamental, and they aren’t unrelated to it.