In the context of a vibrating string, the fundamental frequency is the first harmonic. The overtones are higher frequency modes of vibration that occur at integer multiples of the fundamental frequency.
- The first harmonic is the fundamental frequency.
- The second harmonic is the first overtone, which has twice the frequency of the fundamental.
- The third harmonic is the second overtone, which has three times the frequency of the fundamental.
Thus, the overtone refers to the second harmonic.