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Description
Microtonal music is music that uses microtones—pitches that fall between the notes of the Western 12‑tone equal temperament (12‑TET). In practical terms, it employs intervals smaller than a semitone or uses alternative tuning systems that do not align with the customary twelve equal divisions of the octave.
Beyond simple “quarter‑tone” writing, microtonality encompasses historical and global pitch systems (such as those of Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Southeast Asian traditions), just‑intonation lattices, and equal divisions of the octave with many steps (e.g., 19‑EDO, 24‑EDO, 31‑EDO, 53‑EDO, 72‑EDO). It may be realized on retuned acoustic instruments, specially built or modified instruments, voice, or digital synthesis/samplers.
Aesthetic results range from delicate, shimmering pitch colors and continuous glissandi to rugged, “in‑between” harmonies and new modalities—often creating sensations that sound ‘between the keys’ of a piano.
History
Microtonal pitch organization long predates the Western 12‑TET system. Many traditions—including Arabic maqam, Persian dastgah, Turkish makam, Indian raga, Byzantine chant, and Southeast Asian gamelan—use intervals that do not correspond to the twelve equal semitones. These repertoires provided enduring models for flexible intonation, melodic inflection, and alternative tuning frames.
As a named and theorized current in Western art music, microtonality gained traction in the 1910s–1920s. The Mexican composer Julián Carrillo publicized "Sonido 13" (13th Sound), advocating divisions finer than semitones and building custom instruments. In Central Europe, Alois Hába (Czechoslovakia) wrote extensively in quarter‑tones and sixth‑tones, founded a quarter‑tone department in Prague, and helped systematize education in alternative tunings. In Russia/France, Ivan Wyschnegradsky envisioned multi‑octave “ultra‑chromaticism,” composing in quarter‑tones and beyond.
Harry Partch constructed a family of instruments for just intonation (JI), opening a pathway to harmonic systems based on pure ratios far denser than 12‑TET. Later, Ben Johnston expanded JI notations for concert instruments, while Easley Blackwood explored various equal divisions of the octave (EDOs) in idiomatic tonal styles. Parallel avant‑garde currents (La Monte Young, James Tenney) fused sustained sound, psychoacoustics, and alternative tunings.
From the 1970s onward, spectral composers (e.g., Gérard Grisey, Tristan Murail) employed micro‑intervals derived from harmonic spectra. Georg Friedrich Haas advanced microtonal harmony and orchestration with rich, dark sonorities and precise performance practices. With the rise of digital synthesis, tuning editors (Scala, DAWs, soft synths) democratized access to EDOs and JI. Microtonal ideas now appear in experimental rock/metal, jazz improvisation, electronic music, film/game scoring, and global fusion—alongside ongoing work in concert music and research on perception and notation.
