Microtone (music)
Microtonal or microtonality is the use in music of microtones—intervals smaller than a semitone, also called "microintervals". It may also be extended to include any music using intervals not found in the customary Western tuning of twelve equal intervals per octave. In other words, a microtone may be thought of as a note that falls "between the keys" of a piano tuned in equal temperament.
For sounds on the time scale shorter than musical notes, see microsound.Microtonality in rock music[edit]
A form of microtone known as the blue note is an integral part of rock music and one of its predecessors, the blues. The blue notes, located on the third, fifth, and seventh notes of a diatonic major scale, are flattened by a variable microtone.[99] Joe Monzo has made a microtonal analysis of the song "Drunken Hearted Man",[100] written and recorded by the delta blues musician Robert Johnson.[101]
Musicians such as Jon Catler have incorporated microtonal guitars like 31-tone equal tempered guitar and a 62-tone just intonation guitar in blues and jazz rock music.[102]
English rock band Radiohead has used microtonal string arrangements in their music, such as on "How to Disappear Completely" from the album Kid A.[101]
American band Secret Chiefs 3 has been making its own custom "microtonal" instruments since the mid 1990s. The proprietary tuning system they use in their Ishraqiyun aspect is ratio-based, not equal temperament. The band's leader Trey Spruance, also of Mr. Bungle challenges the terminology of "microtonality" as a development that instead of liberating tonal sensibility to a universe of diverse possibilities, both new and historical, instead mainly serves to reinforce the idea that the universal standard for "tone" is the (western) semitone.[103]
Australian band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard utilises microtonal instruments, including custom microtonal guitars modified to play in 24-TET tuning. Tracks with these instruments appear on their 2017 albums Flying Microtonal Banana[104] and Gumboot Soup, their 2020 album K.G, and their 2021 album L.W.[105]
American band Dollshot used quarter tones and other microtonal intervals in their album Lalande.[106]
American instrumental trio Consider the Source employs microtonal instruments in their music.