Intervals less than a semitone

Microtonal music or microtonality is the use in music of microtones—intervals smaller than a semitone, also called "microintervals". ... In other words, a microtone may be thought of as a note that falls between the keys of a piano tuned in equal temperament.

1. What does it mean for a note to be microtonal?
2. Can you hear microtones?
3. What is a microtonal instrument?
4. What is a microtonal composer?

What does it mean for a note to be microtonal?

: a musical interval smaller than a halftone.

Can you hear microtones?

One of the complaints people usually register is that microtones sound bad or out of tune. This can certainly be true. But we can sometimes forget that we hear microtones all day every day. Birds chirp, bells ring, and sirens wail, all in microtones.

What is a microtonal instrument?

Microtonal music is made from notes 'between the cracks' on an ordinary instrument. If your eyes start to glaze over, just skip to the last paragraph. On a piano, each octave is divided into twelve equal semi-tones or half-steps. This system is called twelve-tone equal temperament (12tET).

What is a microtonal composer?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Microtonal composers use tuning systems other than 12-tone equal temperament, or whatever the standard tuning for their culture is.