Microtonal music - Revision history

Overthink: Undo revision 221772 by Overthink (talk) wait maybe leave it, the section's obviously way shorter than "terminology"

2026-01-17T05:58:18Z

Undo revision 221772 by Overthink (talk) wait maybe leave it, the section's obviously way shorter than "terminology"

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	See [[:Category:People\|Category: People]] for a list of people involved in microtonality or xenharmonics.		See [[:Category:People\|Category: People]] for a list of people involved in microtonality or xenharmonics.
	{{Todo\|expand}}		{{Todo\|expand\|inline=true}}

	== See also ==		== See also ==

Overthink: /* History */ remove inline todo box

2026-01-17T05:56:21Z

History: remove inline todo box

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	See [[:Category:People\|Category: People]] for a list of people involved in microtonality or xenharmonics.		See [[:Category:People\|Category: People]] for a list of people involved in microtonality or xenharmonics.
	{{Todo\|expand~~\|inline=true~~}}		{{Todo\|expand}}

	== See also ==		== See also ==

Overthink: /* Terminology */ link and wording

2026-01-17T05:55:27Z

Terminology: link and wording

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	== Terminology ==		== Terminology ==
	Many dictionaries define microtonal music as music that employs intervals smaller than a semitone. However, in contemporary practice, microtonal music is any music that is not 12edo, even if it is in a tuning system that does not use any intervals less than a 12edo semitone step.		Many dictionaries define microtonal music as music that employs intervals smaller than a semitone. However, in contemporary practice, microtonal music is any music that is not in [[12edo]], even if it is in a tuning system that does not use any intervals less than a 12edo semitone step.

	Several terms have been proposed with more or less similar definitions. A notable example is '''xenharmonic music''', coined by [[Ivor Darreg]], which describes music that sounds ''significantly'' different from 12edo. There are many gray areas regarding what sort of systems qualify as xenharmonic or not, and no rigorous definition seems to be universally acceptable among xenharmonists.		Several terms have been proposed with more or less similar definitions. A notable example is '''xenharmonic music''', coined by [[Ivor Darreg]], which describes music that sounds ''significantly'' different from 12edo. There are many gray areas regarding what sort of systems qualify as xenharmonic or not, and no rigorous definition seems to be universally acceptable among xenharmonists.

BudjarnLambeth: /* Xenharmonic */ update link

2025-10-08T03:52:23Z

Xenharmonic: update link

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	=== Debates and usage ===		=== Debates and usage ===
	==== Xenharmonic ====		==== Xenharmonic ====
	{{see also\|~~User:Nick Vuci/Xenharmonics~~}}		{{see also\|History and philosophy of xenharmonic music}}

	Many theorists caution against using the term ''xenharmonic'' for non-Western traditions that use non-12edo tunings. This is because the prefix ''xen-'' denotes otherness, so calling those traditions ''xenharmonic'' implies they are "exotic", and that Western 12edo music is "normal".		Many theorists caution against using the term ''xenharmonic'' for non-Western traditions that use non-12edo tunings. This is because the prefix ''xen-'' denotes otherness, so calling those traditions ''xenharmonic'' implies they are "exotic", and that Western 12edo music is "normal".

BudjarnLambeth: Move scope section higher up the page

2025-09-27T03:40:05Z

Move scope section higher up the page

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	Many dictionaries define microtonal music as music that employs intervals smaller than a semitone. However, in contemporary practice, microtonal music is any music that is not 12edo, even if it is in a tuning system that does not use any intervals less than a 12edo semitone step.		Many dictionaries define microtonal music as music that employs intervals smaller than a semitone. However, in contemporary practice, microtonal music is any music that is not 12edo, even if it is in a tuning system that does not use any intervals less than a 12edo semitone step.

	Several terms have been proposed with more or less similar definitions. A notable example is '''xenharmonic music''', coined by [[Ivor Darreg]], which describes music that sounds significantly different from 12edo. There are many gray areas regarding what sort of systems qualify as xenharmonic or not, and no rigorous definition seems to be universally acceptable among xenharmonists.		Several terms have been proposed with more or less similar definitions. A notable example is '''xenharmonic music''', coined by [[Ivor Darreg]], which describes music that sounds ''significantly'' different from 12edo. There are many gray areas regarding what sort of systems qualify as xenharmonic or not, and no rigorous definition seems to be universally acceptable among xenharmonists.

			=== Scope of this wiki ===
			Despite being named the ''Xenharmonic Wiki'', this wiki documents any and all kinds of musical tunings, no matter whether one counts them as xenharmonic or not.

	=== Debates and usage ===		=== Debates and usage ===
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	==== Other alternatives ====		==== Other alternatives ====
	{{main\|What is microtonal music #Other terms used instead of "microtonal", or in addition to it }}		{{main\|What is microtonal music #Other terms used instead of "microtonal", or in addition to it }}

	~~==== Scope of this wiki ====~~
	~~Despite being named the ''Xenharmonic Wiki'', this wiki documents any and all kinds of musical tunings, no matter whether one counts them as xenharmonic or not.~~

	== History ==		== History ==

BudjarnLambeth: /* History */

2025-09-27T00:24:32Z

History

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	== History ==		== History ==
	~~{{Wikipedia\|Microtonality#History}}~~ Sometime before 1900, composer [[Julián Carrillo\|Julián Carrillo Trujillo]] performed experiments on a violin string, using a razor blade to achieve very precise intervals smaller than a [[semitone]], which he called ''microtono''. Over a decade later, the music theorist {{w\|Maud MacCarthy (Omananda Puri)\|Maud MacCarthy Mann}} began using the term ''microtone'' to describe [[Indian]] sruti intervals that were smaller than a semitone, to differentiate them from [[quartertone]]s.		Sometime before 1900, composer [[Julián Carrillo\|Julián Carrillo Trujillo]] performed experiments on a violin string, using a razor blade to achieve very precise intervals smaller than a [[semitone]], which he called ''microtono''. Over a decade later, the music theorist {{w\|Maud MacCarthy (Omananda Puri)\|Maud MacCarthy Mann}} began using the term ''microtone'' to describe [[Indian]] sruti intervals that were smaller than a semitone, to differentiate them from [[quartertone]]s.

	In the 1910's and 1920's, there was some discussion as to whether the term ''microtone'' was appropriate, or if competing terms, such as ''heterotone'' or ''fraction-tone'' etc., would be clearer. By the 1930's, with interest in American {{w\|Blues}} music booming, and with people like Ivor Darreg becoming active with new tuning methods, many more terms were proposed, but the terms ''microtonal'' and ''xenharmonic'' were most prominent in the English language by the end of the decade.		In the 1910's and 1920's, there was some discussion as to whether the term ''microtone'' was appropriate, or if competing terms, such as ''heterotone'' or ''fraction-tone'' etc., would be clearer. By the 1930's, with interest in American {{w\|Blues}} music booming, and with people like Ivor Darreg becoming active with new tuning methods, many more terms were proposed, but the terms ''microtonal'' and ''xenharmonic'' were most prominent in the English language by the end of the decade.

BudjarnLambeth: /* External links */

2025-09-27T00:23:47Z

External links

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	== External links ==		== External links ==
	* [https://untwelve.org/what What is microtonal music? What is xenharmonic music] by [[Margo Schulter]], on [[UnTwelve]]'s website		* [https://untwelve.org/what ''What is microtonal music? What is xenharmonic music?''] by [[Margo Schulter]], on [[UnTwelve]]'s website

	[[Category:Overview]]		[[Category:Overview]]

BudjarnLambeth at 00:23, 27 September 2025

2025-09-27T00:23:31Z

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	== External links ==		== External links ==
	* [https://untwelve.org/what What is microtonal music? What is xenharmonic music] by [[Margo Schulter]], on [[UnTwelve]]'s website		* [https://untwelve.org/what What is microtonal music? What is xenharmonic music] by [[Margo Schulter]], on [[UnTwelve]]'s website

	~~== References ==~~

	[[Category:Overview]]		[[Category:Overview]]

BudjarnLambeth: /* History */

2025-09-27T00:21:32Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:21, 27 September 2025
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	== History ==		== History ==
	{{~~Todo~~\|~~expand\|inline=true~~}}		{{Wikipedia\|Microtonality#History}} Sometime before 1900, composer [[Julián Carrillo\|Julián Carrillo Trujillo]] performed experiments on a violin string, using a razor blade to achieve very precise intervals smaller than a [[semitone]], which he called ''microtono''. Over a decade later, the music theorist {{w\|Maud MacCarthy (Omananda Puri)\|Maud MacCarthy Mann}} began using the term ''microtone'' to describe [[Indian]] sruti intervals that were smaller than a semitone, to differentiate them from [[quartertone]]s.

	Sometime before 1900, composer [[Julián Carrillo\|Julián Carrillo Trujillo]] performed experiments on a violin string, using a razor blade to achieve very precise intervals smaller than a [[semitone]], which he called ''microtono''. Over a decade later, the music theorist {{w\|Maud MacCarthy (Omananda Puri)\|Maud MacCarthy Mann}} began using the term ''microtone'' to describe [[Indian]] sruti intervals that were smaller than a semitone, to differentiate them from [[quartertone]]s.

	In the 1910's and 1920's, there was some discussion as to whether the term ''microtone'' was appropriate, or if competing terms, such as ''heterotone'' or ''fraction-tone'' etc., would be clearer. By the 1930's, with interest in American {{w\|Blues}} music booming, and with people like Ivor Darreg becoming active with new tuning methods, many more terms were proposed, but the terms ''microtonal'' and ''xenharmonic'' were most prominent in the English language by the end of the decade.		In the 1910's and 1920's, there was some discussion as to whether the term ''microtone'' was appropriate, or if competing terms, such as ''heterotone'' or ''fraction-tone'' etc., would be clearer. By the 1930's, with interest in American {{w\|Blues}} music booming, and with people like Ivor Darreg becoming active with new tuning methods, many more terms were proposed, but the terms ''microtonal'' and ''xenharmonic'' were most prominent in the English language by the end of the decade.

	See [[:Category:People\|Category: People]] for a list of people involved in microtonality or xenharmonics.		See [[:Category:People\|Category: People]] for a list of people involved in microtonality or xenharmonics.
			{{Todo\|expand\|inline=true}}

	== See also ==		== See also ==

BudjarnLambeth: /* Other alternatives */ Move to other page

2025-09-27T00:04:44Z

Other alternatives: Move to other page

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	==== Other alternatives ====		==== Other alternatives ====
	{{~~See also~~\| What is microtonal music #Other terms used instead of "microtonal", or in addition to it }}		{{main\|What is microtonal music #Other terms used instead of "microtonal", or in addition to it }}

	The term '''mesotonal'''{{idiosyncratic}} (sometimes capitalized as ''Mesotonal''), meaning "between tones"<ref>https://scholars.uow.edu.au/display/publication78311{{dead link}}</ref>, was created by [[Kraig Grady]] as an alternative to the term ''microtonal'', as well as ''[[macrotonal]]'', where the ''meso-'' prefix suggests neither that the tones are smaller nor larger than typical tones, but simply between them.

	Kraig does not suggest mesotonal as a replacement term for microtonal, though he suggests it may have been a better term<ref>[http://anaphoriasouth.blogspot.com/2008/05/mesotonal.html Field Stations and Outposts of Anaphoria Island: ''Mesotonal'']</ref>. Instead he differentiates mesotonal from microtonal. Where microtonal music tends to be "technical – commonly referring to working in what is equal divisions or in simple just intonation… Mesotonal tunings involve the use of high harmonics found in the spiral like patterns formed by recurrent sequences"<ref name="fb">https://www.facebook.com/anaphorianembassy/about/{{dead link}}</ref>. Kraig further states that "Mesotonal music is also commonly combined with other art forms such as Shadow Theatre, film, dance and ritual"<ref name="fb"/>, and associates them with "theatrical anthropology and medical ethnomusicology"<ref>[https://www.xenharmonikon.org/author/kraig-grady/ Xenharmonikon \| ''Kraig Grady'']</ref>.

	==== Scope of this wiki ====		==== Scope of this wiki ====