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<h2>IMPORTED REVISION FROM WIKISPACES</h2>
Many kinds of musical instruments can be used to play [[microtonal music]], ranging from non-microtonal instruments (i.e. designed to be played in [[12edo]]) to custom-designed xenharmonic instruments.
This is an imported revision from Wikispaces. The revision metadata is included below for reference:<br>
: This revision was by author [[User:Chartrekhan|Chartrekhan]] and made on <tt>2016-02-20 07:26:08 UTC</tt>.<br>
: The original revision id was <tt>575338911</tt>.<br>
: The revision comment was: <tt></tt><br>
The revision contents are below, presented both in the original Wikispaces Wikitext format, and in HTML exactly as Wikispaces rendered it.<br>
<h4>Original Wikitext content:</h4>
<div style="width:100%; max-height:400pt; overflow:auto; background-color:#f8f9fa; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; padding:0em"><pre style="margin:0px;border:none;background:none;word-wrap:break-word;white-space: pre-wrap ! important" class="old-revision-html">Information on how to get musical instruments to play music in a variety of tunings.


See also [[The Great Xenharmonic Fixed-Pitch Instrument Database]] .
Fixed pitch instruments make it easier for musicians to play notes accurately and reliably, although they give access to a limited set of pitches. Many non-microtonal instruments can be played microtonally without any modification to the instrument by using extended techniques, such as microtonal fingerings on woodwinds. Non-microtonal instruments can also be modified, either temporarily or permanently; this includes notably nonstandard (open) tunings on string instruments and [[Guitar#Refretting|guitar refretting]]. Finally, new instruments can be created from scratch; many such custom-designed instruments can be found in the [[list of xenharmonic fixed pitch instruments]].


* [[string instruments|Strings]]
Continuous pitch instruments give access to a wider range of pitches, but often require more skill to be played accurately and reliably. The human voice falls in this category, along with other standard instruments such as [[bowed strings]] and [[trombone]]s. Some extended techniques allow for continuous pitch adjustments, even on fixed pitch instruments, such as [[Wikipedia:String bending|string bending]] on guitars and lip bending on wind instruments like [[trumpet]]s and saxophones. Several custom instruments also fall in this category, including the [[udderbot]] and the [[Infinitone]].
&gt; [[include component="page" wikiName="xenharmonic" page="string instruments"]]
* [[microtonal brass|Brass]]:
&gt; [[include component="page" wikiName="xenharmonic" page="microtonal brass"]]
* [[microtonal woodwinds|Woodwinds]]
&gt; [[include component="page" wikiName="xenharmonic" page="microtonal woodwinds"]]
* [[mallet percussion|Percussion]]
&gt; [[include component="page" wikiName="xenharmonic" page="Percussion"]]
* [[Microtonal Keyboards|Keyboards]]: &lt;span class="wiki_link_new"&gt;Piano&lt;/span&gt;, &lt;span class="wiki_link_new"&gt;Harpsichord&lt;/span&gt;, &lt;span class="wiki_link_new"&gt;Organ&lt;/span&gt;, &lt;span class="wiki_link_new"&gt;Clavichord, but also Synthesizers&lt;/span&gt;
* [[Free Reeds]]:
&gt; [[include component="page" wikiName="xenharmonic" page="Free Reeds"]]
* Others: [[udderbot]], [[tubulong]], [[http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/oddmusic/message/17051|balloon flute]]
* [[Software]], [[DAWs]], [[List of Microtonal Software Plugins|plugins]]


=Tuning-agnostic instruments=
The following is a non-exhaustive list of instruments which can be used to play xenharmonic music. You can find additional information by following the links to each instrument's dedicated page.
These instruments can play in any microtonal scale out-of-the-box, because 12edo is not a part of their manufacture:
 
* Fretless string instruments
== Winds ==
&gt;
* [[Bassoon]]
** Fretless bass
* [[Clarinet]]
** Fretless guitar
* [[Flugelhorn]]
** Violin, viola, cello, double bass (the string quartet is a whole tuning-agnostic ensemble)
* [[Flute]]
** Oud
* [[Fretless saxophone]]
* String instruments with one pitch per string
* [[Harmonica]]
** Hammered dulcimer
* [[Horn]]
* Wind instruments with a slide or other continuous pitch control
* [[Infinitone]]
** Trombone
* [[Recorder]]
** Udderbot
* [[Saxophone]]
* Musical saw
* [[Shakuhachi]]
* Theremin
* [[Trombone]]
* [[Daxophone]]</pre></div>
* [[Trumpet]]
<h4>Original HTML content:</h4>
* [[Tuba]]
<div style="width:100%; max-height:400pt; overflow:auto; background-color:#f8f9fa; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; padding:0em"><pre style="margin:0px;border:none;background:none;word-wrap:break-word;width:200%;white-space: pre-wrap ! important" class="old-revision-html">&lt;html&gt;&lt;head&gt;&lt;title&gt;MicrotonalInstruments&lt;/title&gt;&lt;/head&gt;&lt;body&gt;Information on how to get musical instruments to play music in a variety of tunings.&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Udderbot]]
&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Whistle]]
See also &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/The%20Great%20Xenharmonic%20Fixed-Pitch%20Instrument%20Database"&gt;The Great Xenharmonic Fixed-Pitch Instrument Database&lt;/a&gt; .&lt;br /&gt;
 
&lt;br /&gt;
== Percussion ==
&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/string%20instruments"&gt;Strings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Bells]]
&lt;!-- ws:start:WikiTextIncludeRule:00:&amp;lt;img src=&amp;quot;http://www.wikispaces.com/site/embedthumbnail/include/page?w=200&amp;amp;h=100&amp;quot; class=&amp;quot;WikiMedia WikiMediaInclude&amp;quot; id=&amp;quot;wikitext@@include@@component=&amp;amp;quot;page&amp;amp;quot; wikiName=&amp;amp;quot;xenharmonic&amp;amp;quot; page=&amp;amp;quot;string instruments&amp;amp;quot;&amp;quot; title=&amp;quot;Include page: component=&amp;amp;quot;page&amp;amp;quot; wikiName=&amp;amp;quot;xenharmonic&amp;amp;quot; page=&amp;amp;quot;string instruments&amp;amp;quot;&amp;quot; /&amp;gt; --&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;fretted: &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/microguitar"&gt;guitars&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/microbass"&gt;bass&lt;/a&gt;, banjo, mandolin, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/Fun%20With%20Microtones"&gt;ukulele&lt;/a&gt;, balalaika, viol, sitar, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;(unfretted) &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/MicrotonalBowedStrings"&gt;violin etc.&lt;/a&gt;, oud, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/qanun"&gt;qanun&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/microbass"&gt;fretless bass&lt;/a&gt;, harps, zithers, hammer dulcimers, dan bau&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/autoharp"&gt;autoharp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/moodswinger"&gt;moodswinger&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://chrisvaisvil.com/?p=789" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"&gt;Home Made Canon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://bp.b0b.com/2012/11/sierra-pedal-steel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"&gt;pedal steel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://chrisvaisvil.com/diy-temporary-cable-tie-guitar-frets-version-2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"&gt;Cable Tie Frets&lt;/a&gt; - instruction and examples on using cable ties as frets on a defretted guitar&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;!-- ws:end:WikiTextIncludeRule:00 --&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/microtonal%20brass"&gt;Brass&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Conic Bellophone in 96edo|Conic bellophone]]
&lt;!-- ws:start:WikiTextIncludeRule:01:&amp;lt;img src=&amp;quot;http://www.wikispaces.com/site/embedthumbnail/include/page?w=200&amp;amp;h=100&amp;quot; class=&amp;quot;WikiMedia WikiMediaInclude&amp;quot; id=&amp;quot;wikitext@@include@@component=&amp;amp;quot;page&amp;amp;quot; wikiName=&amp;amp;quot;xenharmonic&amp;amp;quot; page=&amp;amp;quot;microtonal brass&amp;amp;quot;&amp;quot; title=&amp;quot;Include page: component=&amp;amp;quot;page&amp;amp;quot; wikiName=&amp;amp;quot;xenharmonic&amp;amp;quot; page=&amp;amp;quot;microtonal brass&amp;amp;quot;&amp;quot; /&amp;gt; --&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/microtonal%20trumpet"&gt;Trumpet&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/microtonal%20horn"&gt;Horn&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/microtrombone"&gt;Trombone&lt;/a&gt; (duh!), &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/microtonal%20tuba"&gt;Tuba&lt;/a&gt;, digeridoo, alphorn&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://bwhisperer.com/index" rel="nofollow"&gt;bwhisperer.com&lt;/a&gt; JI-oriented website, &amp;quot;The Brass Whisperer's main aim is to play with subtle music tunings and coax brass players (and other musicians) into achieving delicious harmonies.&amp;quot;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;!-- ws:end:WikiTextIncludeRule:01 --&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/microtonal%20woodwinds"&gt;Woodwinds&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Daxophone]]
&lt;!-- ws:start:WikiTextIncludeRule:02:&amp;lt;img src=&amp;quot;http://www.wikispaces.com/site/embedthumbnail/include/page?w=200&amp;amp;h=100&amp;quot; class=&amp;quot;WikiMedia WikiMediaInclude&amp;quot; id=&amp;quot;wikitext@@include@@component=&amp;amp;quot;page&amp;amp;quot; wikiName=&amp;amp;quot;xenharmonic&amp;amp;quot; page=&amp;amp;quot;microtonal woodwinds&amp;amp;quot;&amp;quot; title=&amp;quot;Include page: component=&amp;amp;quot;page&amp;amp;quot; wikiName=&amp;amp;quot;xenharmonic&amp;amp;quot; page=&amp;amp;quot;microtonal woodwinds&amp;amp;quot;&amp;quot; /&amp;gt; --&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Reedless Instruments: &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/Flutes"&gt;Flutes&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/microrecorder"&gt;Recorders&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/Whistles"&gt;Whistles&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Reed Instruments: &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/Bassoons"&gt;Bassoons&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/microtonal%20clarinet"&gt;Clarinets&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/Saxophones"&gt;Saxophones&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/Oboes"&gt;Oboes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;!-- ws:end:WikiTextIncludeRule:02 --&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/mallet%20percussion"&gt;Percussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Kalimba]]
&lt;!-- ws:start:WikiTextIncludeRule:03:&amp;lt;img src=&amp;quot;http://www.wikispaces.com/site/embedthumbnail/include/page?w=200&amp;amp;h=100&amp;quot; class=&amp;quot;WikiMedia WikiMediaInclude&amp;quot; id=&amp;quot;wikitext@@include@@component=&amp;amp;quot;page&amp;amp;quot; wikiName=&amp;amp;quot;xenharmonic&amp;amp;quot; page=&amp;amp;quot;Percussion&amp;amp;quot;&amp;quot; title=&amp;quot;Include page: component=&amp;amp;quot;page&amp;amp;quot; wikiName=&amp;amp;quot;xenharmonic&amp;amp;quot; page=&amp;amp;quot;Percussion&amp;amp;quot;&amp;quot; /&amp;gt; --&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/mallet%20percussion"&gt;mallet keyboards&lt;/a&gt;: vibraphone, xylophone, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/marimba"&gt;marimba&lt;/a&gt;, glockenspiel, crotales, lithophone, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;tuned drums: timpani, rototoms, pat waing&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;bells: &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/carillon"&gt;carillon&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/Conic%20Bellophone%20in%2096edo"&gt;conic bellophone&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/tubulong"&gt;tubulong&lt;/a&gt;, amglocken, handbells, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/zoomoozophone"&gt;zoomoozophone&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://www.ekmelic-music.org/en/instr/kk.htm" rel="nofollow"&gt;sound tower/sound cube&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;lamellophones: &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/kalimba%20%28mbira%29"&gt;kalimba (mbira)&lt;/a&gt;, marimbula&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;friction idiophones: musical saw, wine glasses, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/nail%20violin"&gt;nail violin&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/Daxophone"&gt;Daxophone&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;!-- ws:end:WikiTextIncludeRule:03 --&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/Microtonal%20Keyboards"&gt;Keyboards&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;span class="wiki_link_new"&gt;Piano&lt;/span&gt;, &lt;span class="wiki_link_new"&gt;Harpsichord&lt;/span&gt;, &lt;span class="wiki_link_new"&gt;Organ&lt;/span&gt;, &lt;span class="wiki_link_new"&gt;Clavichord, but also Synthesizers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/Free%20Reeds"&gt;Free Reeds&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Marimba]]
&lt;!-- ws:start:WikiTextIncludeRule:04:&amp;lt;img src=&amp;quot;http://www.wikispaces.com/site/embedthumbnail/include/page?w=200&amp;amp;h=100&amp;quot; class=&amp;quot;WikiMedia WikiMediaInclude&amp;quot; id=&amp;quot;wikitext@@include@@component=&amp;amp;quot;page&amp;amp;quot; wikiName=&amp;amp;quot;xenharmonic&amp;amp;quot; page=&amp;amp;quot;Free Reeds&amp;amp;quot;&amp;quot; title=&amp;quot;Include page: component=&amp;amp;quot;page&amp;amp;quot; wikiName=&amp;amp;quot;xenharmonic&amp;amp;quot; page=&amp;amp;quot;Free Reeds&amp;amp;quot;&amp;quot; /&amp;gt; --&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/Harmonica"&gt;Harmonica&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Reed Organs, Accordion, Melodica, Khaen, etc.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;!-- ws:end:WikiTextIncludeRule:04 --&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Others: &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/udderbot"&gt;udderbot&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/tubulong"&gt;tubulong&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/oddmusic/message/17051" rel="nofollow"&gt;balloon flute&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/Software"&gt;Software&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/DAWs"&gt;DAWs&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/List%20of%20Microtonal%20Software%20Plugins"&gt;plugins&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Tubulong]]
&lt;!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:5:&amp;lt;h1&amp;gt; --&gt;&lt;h1 id="toc0"&gt;&lt;a name="Tuning-agnostic instruments"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:5 --&gt;Tuning-agnostic instruments&lt;/h1&gt;
 
These instruments can play in any microtonal scale out-of-the-box, because 12edo is not a part of their manufacture:&lt;br /&gt;
== Keyboards ==
&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Fretless string instruments&lt;br /&gt;
{{Main| Keyboard }}
&lt;br /&gt;
 
&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Fretless bass&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Fretless guitar&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Violin, viola, cello, double bass (the string quartet is a whole tuning-agnostic ensemble)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Oud&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;String instruments with one pitch per string&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Hammered dulcimer&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Wind instruments with a slide or other continuous pitch control&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Trombone&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Udderbot&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Musical saw&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Theremin&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a class="wiki_link" href="/Daxophone"&gt;Daxophone&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</pre></div>
* [[Fluid piano]]
* [[Piano]]
 
== Strings ==
* [[Autoharp]]
* [[Bowed strings]]
* [[Electric bass]]
* [[Guitar]]
* [[Harp]]
* [[Harpejji]]
* [[Pedal steel guitar]]
* [[Qanun]]
* [[Ukulele]]
 
== See also ==
* [[List of xenharmonic fixed pitch instruments]]
* [[:Category:Instruments]]
 
== Further reading ==
* Hugh Davies/Alexander Bonus, [https://archive.org/details/grovedictionaryo0003unse_w4m2/page/459/ Microtonal instruments]. The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments, Second Edition, 2014. Volume Three, page 459.
* [https://archive.org/details/emi_archive/ Experimental Musical Instruments] journal
* Fletcher and Rossing, [https://csclub.uwaterloo.ca/~pbarfuss/The_Physics_of_Musical_Instruments.pdf The Physics of Musical Instruments]. Springer-Verlag, 1991
 
[[Category:Instruments| ]]

Latest revision as of 06:57, 7 September 2026

Many kinds of musical instruments can be used to play microtonal music, ranging from non-microtonal instruments (i.e. designed to be played in 12edo) to custom-designed xenharmonic instruments.

Fixed pitch instruments make it easier for musicians to play notes accurately and reliably, although they give access to a limited set of pitches. Many non-microtonal instruments can be played microtonally without any modification to the instrument by using extended techniques, such as microtonal fingerings on woodwinds. Non-microtonal instruments can also be modified, either temporarily or permanently; this includes notably nonstandard (open) tunings on string instruments and guitar refretting. Finally, new instruments can be created from scratch; many such custom-designed instruments can be found in the list of xenharmonic fixed pitch instruments.

Continuous pitch instruments give access to a wider range of pitches, but often require more skill to be played accurately and reliably. The human voice falls in this category, along with other standard instruments such as bowed strings and trombones. Some extended techniques allow for continuous pitch adjustments, even on fixed pitch instruments, such as string bending on guitars and lip bending on wind instruments like trumpets and saxophones. Several custom instruments also fall in this category, including the udderbot and the Infinitone.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of instruments which can be used to play xenharmonic music. You can find additional information by following the links to each instrument's dedicated page.

Winds

Percussion

Keyboards

Main article: Keyboard

Strings

See also

Further reading

Retrieved from "https://en.xen.wiki/index.php?title=Instruments&oldid=236804"