#microtonality

[synths-and-sensibility]

Concept: dynamic microtonality

Basically a quantizer that builds scales on the fly by stacking arbitrary generator intervals that are CV controlled.

So let's say a 7 note diatonic scale, but the generating fifth evolves slowly over time. So it sounds like 12EDO at one point, but later it sounds like 19, or 31 or 7 in one direction or 29, 17 or 5 in the other. And it doesn't even need to be rational EDO steps, we can do 3:2 Pythagorean or 5^(1/4) meantone

Would it sound good? I don't know. But I think... I can program my quantizer module to do this

[velzote-velhi-azote-nitrogen]

what even is microtonal music jwyjwgnqgbqyhqybqfbwy

Ah,, Microtonal music is music that uses intervals less than a semitone or sound systems other than the standard 12-tone system (12-TET). Intervals that divide a semitone into even smaller parts (quarter tones, third tones, etc)

As everyone knows, there are 12 notes, if you count the black keys. The octave is divided not into 12, but into a different number of parts (19, 24, 31 or 53 sounds). for example, 31 EDO, there will not be 12 notes in one octave, as in the usual 12-TET, but 31 notes in one octave, the same way they work with others.. 19 EDO, 24 EDO, 53 EDO, 72 EDO and etc,,

(btw EDO and TET have the same meaning, so you can say whatever you want)

[best-thing]

Which thing is better?

Anomalocaris

Microtonal music

Voting ended onSep 6, 2025

Anomalocaris - Wikipedia

[queerwizardmusic]

Wendy Carlos and her Moog

Carlos was a big part of the early electronic music scene, and she contributed greatly to it. With a composition degree and great computer knowledge she joined Robert Moog in developing the first commersially available synthesizer (pictured in the background). With it, she created her breakthrough album Switched on Bach, where Bach's well known music was arranged for the synthesizer. Thereafter she got to make movie soundtracks. The Shining and A Clockwork Orange are two of them, both directed by Stanley Kubrick. Those are also examples of where classical music meets the synth. Carlos did also meddle in microtonal theory and alternative tempraments.

Wendy Carlos is a trans woman. At the start of her carreer she appeard as a man, but she waited to come out because of her relative fame. When she finally came out as a woman the reactions were mostly positive or neutral. It seems like the public were more interested in her music than her identity.

Carlos is still alive, and at 86 years of age she lives in anonymity. The worls has changed a lot for trans people during her lifetime, mostly for the better. But the topic has become much more controversial. Each trans person deserves a reception like the one Carlos got in the 70s, without any hate and political extremism.

Keep living in peace Wendy!

[totanox]

There are as many genders as the amount of notes between A and C

[scum-cat]

microtonal lullaby with focus on perfect 5ths (12 equal divisions of 3/2)

[companioncrow]

had a jam session with a few friends today and finally listened to the new sevish album!! today was a good day :}

[multibodied]

Any more microtonal music recommendations? I'd rather get recs than hop blindly into the youtube unknown lol

YES, of course! I'm so glad you asked since now I have an excuse to share here more of my micro-obsession

Little disclaimer - at first most people find it absolutely unlistenable and some even find it deeply disturbing, but it's only because they are not used to it. It takes time

So it might be reasonable to start with

"King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard" - this is Australian indie rock band that often uses microtonal instruments for their music -- not all of it, but enough to be a good starting point to get used to some of it. I'd start with "Nonagon Infinity" - this album is FIRE, and the cool thing about it is that every song of this album flows flawlessly into the next one, and the last one flows almost flawlessly into the first one if you listen to them on loop. Other album I'd recommend is "Flying Microtonal Banana", and one specific song that I was absolutely obsessed with that I also want to link is Crumbling Castle This band is where microtonality is mixed within familiar type of music, so it feels comfortable and familiar and not intimidating

Okay, moving on to other microtonal examples on the beginner-friendly side

I remember really liking this one in 19EDO, here it's really gentle microtonality, just enough of it to be noticeable without overwhelming someone who'd listen to it for the first time. Also perfect example of how microtonal music can convey the kind of mood that would be impossible in 12EDO

Next, this one is really nice, and it's a pity there's not much more from this musician as I find it adorable.

Brendan Byrnes - Cave Dance I just realised I completely forgot that he exists, I only remember that this songs slaps, should probably dive into his discography myself

Now getting closer to my absolute faves - Xotla and Sevish. All of my following recommendations are just individual songs and albums of theirs. Xotla is probably more beginner-friendly, so I'll start with his songs

Xotla - Surprise me This was the song that made me obsessed with microtonality, here is where it started. I remember listening it on repeat just because 4:15 <-- MY GOD I can't even describe how amazing this place felt when I listened to it for the first ten times or so

Xotla - No Longer 2:50 ❤️

Xotla - Cosmic Microwave pure goosebumps the first listening

Xotla - Dance of the Forest Lights (Reimagined) - the new version of this song. I love both of them

Xotla - Robots Dream To Dance absolute bop

Xotla - Sipping Tea By The Sea already familiar to you, It's from "Seeds of Moonlight" album. If you liked this song maybe you should check out the rest of the album. My favourites from this album (other than that): Metallic Lilypads and Losing Connections. Although this album is not my favourite.

Okay, I realised maybe I should just recommend albums. All of them (except Planting Seeds of Microtones, it sounds too much like pop music and it's not the Xotla I love), my favourite is Science Fraction

Lastly in regards to Xotla I wanna note Funkrotonal (0:56 !!!)

Also Between Space (3:24 !)

Okay, now I'll link THE WHOLE SEVISH DISCOGRAPHY (no, but really)

But really, this is the most important place of this post

SEVISH

SEVISH

SEVISH

SEVISH

Sevish is the kind of microtonality that you probably shouldn't jump on when you're just getting used to microtones, because this is where most of my irls noped immediately. But if you're ready and your heart is open, his music is literally out of this world

Sevish - Outside (!!!!) - this is where my head exploded when I listened to it for the first time. The moment I realised that microtonal harmony is absolutely unearthly GEORGEOUS

Sevish - Better Left Unanswered - more of absolutely gorgeous microtonality

Sevish - Gleam - if you're using tiktok there's a possibility that you've actually heard this one, it was trending at some point. The moment from 0:50 specifically

Sevish - Horizons - I just want to leave here this comment that was written under this song on youtube:

Here I'll just link the whole Morphable album - I listened to it more times than I could count, but here are some songs from it that I like more than others:

Tritavium (absolute insane percussion at 1:17, I'm not normal about it at all)

Launch (1:29 is 🤌✨😩)

Smashing, actually damn I can just link every single song from this album, they're all uniquely amazing

Songs from other albums

Sevish - Freathy the end of this one is heaven-like (3:12) and I mean it, it's like church-choir

Sevish - Desert Island Rain - this was one of the first I listened by sevish and it scratched my brain in a way no other song ever did, also 4:34 here is a completely different vibe. This is also the song I tried to show to my irls that made them make such a face expression as if they're in physical pain. Well, definitely not the best one to familiarize anyone with microtonality, as this one is amazing if you're ready, otherwise it's miserable

Also check out "Formless Shadows" album if you love ambient

Damn

I LOVE microtonal music

I got so used to it that when I now listen to usual 12EDO it feels like something is missing