the word microtone

The longer I play in non 12 tunings, the less I like the word
"microtone," although it certainly does communicate the idea of non 12et
tunings to a large group of people effectively. I don't like it because
it takes an artificial interval, the 12 tone semitone, and compares all
other intervals to it, like it is supposed to be "the" standard by which
all others are measured...somehow, this doesn't seem right to me
anymore. I wonder if cultures who routinely use smaller than a semitone
intervals have the word "microtone" in their vocabulary? Anybody know?
Thanks....Hstick

Well i know the Hindoos use the word "sruti"

Pat
p.s. Is this just a guest appearance Hstick??

So is there a word we can use to replace "microtone"? Any suggestions?

D Burgess

> The longer I play in non 12 tunings, the less I like the word
> "microtone," although it certainly does communicate the idea of non 12et
> tunings to a large group of people effectively. I don't like it because
> it takes an artificial interval, the 12 tone semitone, and compares all
> other intervals to it, like it is supposed to be "the" standard by which
> all others are measured...somehow, this doesn't seem right to me
> anymore. I wonder if cultures who routinely use smaller than a semitone
> intervals have the word "microtone" in their vocabulary? Anybody know?
> Thanks....Hstick

Darren Burgess wrote:

> From: "Darren Burgess" <dburgess@acceleration.net>
>
> So is there a word we can use to replace "microtone"? Any suggestions?
>

i prefer " microinterval"
pat

In a message dated 11/30/1999 11:41:01 PM:

>So is there a word we can use to replace "microtone"? Any suggestions?

a replacement for "microtonality"? How about "alternative tonalities"?

Replacing the word "microtone" is for different reasons that changing the
word "microtonality."

Over time the meaning of words evolve (or devolve). Once a "microtone" was
an interval smaller than a semitone (Harvard Dictionary of Music). Now that
we have evolved (a verb?) the term "microtone" to include any interval of
integrity that differs from a strict 12-TET model, the amount of microtones
to non-microtones is ridiculous.

I usually calculate by the cent but I've noticed that Kyle Gann counts fewer
than 250 as usable musical intervals.

Microtonality is the discipline that contains all the sub-disciplines dealing
with tuning and music. Over the years we have established a virtual
university on the net through this list. The sub-disciplines expressed
include composition, performance, scholarship, speculative theory, instrument
making and design, technology, abstract mathematics, and a few that skip my
mind right now.

It's time to own this term "Microtonality" so that the science of what we do
is recognized as both credible and sought out.

Johnny Reinhard
AFMM

Daniel Wolf wrote,

>such small intervals are generally not used as distinctive melodic or
>harmonic intervals. In music history such use of small intervals is
>extremely rare; I have more than one posted a request on this list for
anyone
>to come up with an example of enharmonic melodic practice outside of the
>classical Greek world. Aside from a few scattered attempts to imitate the
>Greek practice (Vincentino, Slonimsky, Partch, and Darreg come to mind), it

>seems to have been unique to that culture and without further resonance.

The best piece I've written in 22-tET so far actually uses the smallest
interval almost exclusively in the melody. It is called _TIBIA_ and is
available on the Tuning Digest Tape Swap from 1997 (ask Gary Morrison for a
copy) and I performed it at the Microthon. I sang it in the shower quite a
bit after writing it in 1996. It's almost impossible to sing without
imagining the harmony, though.

In a message dated 12/03/1999 03:42:40 PM,
>From: Patrick Pagano <ppagano@bellsouth.net>
>
>or how about evil temperment for ET
>and Pure sound for JI
>
>hahahahahahahahahahahaha

::flicks Pagano's ear:: ...very funny, Pat... *snarfle*

["snarfle" = snicker + snort + churtle/chuckle/cackle]

zHANg

Hi there,

Well, I rarely post but peruse regularly.

Seems to me that as I consider sound at it's most basic, I consider
microtonality being the language with which it can be truly described.

"Tunings" are "Aesthetics" chosen by humans as we create order.

The more I think about it, the more I hear everything as microtones.
From that basis, we create tunings to make certain expressions possible.

Equal temperament is an ordering of microtones, as is Just, etc. etc.

But all are microtones, nonetheless.

I'm not looking to augment the war here, just include another vote in
the opinion poll.

My 2c. :)
--
Alyssa.
__________________
Alyssa Ryvers
www.musicnorth.com