I hope that this text will be interesting for readers. I am eager to delve more deeply into a captivating aspect often encountered in music; Musicians dealing with it based on their musical or ethnic background. In general and as they are commonly known, microtones are precise musical intervals between the traditional half tones of Western music, which provide a rich tonal palette. This is an important and interesting topic for composers and musicians, which can lay the foundation for the discovery of new sonic and expressive spaces for musicians.
First, let’s think about the essence of microtones. Unlike the intervals found in Western or Eastern music, microtones provide smaller musical intervals, allowing for more precise detail in the musical material. These subtle differences can profoundly affect the emotional, coloristic and tonal landscape of a piece of music.
For those of you who are curious, this musical notation made up of the flat symbol, a quarter tone lower, represents one kind of microtone used in Arabic music, which is at the core of our melodic heritage.
Historically, microtones have been prevalent in many musical traditions around the world, ranging from the complex maqams of Middle Eastern and Indian music to ancient European examples such as the meantone system. However, it was not until the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that Western composers began to experiment seriously. Many pioneers in this field such as Charles Ives and Harry Partch expanded the horizons of music, using non-standard tuning systems (microtones) and new instruments to achieve their sonic vision.
In contemporary music, microtones continue to play an important role, influencing genres as diverse as jazz, avant-garde, and electronic music. Microtones represent a fascinating frontier in the world of music, offering a wealth of potential for exploration and experimentation. Whether through the ethereal melodies of the Persian santoor, the oud or the dissonant harmonies of the contemporary microtonal ensembles, the world of microtonal music invites us to listen with fresh ears and an open mind.
It is important to note that this introduction requires a more precise knowledge of the definition of semitone and microtone. The musical systems in use, whether tempered or untempered musical systems. It is therefore necessary to return to the physical sciences and ancient musical theories and research, which clearly defined these values. These will be discussed in this series of articles, to be published later this year.
Intervallic units and microtones. Regional perspectives
All definitions that have dealt with microtones have taken almost entirely the same direction. This was been the case irrespective of the perspectives, approach, musical school, and individual experiences, whether microtones have been measured in “cents” or as an interval smaller than the semitone. Most studies are compatible when dealing with the presence of microtones, determining the microtonal intervals either mathematically or logarithmically. A microtone is defined as:
"Any musical interval or difference of pitch distinctly smaller than a semitone. Some writers restrict
the term to quantities of less than half a semitone; others extend it to refer to all music with intervals
markedly different from the (logarithmic) 12th
part of the octave and its multiples, including such
scales with fewer than 12 pitches as are used, for example, in south-east Asia." 1 1. Griffiths P, Lindley M and Zannos L. Microtone, www.grovemusic.com, Oxford University Press
In this text, the definition of microtonal interval will be presented from different points of view. The definition of microtone will be presented by returning to the cultural and geographical roots of microtones. This will be done despite some lingering objections, and fears of diving into the past.
“Although today these musics are easily identifiable and correspond to different and recognisable
aesthetics, everything becomes unclear when we look at their past, that we try to follow their
development and trace their origins”.2 2. “Bien qu ’aujourd’hui ces musiques soient facilement identifiables et correspondent à des esthétiques différentes et reconnaissables, tout devient plus flou lorsqu’on se penche sur leur passé, que l ’on essaie de suivre leur développement et de retracer leurs origins”. Desrosiers, B. (1992). Ile de la Réunion: musiques et identité, page 50, https:// journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/MC/article/view/21711, translation: Wassim Ibrahim.
This may help to obtain a comprehensive definition; respecting previous approaches and previous studies as well as taking into account the specificity of each region and people. Many studies have defined microtones in either physical or musical ways. They have tried to simplify microtones to make them comprehensible, especially for those with a lower auditory sensibility for microtones.
This work will approach the definition of microtones from an entirely different perspective, attempting to shed light on the subject by starting from geographical regions and cultures. With the regional and cultural context as the starting point, the adaptation of human nature with the surrounding environment, traditions and historical influences will be the logical next step to address.
Apart from all analyses and studies, in most cases, what people hear in Europe is different from what people in East Asia hear, or those in the Levant, or in Africa, etc. With a focus on points of convergence and similarity, it is noteworthy that cultural heritage plays one of the most important roles in recognising differences among people. People feel this difference themselves, identifying “exotic” elements according to their cultural heritage and traditions.
“In fact, the music of a given community takes what might be called a proper organic identity” 3 3. De fait, la musique d’une communauté donnée revêt ce que l’on pourrait appeler une identité organique proper” Fernando, N. (2007). La construction paramétrique de l’identité musicale,Cahiers d’ethnomusicologie 20, / http://www.ethnomusicologie/250, translation: Wassim Ibrahim.
Furthermore, the great human capacity to adapt to surrounding environments and change, allows people to develop skills. This is particularly true in relation to the sense of hearing. All studies confirm the ability of the human ear to accurately distinguish the most precise sounds. This applies to the mechanical work of the sensory system in general, as well as the relationship to sensory induction and its sustainability.
“The great quantity of incoming sensation would quickly overwhelm us, if not for the ability of our sensory systems to adapt. Sensory adaptation is the diminishing responsiveness of sensory systems to prolonged stimulation.” 4 4. P.G.Zimbardo, R.L.Johnson and V.McCann. (2012). Psychology: Core concepts, 7thEdition, by Pearson.
When discussing the problematic nature of microtones, several legitimate questions arise. What does a microtone actually mean to people from different cultures and regions? Are microtones really characterized by being smaller than a semitone? What does a semitone mean to a European, and what does it mean to a Levantine (and here the perspective of Western music, with its twelve-semitone system, also seems to dominate the domain of basic terms!)? Do listeners from different cultures treat a microtone as an interval or a type of dissonance? A microtone should therefore be defined according to geographical region, since everybody, from all countries, has the same physiological hearing structure, and the difference in acceptance or rejection of sounds is related to adaptation to the surrounding environment, circumstances, and culture.
All people have the same physiological structure for hearing. The difference in the acceptance or rejection of sounds is related to the adaptation of the surrounding environment, circumstances and culture. Consequently, without addressing the common definition of microtones, the study will divide people into groups according to the smallest musical interval that is used within specific regions and civilisations.
Middle East (Levant – Egypt)
There are two main pitch systems in the Middle East and the Levant region. The first system divides the whole tone (Major second) into 9 commas. The second system consists of 12 lima for the whole tone (Major second). The system of 9 commas presents the commas as the smallest interval in music. Commas played an important role in giving musical character to the ancient modes and to the“whole” of music itself. Upon further examination, even with the presence of the microtones and commas in this system, the most popular use of microtonal interval is the three-quarter tone. The commas play the role of giving the mood, timbre and the character to the musical maqam, as shown in the following examples.
Figure 1. The main Rast maqam consists of these Ajnas (Jins- plura :Ajnas, means tetrachord in Arabic Music theory)
Figure 2. Mahour maqam belong to Rast maqam with a difference in the microtonal interval.
Figures 1 and 2, present Rast maqam and Mahourmaqam presented. Mahour maqam 5 6 belongs to Rast but the difference is, as it is clarified in the graphic: the E quarter tone is about 2 commas higher than the normal Rast maqam . The same example is shown in the figure 3, in which we notice the micro difference between the ajnas that belong to the same maqam, as well as the difference between different maqams.
Furthermore, the second system deals with the smaller interval, which is called lima. In the Levant and Mesopotamian regions, The Arameans inherited the music of their ancestors in Mesopotamia. They developed the scales that had been used by the Babylonians.Later, 7 Aramaic music played the most important role in creating the musical identity. Arameans wanted to recognise the region, so they divided the whole tone into 12 parts lima. Some time later they gave each region in the Levant its own microtonal interval. Each region therefore has its own musical character using different microtonal intervals.These intervals fully 8 entered into musical life. At first, they were present in secular and ethnic rites. This evolved to later form essential elements of Christian liturgical music and then Islamic music in the Middle East.
Consequently, people can sense a small interval, even if they do not consciously realise it (for example people who are not musicians but can feel these differences). They can attribute music to specific regions according to the musical intervals and microtones used there. From this point, we can say that the comma becomes the smallest intervallic unit, and in other Middle Eastern areas the lima is the smallest interval used.
5. The maqam is presented here as eight tones for ease of understanding and comparison. The maqam will be defined later in future articles, as the maqam is a musical phrase consisting of several tetrachords.
6. Emphasizing the issue of the difference between the Arabic, Turkish and Persian mahour maqam, which we will address in another article.
7. Kilmer, A. D. (1998). The musical instruments from Ur and ancient Mesopotamian music. Expendition 40(2). 12-19. !
8.Assad, G. (1990). Almusiqaa alsuwriat ear altaarikh – [Syrian music through history]. Damascus.
Figure 3. The difference between the ajnas that belong to the same maqam or a different maqam
Europe
In Europe, the semitone is treated as the smallest musical interval that people are capable to conceptualise. Disregarding some musical intervals, this pushed the sensation of the hearing to change its hearing threshold. Indeed, this happened as a historical process in the evolution of the equal temperament system. This was perpetuated by this emphasis, which many composers and musicologists maintained within the enharmonic system in their minds and works. Much criticism was directed at the limitation of en equal temperament system.
“And within this duodecimal octave we have marked out a series of fixed intervals, seven in number, and founded thereon our entire art of music. What do I say – one series? Two such series, one for each leg: The Major and Minor scales. How violently contracted a system arose from this initial confusion, may be read in the law books; we will not repeat it here.” 9 It should be noted that microtones were fully present in Europe in popular singing and folk music. Even now, this can be observed at any time by a visit to the mountains and throughout Europe. In general, however, the equal temperament system has dominated the musical system in Europe. The semitone became the smallest intervallic unit.
9. Busoni, F. (1962). Sketch of a New Esthetic of Music, Three Classics in the Aesthetic of Music, New York, page 990.
East Asia
Many people and civilisations in East Asia use several different tuning systems. For example, in Indonesian gamelan music, each “gamelan” consists of different instruments, and each village has its own gamelan, each of which is tuned differently. 10
Some use the scale of whole tone; in this case, the smallest musical interval is the whole tone. Other regions use a pentatonic system almost exclusively.
10. Margaret J, Kartomi/R (I) and Mendonca M (II), Gamelan, (2001). www.grovemusic.com, Oxford University Press.
Summing up these observations and perspectives, the microtone is still defined as a musical interval. It is related to the mathematical measurement of interval, as well as, the cultural and historical reference of each region. Each region has its own interpretation and perception of the presence of the microtone. Additionally, each region has its own smallest audio unit and its own hearing threshold. To define the microtone, therefore, it is necessary to take into account the human ear’s ability to perceive microtones. This idea will protect and respect the privacy of the musical heritage of each group of people, defining microtones from different perspectives.
Acknowledgements
I would like to extend my deepest and most sincere gratefulness to my PhD promotor, Prof. Wojciech Widłak, for his unyielding personal and academic support and mentorship.
All thanks and respect to all my friends and music teachers who helped me enrich my music with their comments, corrections and musical knowledge, but I would like to mention in particular:
Nouri Iskandar / Composer
Shafi Badreddin / Composer and conductor
Feras Charestan / Qanun Player and composer
Joan Litman / Conductor and Educator
Kamil Kruk / Kompozytor
Ben Koschalka / Proofreader of the English version
Michał Kuźmiński / Redaktor of the Polish version
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