Microtones are musical intervals smaller than a semitone. Before 1912, these intervals were known as ‘quarter tones’ but this was too imprecise!

Although microtones do not fit into the traditional scale in Western music, they are a crucial part of world music. For example, Indonesian gamelan music and Indian Shruti music both use microtones and alternative tuning systems. The Czech composer Alois Hába also experimented with microtones. He was inspired by microtonal Moravian folk music.

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