1. relating to or using musical intervals smaller than a semitone
Usage: music theory

Examples

• The composer experimented with microtonal scales in her latest piece.
• Microtonal music can sound unusual to ears accustomed to traditional Western scales.
• The violin’s ability to play microtonal intervals makes it ideal for this type of composition.
• Many Middle Eastern musical traditions incorporate microtonal elements.
• The electronic synthesizer was programmed to produce microtonal frequencies.
• Microtonal tuning systems divide the octave into more than twelve equal parts.