noun
- musical intervals smaller than a semitone (half step)
Usage: music theory
Examples
- The composer used microtones to create an otherworldly sound.
- Traditional Western music doesn’t typically employ microtones.
- Middle Eastern music frequently incorporates microtones between standard pitches.
- The violin can produce microtones by subtle finger adjustments.
- Electronic synthesizers can generate precise microtones.
- Some contemporary classical pieces explore microtones extensively.