what are microtones in music?
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Since we shifted to something called 12-tone equal temperament, or 12TET, we only have 12 distinct notes (in western music). These are the 12 different keys on a piano, 7 white notes from A to G and 5 black notes in between. These each line up with the frets on a guitar, or keys on a saxophone, clarinet, flute, etc, as discreet steps. Microtones are just the gaps in between them. On a piano, those 12 notes are your only options. But on a wind instrument, you can change your embouchure (mouth position) to “bend” the note, making a more gradual change. You can also do this on a guitar by pulling the strings or using the wah-wah bar. On a classical string instrument like a violin, there are “positions” you put your fingers on but there’s nothing to stop you from going in between them. Similarly on a trombone. That’s all that microtones are: they are the notes between the standard 12.
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