Introduction to Quarter Tone Composition

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During the early 20th century, Western composers such as Alois Hába, Ivan Wyshnegradsky, and Charles Ives began composing quarter tone works for piano, clarinet, and voice. Composers such as Dean Drummond and Easley Blackwood composed microtonal pieces for a variety of unique instruments, including pitched percussion, guitar, and electronic instruments.

Since then, many composers have experimented with the new melodic and harmonic possibilities quarter tonality has to offer. There are hundreds of quarter tone pieces which have been composed for piano, voice, strings, brass, and woodwind instruments, including the saxophone.

The purpose of this book is to introduce composers to the world of 24-TET, the unique types of melodies and harmonies made possible by quarter tones, and give instruction on how to compose quarter tone music for common instruments. Quarter tonality presents new melodic and harmonic possibilities that can bring about previously unexplored textures, colors, and atmospheres to music.