Quarter Tone

Brewtality · 05-14-2004, 06:43 PM

Today, my friend was talking to me about quarter tones, unfortunately all he knew about them were that there mostly seen in europe and oriental countries. can anyone explain to me what exaclty is a quarter tone and what is a quarter tone scales(an example perhaps?)

thanks in advance

JDMhatch · 05-14-2004, 11:52 PM

i also had heard of quarter tones but i have no idea what are

~~another guy~~ · 05-14-2004, 11:53 PM

im not sure, but you know how when you bend a note up one fret its a half step bend? well there are quarter bends too when you bend it halfway up one fret, so it might be using those.

croonin · 05-15-2004, 12:07 AM

Yep. 1/4 bends and 3/4 bends. Someone explained them to me as a 'sharp sharp'. Or a flat flat, whichever.

smuh · 05-15-2004, 05:44 AM

I've never heard of them before but it seems pretty obvious that they're used to achieve that oriental sound. You can hear something similar in the song "Echo" by Incubus about 1:40 in to it.

~~thechad101~~ · 05-15-2004, 05:51 AM

A semitone is the smallest interval used in western music and a quater tone is half a semitone

spirit · 05-15-2004, 06:27 AM

in theory one could get those tones by bending up just a little bit, or on a fretless instrument, yes?

Solotower · 05-15-2004, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spirit

in theory one could get those tones by bending up just a little bit, or on a fretless instrument, yes?

I'd assume in practise as well. Or just wait till your strings stretch out a quartertone.

spirit · 05-15-2004, 07:17 AM

Amorpha · 05-15-2004, 12:38 PM

The distance (sound-wise) between each fret on a guitar is a semitone, a quarter tone is half of that distance. I don't know any quarter tonal scales though, sorry.

http://www.organicdesign.org/peterson/guitars/strat.html You could go for 6th tones instead

05-14-2004, 06:43 PM	#1
Brewtality \mm/ Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 88	Quarter Tone Today, my friend was talking to me about quarter tones, unfortunately all he knew about them were that there mostly seen in europe and oriental countries. can anyone explain to me what exaclty is a quarter tone and what is a quarter tone scales(an example perhaps?) thanks in advance

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05-14-2004, 11:52 PM	#2
JDMhatch JDM? whats that.... Join Date: May 2004 Location: home Posts: 463	i also had heard of quarter tones but i have no idea what are

05-14-2004, 11:53 PM	#3
~~another guy~~ Banned Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,480	im not sure, but you know how when you bend a note up one fret its a half step bend? well there are quarter bends too when you bend it halfway up one fret, so it might be using those.

05-15-2004, 12:07 AM	#4
croonin Without rock we're limp.. Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 424	Yep. 1/4 bends and 3/4 bends. Someone explained them to me as a 'sharp sharp'. Or a flat flat, whichever.

05-15-2004, 05:44 AM	#5
smuh Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 449	I've never heard of them before but it seems pretty obvious that they're used to achieve that oriental sound. You can hear something similar in the song "Echo" by Incubus about 1:40 in to it.

05-15-2004, 05:51 AM	#6
~~thechad101~~ Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 425	A semitone is the smallest interval used in western music and a quater tone is half a semitone

05-15-2004, 06:27 AM	#7
spirit Mx Supreme Scotsman II Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Lahndahn Posts: 6,836	in theory one could get those tones by bending up just a little bit, or on a fretless instrument, yes?

05-15-2004, 07:17 AM	#9
spirit Mx Supreme Scotsman II Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Lahndahn Posts: 6,836	^

05-15-2004, 12:38 PM	#10
Amorpha Call me Chris Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Nottingham, UK Posts: 3,071	The distance (sound-wise) between each fret on a guitar is a semitone, a quarter tone is half of that distance. I don't know any quarter tonal scales though, sorry. http://www.organicdesign.org/peterson/guitars/strat.html You could go for 6th tones instead