I have recently come across some more Microtonal music, have any of you out there, heard of a "flat and a half?"

No I haven't. Would this be a double flat? Just guessing really....

3/4 flat?

Yes, I have never played any, but I have come across microtone fingering charts on the interent for various instruments

A basement flat?

**Sorry- I really must take this more seriously**

I also thought someone had bought a super place to live!

Certainly have heard of microtonal music. KenM on these forums has written a great deal about it, and I think has composed using microtones.

Not sure how relevant this is to a piano forum, though, as I'd have thought the only times you'd get microtones would be when something's adrift and you need to call the tuner

Glad I'm not the only one!

Are microtones used in melody? Or just running passages where a certain effect is required? (I'm intrigued!) I came across an organ stop recently on which the pitch was deliberately set slightly sharp, in order to create a tremulous effect when used together with other stops.

oo is that like the sitar

Have played quarter tones and half-plus-quarters on the recorder...but the only time I managed that on a piano was in digs in my first year at university. Let's just say that music wasn't high on my landlord's list of priorities - the Eb below middle C sounded a third below the D key directly below it on the keyboard.

Im just guessing as i havent played the violin for very long, but i think you can get microtones on any instruments capable of playing any note in between two semi-tones, e.g strings, voice. On the violin, there is a difference between f-sharp and g-flat as f-sharp gives a more augmented sound, and g-flat, the contrary. So i guess that's what it is. This is a piano forum though, and as far as i know, there's no such thing as a microtone on the piano or any other keyboard instrument.

I think it would be possible with woodwind as well... With advance notice!!

woodwind it's more than possible - i've seen pieces with quartersharps & flats, quartersharp & flat trills etc. it's a modern thing but it has been (and is being) used alot, and not just for things that can do it easily...

obviously bowed strings can do it by putting your finger somewhere in between your standard equal tempered notes; trombone, half a slide position; voice, just sing when you're really tired ; fretted strings, bend the string; woodwinds & brass, lip up or down, easier with a reed (listen to how jazz musicians bend notes all over the place) but possible on everything; timpani, just turn the tuning things/mess around with the pedal (i dunno).

piano, however, would be tricky... unless you opened the piano up, and, playing with one hand, twist the tuning things on the inside with the other, and you'd get some microtones... although no doubt some ultramodern piano maker has made a piano with a microtone pedal that makes all the notes sharper or flatter (like harp pedals)...