Bending The Fabric Of Scales with Levi McClain (31-Note Microtonalist)
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton (Scoobert Doobert)
Guest: Levi McClain
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Topics discussed
Host note
Levi McClain teaches microtonal harmony on his YouTube channel, and the premise of this one is right in the title: what happens if you divide an octave into 31 equally spaced notes instead of the usual 12?
We get into where microtones already live inside Western music, bent notes and places theory doesn't usually name, then back further into the science: how frequency relationships build the octave in the first place, and how the ancient Greeks already had their own take on tuning. Levi treats tuning as a tool rather than a limitation, and walks through the practical side, fretless instruments, DAWs, and tuning systems like Scala, that actually let you use it.
We close on AI in music, where Levi lays out both the use and the controversy, and on his bigger point: music is an exploration as much as a technical practice, and the best of it was never only about being mathematically perfect.
Selected moments
- Introduction to Levi and Microtonal Harmony 2:32 Levi introduces his YouTube channel and his passion for microtonal harmony, explaining what it means to divide an octave into 31 notes.
- Microtonality in Western Music 3:51 Levi discusses how microtones aren't just present in non-Western music traditions, but also in Western music, particularly through techniques like bending notes.
- The Science of Octaves 6:32 Levi explains octaves scientifically, discussing how frequency relationships contribute to our perception of notes.
- Ancient Greek Music Theory 10:46 Discussion about how historical perspectives, particularly from the Greeks, inform our understanding of music and theory today.
- Microtonality’s Practical Implementation 46:00 Levi talks about practical ways to implement microtonality in composition, emphasizing instruments that allow for micro-tuning.
- Exploring AI in Music 19:12 Levi shares his thoughts on the ethics of AI in music creation and how it can be both a useful tool and a controversial subject.
Selected excerpts
What happens if we instead of dividing an octave into 12 equally distant notes, what happens if we divide them into 31 equally distant notes?
Microtones can create a lot of beauty and richness in music, especially when you think about how we can express ourselves in different ways through those intervals.
A beautiful way to think about music is to see it as an exploration, not just a technical practice.
There's this idea that the best music is the music that's mathematically perfect; that's not necessarily the case all the time.
If you can treat tuning as a tool rather than a limitation, it opens up so many more possibilities for expression in your music.
Essentially, music and art are interconnected; they reflect on each other and can be understood through a comprehensive lens of experience.
FAQ
Who is Levi McClain?
Levi McClain is a musician and educator known for his expertise in microtonal harmony and music theory, particularly through his YouTube channel.
What is microtonality?
Microtonality refers to intervals smaller than the traditional semitone, allowing for a broader emotional palette and richer harmonic possibilities.
How can I implement microtonality in my music?
You can implement microtonality by using fretless instruments, digital audio workstations (DAWs) that support microtuning, and by learning to work with various tuning systems like Scala.
These pages are host notes, not a full transcript. The episode itself is on the listen links above.