Gradus ad Parnassum: International Online Training for Microtonal Singing with 22 Pitches within the Octave

Abstract

In the musical cultures of the world, including the oral traditions of European peoples, a wide variety of musical scales have been and still are used. In contemporary Western music, growing awareness of other musical cultures, as well a certain saturation with the sounds of the 12-tone scale have led to experimentation with alternative scale systems. Applying a microtonal scale that divides the octave into 22 equal parts (22-EDO), this article discusses possible strategies for training musically educated Western adults. According to experiences from the research and teaching/learning process, the article introduces the music theoretical fundamentals of the 22-EDO scale, knowledge of which is an integral part of a potential training method, the creation of teaching materials and musical compositions. This knowledge was also the basis of my practice and performance at concerts in 2022 and 2023, and helps with the evaluation of the results based on direct experience and audio recordings. The analysis focuses on the online Gradus ad Parnassum course, which was initiated during the Covid-19 pandemic to teach microtonal singing.

The findings indicate that the level of familiarity with the intervals (compared to those of the 12-tone scale) had a significant influence on learning outcomes, sometimes facilitating, but sometimes hindering, the process. Although the online format offered a number of advantages, such as connecting participants who would otherwise not have the opportunity to meet, it turned out that in-person training allowed for much faster progress due to the absence of physical distance and technical limitations.