Microtonality is the big trend of the 16th century — ask Nicolà Vicentino

Kids today, with their 31 equal divisions of the octave. Yes, it’s the music of Nicolà Vicentino, a Renaissance theorist and composer who built his own microtonal harpsichord to accommodate his experimental tunings. But it’s not just a theoretical experiment: there is some connection to musical practice (even if Vicentino was basically making this up). Food for thought as we mess with digital tuning systems and microonality.”

Maggi Payne, photographing crystals, composing for Moog modular III, more

Texas-born composer Maggi Payne has just quietly been busy being a legend over decade after decade. Well known to Mills College (as its Center for Contemporary Music co-director until 2018), if you don’t know her, you should. And this is just the kind of Sunday to gaze at some crystals and listen to her ethereal textures on the then already-vintage Moog modular Series III, in a tip straight from The Bob Moog Foundation.

Peter Kirn - May 17, 2026

Disquiet’s Junto is community music making — now in its 750th edition

It’s been running continuously, without a break, since 2012. Every Thursday morning, Disquiet’s Marc Weidenbaum posts a call to a community for a new compositional assignment. And this week, the project reaches the 750th (!) week. That means a call for something epic.

Peter Kirn - May 15, 2026

From sushi pianos to Yoko Shimomura, Square Enix Music TV is the best TV

Peter Kirn - April 27, 2026

Pi Day: Chino Yoshio and Sine Wave Marimbas and Cherry Blossoms

Peter Kirn - March 14, 2026

The developer of Tweakbench wants to remake the DAW without linear time

Peter Kirn - March 4, 2026

In her own words: watch a free documentary on Éliane Radigue

Peter Kirn - February 27, 2026

Here’s half an hour of string-reed Werner Durand and John Krausbauer drones

Peter Kirn - February 20, 2026

OHYUNG’s IOWA on Trans Music Archive is as powerful as a glacier

Peter Kirn - February 11, 2026