Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Rast Muzikoloji Dergisi, cilt.11, sa.4, ss.589-602, 2023 (Scopus)
The use of microtones in guitar music is not an innovative phenomenon as it is thought. It has been used
for different tuning systems and by composers working on non-12edo music throughout history. Although
this concept is not as widespread as conventional guitar music, many experimental studies have been
conducted to tune microtones more accurately. This article aims to present practical tools for the reader
on methods to produce microtones on the guitar, especially Tolgahan Çoğulu’s adjustable microtonal
guitar project, and the developments in microtonal guitar music in Türkiye since the project began in
2008 to 2021. The findings on this topic are shared from a guitar music specialist’s perspective. It aims to
be helpful, especially for guitarists who are unfamiliar with microtonal music approaches in guitar music.
The study consists of two parts. In the first part, the microtonal strategies in guitar music were compiled.
Practical ways to achieve microtones on conventional guitars, non-12edo fixed fret layouts, fretlets
concept, and movable fret guitars are examined individually, and their advantages and disadvantages
are listed in terms of their usability. In the second part, the attainments of the Adjustable Microtonal
Guitar Project were examined. By using the principles determined by Andres Segovia in the formation
of modern guitar music in the 1920s as a model, the composers who composed for this instrument, the
performers who used the instrument, the success in the presentation of the project in social media, the
awards it won in international competitions, microtonal guitar competitions and festivals, academic
and pedagogical studies were researched. The findings show that the adjustable microtonal guitar gives
precise results in tuning compared to the other strategies mentioned. Even though it causes difficulties
in changing the frets between different pieces in terms of time, it is the most suitable result for using
microtones on the guitar, as it makes it possible to perform all kinds of work. In the project’s short
history, the Adjustable Microtonal Guitar project crossed national borders and created its ecosystem with
the innovative efforts of the inventor.