---
title: "Bending The Fabric Of Scales with Levi McClain (31-Note Microtonalist)"

description: "This one goes to eleven… NO this one goes to 31! Levi’s all-in on expanding our musical palette. We talked about what colors and emotions are available in microtonality, how to get into the wild world, and the frontiers of music theory. Sometimes it feels like everything in music has been “figured out.” Levi’s here to tell us that couldn’t be further from the truth!"

status: complete

date: 2025-11-04

kind: guest

guestSlugs:
  - levi-mcclain

listenUrl: "https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lovemusicmore/episodes/Bending-The-Fabric-Of-Scales-with-Levi-McClain-31-Note-Microtonalist-e3acc80"

lmwUrl: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPVdR2yT8qY"
appleUrl: "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bending-the-fabric-of-scales-with-levi-mcclain/id1567355195?i=1000735178648&uo=4"
spotifyUrl: "https://open.spotify.com/episode/1AhgTdEHXhwGHorb7ZHfUW"
youtubeUrl: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6Pm8rC-dX0"

topicsDiscussed:
  - "Microtonal music"
  - "AI"
  - "Music theory"
  - "Creativity"
  - "Microtonal harmony"
  - "Expanding musical palettes"
  - "The relationship between notes"
  - "Cultural perspectives on tuning"
  - "Practical applications in music"

hostNote: |
  In this episode of **Love Music More**, we're thrilled to welcome **Levi McClain**, a pioneering voice in the realm of microtonal music. Levi takes us on an enlightening journey through the intricacies of microtonality and its emotional landscapes. As a musician and educator, he has dedicated himself to expanding our auditory palettes beyond the traditional 12-tone system, revealing how much remains uncharted in the world of sound. Levi breaks down these complex ideas into relatable concepts, emphasizing that music is not merely a collection of notes but an expansive realm where beauty and emotion intertwine. We’re excited for you to

selectedMoments:
  - label: "Introduction to Levi and Microtonal Harmony"
    startSec: 152
    note: "Levi introduces his YouTube channel and his passion for microtonal harmony, explaining what it means to divide an octave into 31 notes."
  - label: "Microtonality in Western Music"
    startSec: 231
    note: "Levi discusses how microtones aren't just present in non-Western music traditions, but also in Western music, particularly through techniques like bending notes."
  - label: "The Science of Octaves"
    startSec: 392
    note: "Levi explains octaves scientifically, discussing how frequency relationships contribute to our perception of notes."
  - label: "Ancient Greek Music Theory"
    startSec: 646
    note: "Discussion about how historical perspectives, particularly from the Greeks, inform our understanding of music and theory today."
  - label: "Microtonality’s Practical Implementation"
    startSec: 2760
    note: "Levi talks about practical ways to implement microtonality in composition, emphasizing instruments that allow for micro-tuning."
  - label: "Exploring AI in Music"
    startSec: 1152
    note: "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."

excerptQuotes:
  - text: "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?"
    startSec: 153
    reviewed: true
  - text: "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."
    startSec: 468
    reviewed: true
  - text: "A beautiful way to think about music is to see it as an exploration, not just a technical practice."
    startSec: 791
    reviewed: true
  - text: "There's this idea that the best music is the music that's mathematically perfect; that's not necessarily the case all the time."
    startSec: 812
    reviewed: true
  - text: "If you can treat tuning as a tool rather than a limitation, it opens up so many more possibilities for expression in your music."
    startSec: 2767
    reviewed: true
  - text: "Essentially, music and art are interconnected; they reflect on each other and can be understood through a comprehensive lens of experience."
    startSec: 3405
    reviewed: true

faq:
  - question: "Who is Levi McClain?"
    answer: "Levi McClain is a musician and educator known for his expertise in microtonal harmony and music theory, particularly through his YouTube channel."
  - question: "What is microtonality?"
    answer: "Microtonality refers to intervals smaller than the traditional semitone, allowing for a broader emotional palette and richer harmonic possibilities."
  - question: "How can I implement microtonality in my music?"
    answer: "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."

transcriptPublished: false

draft: false
---