Microtonal Piano Online
The free online microtonal music maker. Play and learn authentic quarter tones, Arabic maqamat, Persian dastgah, and 30+ world music scales directly in your browser. Sample-accurate tuning. MIDI-ready.
What is a microtonal piano?
A standard piano is locked to 12 equal-tempered semitones per octave. This works for Western classical, jazz, and pop — but it cannot play the quarter tones, neutral seconds, and microtonal intervals that define most of the world's music traditions.
A microtonal piano breaks past 12-TET. It can produce the half-flat third of Maqam Rast, the koron of Persian Shur, the 53-comma intervals of Turkish Uşşak, and the 1/8-tone ati-komal of Indian Darbari.
MaqAmir uses the browser's Web Audio API to retune each key with sample-accurate frequency control. There's no compromise — the intervals are mathematically exact to within fractions of a cent.
Play on your computer keyboard, your touchscreen, or any MIDI controller. Quarter tones are mapped intelligently so you don't lose access to chromatic notes.
We Also Taught Real Pianos To Play Quarter Tones
The same microtonal system you can play here in your browser exists in hardware. Precision-machined adapters clip onto the strings of any acoustic grand or upright — unlocking maqamat and ragas on a real piano, with zero modification to the instrument.
Invented by Dr. Ronen Shapira · Handcrafted in Tel Aviv
Featured Microtonal Scales
Each scale has a dedicated page with history, theory, and one-click playback.
Maqam Rast — The Foundation of Arabic Music
Maqam Rast (مقام راست) is the cornerstone of Arabic classical music — a seven-note scale defined by its signature half-flat third (E½♭) and half-flat seventh (B½♭). The name "Rast" means "straight" or "direct" in Persian, reflecting its central role across the maqam system.
Maqam Bayati — The Voice of Devotion
Maqam Bayati (مقام بياتي) is one of the most widely sung Arabic maqamat, instantly recognizable by its half-flat second degree (E½♭ from D). It carries a sense of tenderness, longing, and devotion.
Maqam Hijaz — The Sound of the Sacred
Maqam Hijaz (مقام حجاز) is named after the Hijaz region of the Arabian Peninsula. Its signature is the augmented second between the second and third degrees — a dramatic, exotic interval familiar to Western ears as the "Phrygian Dominant" sound.
Maqam Saba — The Scale of Sorrow
Maqam Saba (مقام صبا) carries the weight of grief and devotion. Its signature is the diminished fourth — a tense, unstable interval that resolves with intense emotional gravity.
Maqam Nahawand — The Arabic Natural Minor
Maqam Nahawand (مقام نهاوند) is the Arabic equivalent of the Western natural minor scale. Unlike most maqamat, it uses 12-tone intervals — making it instantly familiar to Western ears.
Maqam Kurd — The Phrygian of the East
Maqam Kurd (مقام كرد) shares its interval structure with the Western Phrygian mode — a flat second creates its signature dark, mysterious character.
Maqam Sikah — The Quarter-Tone Root
Maqam Sikah (مقام سيكاه) is unique among the primary maqamat because its root note is a quarter-tone (E½♭). It has a very distinct, earthy, and unresolved feeling.
Dastgah-e Shur — The Heart of Persian Music
Dastgah-e Shur (دستگاه شور) is the most important melodic system in Persian classical music. Its signature is the "koron" — a microtonal flat slightly larger than a quarter-tone (~60-70 cents).
Makam Ussak — Turkish Comma Scale
Makam Uşşak is a foundational Turkish makam built on the 53-comma system. Its neutral second (segah) sits at approximately 130 cents — finer than an Arabic quarter-tone.
Raga Darbari — 1/8 Tone Indian Classical
Raga Darbari Kanada (राग दरबारी कानड़ा) is one of the deepest, most majestic ragas in Hindustani classical music. Its signature is the "ati-komal gandhar" — an extraordinarily flat third microtonally lower than a Western minor third.
Raga Kalyan (Yaman) — The Evening Melody
Raga Kalyan (राग कल्याण), often known as Yaman, is a majestic evening raga. It corresponds to the Lydian mode, characterized by its raised fourth (tivra madhyam).
Hirajōshi Scale — Japanese Koto Tuning
Hirajōshi (平調子) is one of the most iconic Japanese pentatonic scales, traditionally used to tune the koto. Its melancholic, contemplative character defines much of Japanese classical music.
Pelog Scale — Javanese Gamelan
Pelog is one of the two main tuning systems of Javanese and Balinese gamelan music. Its seven uneven steps create the distinctive shimmering, bell-like character of gamelan ensembles.
Slendro Scale — 5-Tone Gamelan Tuning
Slendro is the five-tone gamelan tuning system, with each step approximately 240 cents — close to 5-tone equal temperament but never mathematically exact.
Tizita Major — Ethiopian Pentatonic
Tizita (ትዝታ) translates to "memory" or "nostalgia" in Amharic. The Tizita Major scale is a major pentatonic scale central to Ethiopian music.
22-Shruti System — Ancient Indian Microtones
The 22-shruti system divides the octave into 22 unequal microtonal intervals, as documented in the Natya Shastra (~200 BCE - 200 CE). It is the theoretical foundation of all Indian classical music.
Built for serious microtonal practice
Sample-Accurate Tuning
Every interval is mathematically precise. Quarter tones at 50 cents. Koron at ~140 cents. No approximation.
30+ World Scales
Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Indian, Japanese, Indonesian, African, Balkan, Celtic — and 12-TET when you want it.
MIDI + Web Audio
Sub-5ms latency via Web MIDI. Works with any controller. Native browser audio — no plugins, no installs.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a microtonal piano?
- A microtonal piano plays musical intervals smaller than a Western semitone — typically quarter tones (50 cents), 1/8 tones (~22 cents), or other non-12-TET tunings. These intervals are essential for authentic Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Indian classical music.
- How do I learn to play microtonal music?
- Start by choosing a single maqam or scale family and learning its core tetrachord (jins). MaqAmir highlights the scale notes on the keyboard, plays reference drones, and includes a built-in Academy with guided lessons on Maqam Rast, Bayati, Hijaz, Persian Dastgah, and Indian ragas. Practice slowly with a tanbura drone and imitate phrases from recordings of master performers.
- How does a quarter-tone keyboard work?
- A quarter-tone keyboard divides each whole tone into four equal steps of 50 cents instead of the usual two semitones of 100 cents. MaqAmir maps quarter tones across a standard piano layout so you can play half-flat (b) and half-sharp (#) notes without losing the chromatic keys. The retuning happens in real time via the Web Audio API.
- Can I play microtonal piano in my browser for free?
- Yes. MaqAmir is a free online microtonal piano and music maker that runs entirely in your browser — no install, no signup required. It supports over 30 scales including Maqam Rast, Bayati, Hijaz, Persian Dastgah Shur, and the 22-Shruti Indian system.
- What are maqam scales and how are they different from Western scales?
- A maqam is a modal system used in Arabic, Turkish, and Persian classical music. Unlike Western major/minor scales, maqamat use microtonal intervals — most famously the half-flat third of Maqam Rast (around 150 cents above the tonic) and the augmented second of Maqam Hijaz. Each maqam carries a specific emotional character (tarab) and a traditional melodic development (sayr).
- What scales does MaqAmir support?
- MaqAmir supports Arabic Maqam (Rast, Bayati, Hijaz, Saba, Nahawand, Kurd), Persian Dastgah, Turkish Makam, Indian Hindustani ragas (Darbari, Bhairav, Todi), Japanese (Hirajoshi, Iwato), Indonesian Gamelan (Pelog, Slendro), and over 30 other world music scales.
- Can I use a MIDI keyboard with the microtonal piano?
- Yes. MaqAmir supports Web MIDI — connect any MIDI keyboard or controller and play microtonal scales with sub-5ms latency. Quarter-tone and 1/8-tone intervals are mapped intelligently across the keyboard.
- How does microtonal tuning work on a standard keyboard?
- MaqAmir uses sample-accurate audio scheduling to retune each key based on the selected scale. The Web Audio API allows precise frequency control at any cent value — letting a standard 88-key layout play any microtonal system without needing special hardware.
Start playing in your browser
No download. No signup. Just click and play.
- Works on phone, tablet, and desktop
- Full MIDI controller support
- Record, share, and export your playing
- Open-source samples · Always free