The new tone was discovered by amateur musician Drew Feckelbender during his Beginning Dulcimer class.
According to Hiram Aksent, Professor of Advanced Clavier Temporing, this note had never been heard before Feckelbender played it.
“This find is truly remarkable,” he said. “A new note only comes along once in a millenium.”
Aksent went on to explain that throughout modern history, the typical western musical scale featured just 12 tones. All music is composed using only those 12 notes, from the most intricate Bach sonata to Achy Breaky Heart.
Some eastern cultures feature more tones, but according to Aksent those don’t make “real” music. “Those scales are mostly heard in Bollywood sound tracks and around gypsy campfires.”
Professor Aksent has identified the new note as 8/43rds of the way between E double sharp and G flat. He described the new tone as not unpleasant. “It sort of sounds like a cricket with sinus problems dancing on a hot griddle.”
Feckelbender claims to have stumbled across the note while playing his homemade dulcimer. “I was trying to reach that G7 chord in ‘She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain,’ but I just couldn’t get my little finger in the right place. I kind of scrunched up my hand and that’s when I hit it.”
The unemployed census taker has no plans to patent the new note. “This is a discovery that I would like to share with the musical world. I’m hoping Elton John will use it in his next Disney musical.”
The Academy of Musica hailed the discovery of the new musical note in a press release. “Modern composers have increasingly struggled to create new melodies with the limited number of notes we have used for several hundred years. This new note will increase their options by 8.333%. We anticipate at least a 5% surge in creativity.”
In other news, Ricky Skaggs just released a new CD titled “Crickets on the Griddle.”
