BASIC TURKISH MAKAM MUSIC

And some differences between Arab System

Turkish Maqam Music is a unique Near Eastern genre founded upon the crowning
achievements in art and the culture of Islamic Civizilation ,which are shared by
Turks,Arabs,Persians, and Indians alike.

Actually Traditional Turkish Art Muic and nowadays Turkish Art Music has many
differences. Today we are using 29-tone system model. How we find this 29-tone in
Turkish Makam Music? Its basically : between them, the establishment of a chain of five
natural(major) big 3 fives and for the value of tradition is found by scanning..
In the tradition system we used for 24-tone system which was based from Arel-Ezgi-
Uzdilek system. It was 5 tone less and in system had many fault. They nailed some
makams which it was correct in theoretically but in playing some makams and
frequencies was crashing between each other..

But in my opinion and what I search of course,these theorist/researcher/teachers was
leading the Turkish Art Music until 1930s.. Its good or bad they grow and make this
music popular on their time,thats why its still exist and popular all over the world..

I would like to continue a little bit more specific about Makam Music with some details
and numbers then I would like to say a bit more differences between Arab and Turkish
system.

In modern system, we divided makams basically two different groups.
1-Simple makams( Basit Makam )
2-Compound Makams(Birleik Makam )

Simple Makams: I m really trying to tell simple way of simple makam. Simple Makam; it
consists two tetrachord. First tetrachord has 4 notes,second one has also 4 notes.
Basically makam music can seep from outside with their Route (in Turkish we call seyir)
Simple makams has basically goes in the same makam and goes back (sometime one
way or return )
Compound Makams: They are becoming compound with minimum 2 different makams
in the one makam. In compound makams has include in other sub-topic or sub makam
which is called transposed makam . Transposed makams which as the name implies
are the simple makams transposed to a different tonic.

As I see and research some theorists are count transposed makams as a third makam
but many of them also make it into compound makams sub-makam.



If I have to talk more with number in makam music. Traditional Turkish Music and
Arabic music based on and common with frequency. Big difference between Western
Music and Makam Music is ; Makam music uses many different frequencies,western
music nailed tone in tampere. But still Turkish Makam system and Arab system has big
difference.

Arab system uses mostly quarter tone system and Turkish music has less than quartet
tone notes in the makam music. Turkish system uses less frequency than Arabs. This
makes more natural and more possibilities while playing, improvising. (See picture 1
below)

Also in Turkish makam music even between differences in Turkish players while
playing.Some areas in Turkey ,some different music culture in Turkey has
difference.This makes different mood even in the same makam while playing. We call
this Attitude ( Tavr in Turkish ) .Same makam has different taksims, perevs.
In Arab Makam System does not have this different TAVIR mood.

These two big differences shows different vibe in the same makam,music quality.And
thats why it divided between each other,Turkish Makam and Arab Makam music.
On the same time I have to say that, almost all makams,scale or /and tone name came or
influence from Arabic areas to the Turkish system(Persian,Iran,Suriye etc. ) (see picture
2 below )


PICTURE 1: Turkish system divided 9 piece in one major 2nd.
C#

C D(re)
do 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
4.5 Koma
9 Koma




PICTURE 2: Every interval has 100 cent. On octave (8th ) has totally 1200 cent. 53 koma.
For instance C5-C6 is 1200 cent and 53 koma

100 Cent 100 c etc 1200 Cent.


C C# D ETC. C


12 TET


Of course this is really really huge topic and I have to say many things about Turkish
Traditional and Modern Art Music (Makam Music ) but I really tried to make it simple .
Sorry for my English,Its also really hard for me to translate my Turkish knowledge
about this complicated topic to the English telling Makam Music.Some terminology
,words actually not nice to translate into the English In Makam Music .But I tried to my
best.

Sincerely,

ADNAN DURA