Makam music
al-FārābīSafiyyüddîn el-UrmevîKantemiroğluHüseyin Sadettin Arel
This page delivers no verdict; it presents claims and evidence with their sources. No theory in science is absolute. Method
For everyone
Makam is a system in Turkish and Arab music that defines scales made of particular intervals and how a melody moves within them. It uses intervals outside Western equal temperament, dividing the octave into smaller parts. Theorists such as al-Fārābī and Ṣafī al-Dīn al-Urmawī defined these intervals by mathematical ratios.
For specialists
The Arel–Ezgi–Uzdilek system divides the whole tone into nine commas and defines a 24-pitch scheme; practical pitches are known not to match this theoretical system exactly. A makam is defined by its scale and its "seyir" (the melodic path between its starting, dominant and final pitches). Ṣafī al-Dīn's Kitāb al-Adwār proposed a 17-pitch Pythagorean system.
Claims
Positions
- Practice-oriented researchers
- The Arel–Ezgi system does not accurately reflect the pitches performers actually use; theory and practice differ.[2]
Connections
Sources
- EncyclopediaMakam (mûsiki). TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisiislamansiklopedisi.org.trarchive
- Book (1977). Makam: Modal Practice in Turkish Art Music. Asian Music Publications, Seattle
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Cite this page
Athena contributors. (2026). Makam music. Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/makam/
@misc{athena_makam,
title = {Makam music},
author = {{Athena contributors}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/makam/}},
note = {Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Accessed: 2026-11-01}
}Added: September 27, 2026 · Last changed: September 27, 2026 · Page history