Middle-Eastern music: Difference between revisions

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=== Level 2 ===

Systems that just fulfill level 1 are still generally considered bad compromises. An additional quite basic requirement for a more accurate maqam system is the availability of two kinds of neutral seconds, a smaller one for the [[Bayati]] tetrachord and a larger one for the Rast tetrachord. Moreover, the major second ~~whould~~ preferably be a "major" wholetone, while the minor second should be a "small" semitone - as a consequence, the wholetone is to be divided into a smaller semitone ([[limma]]) and a larger one ([[apotome]]). I.e. ~~minor seconds~~ will be available in two varieties, too.

Systems that just fulfill level 1 are still generally considered bad compromises. An additional quite basic requirement for a more accurate maqam system is the availability of two kinds of neutral seconds, a smaller one for the [[Bayati]] tetrachord and a larger one for the Rast tetrachord. Moreover, the major second would preferably be a "major" wholetone, while the minor second should be a "small" semitone - as a consequence, the wholetone is to be divided into a smaller semitone ([[limma]]) and a larger one ([[apotome]]). I.e. semitones will be available in two varieties, too.

Important EDOs that meet these requirements are [[53edo]] and [[72edo]]. Both of these have found a certain dissemination in middle-eastern music.

For Turkish music, Ozan Yarman also proposes [[34edo]], [[41edo]] and [[46edo]], within limits also [[29edo]], as acceptable compromises. 29edo, 34edo and 41edo have the ~~property that the larger neutral~~ second has a character close to a minor wholetone, and, playing the Rast maqam with it, the third note is less a neutral third than a 5/4-style major third. This matches the Turkish variant of Rast which indeed has such a third - the Arabic variant, however, is ~~lower~~. ~~41edo,~~ 34edo and ~~29edo can~~ thus ~~be considered suited~~ for Turkish music ~~but less so~~ for Arabic music.

For Turkish music, Ozan Yarman also proposes [[34edo]], [[41edo]] and [[46edo]], within limits also [[29edo]], as acceptable compromises. 29edo has submajor and supraminor seconds and thirds, whereas 34edo and 41edo have exact neutral seconds and thirds as well as submajor and supraminor ones. In 34edo and 41edo, the submajor second has a character close to a minor wholetone, and, playing the Rast maqam with it, the third note is less a neutral third than a 5/4-style major third. This matches the Turkish variant of Rast which indeed has such a third – the Arabic variant, however, is closer to the exact neutral one. 34edo and 41edo thus are versatile systems for both Turkish music and for Arabic music.

And here we see another nemesis of the tentatives to establish a common tuning standard: there is not one Middle-Eastern system but many. There are, by the way, not just differences between Arabic and Turkish systems but also regional differences within the respective cultures...

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 === Level 2 ===
-Systems that just fulfill level 1 are still generally considered bad compromises. An additional quite basic requirement for a more accurate maqam system is the availability of two kinds of neutral seconds, a smaller one for the [[Bayati]] tetrachord and a larger one for the Rast tetrachord. Moreover, the major second whould preferably be a "major" wholetone, while the minor second should be a "small" semitone - as a consequence, the wholetone is to be divided into a smaller semitone ([[limma]]) and a larger one ([[apotome]]). I.e. minor seconds will be available in two varieties, too.
+Systems that just fulfill level 1 are still generally considered bad compromises. An additional quite basic requirement for a more accurate maqam system is the availability of two kinds of neutral seconds, a smaller one for the [[Bayati]] tetrachord and a larger one for the Rast tetrachord. Moreover, the major second would preferably be a "major" wholetone, while the minor second should be a "small" semitone - as a consequence, the wholetone is to be divided into a smaller semitone ([[limma]]) and a larger one ([[apotome]]). I.e. semitones will be available in two varieties, too.
 Important EDOs that meet these requirements are [[53edo]] and [[72edo]]. Both of these have found a certain dissemination in middle-eastern music.
-For Turkish music, Ozan Yarman also proposes [[34edo]], [[41edo]] and [[46edo]], within limits also [[29edo]], as acceptable compromises. 29edo, 34edo and 41edo have the property that the larger neutral second has a character close to a minor wholetone, and, playing the Rast maqam with it, the third note is less a neutral third than a 5/4-style major third. This matches the Turkish variant of Rast which indeed has such a third - the Arabic variant, however, is lower. 41edo, 34edo and 29edo can thus be considered suited for Turkish music but less so for Arabic music.
+For Turkish music, Ozan Yarman also proposes [[34edo]], [[41edo]] and [[46edo]], within limits also [[29edo]], as acceptable compromises. 29edo has submajor and supraminor seconds and thirds, whereas 34edo and 41edo have exact neutral seconds and thirds as well as submajor and supraminor ones. In 34edo and 41edo, the submajor second has a character close to a minor wholetone, and, playing the Rast maqam with it, the third note is less a neutral third than a 5/4-style major third. This matches the Turkish variant of Rast which indeed has such a third – the Arabic variant, however, is closer to the exact neutral one. 34edo and 41edo thus are versatile systems for both Turkish music and for Arabic music.
 And here we see another nemesis of the tentatives to establish a common tuning standard: there is not one Middle-Eastern system but many. There are, by the way, not just differences between Arabic and Turkish systems but also regional differences within the respective cultures...