A fascinating phenomenon in middle eastern music is that we have in Arabic and Turkish repertoire some shared repertoire that originate from the Ottoman school of music that permeated their way into Arabic music. However, these pieces are generally performed in such a way as to demonstrate a unique aesthetic. An important distinction between Turkish and Arabic renditions of the same composition are in the intonation of microtones employed in…
Read MoreWhat Not To Do When Learning Maqams (Part 1)
Finding time to learn maqams can be challenging and difficult. Who’s got time to learn all these maqams? You’ve got a family to feed, the kids to play with, work all day, and bills to pay. It’s impossible to learn all these maqams. Or is it? Let me tell you about my own experience learning maqams. Before attending the Simon Shaheen’s Arabic Music Retreat I never really GOT Maqam…
Read MoreMaqam Ear Training
I always had a hard time understanding Maqam Lami. It sounded so strange to me, and I didn’t find it interesting. I knew some well known songs in Maqam Lami, but it still wasn’t sticking. Fortunately, Simon Shaheen used Maqam Lami in one of his ear training sessions at the Arabic Music Retreat… Then it all started to make sense. I took what I learned from his method and created…
Read More6 Mini Scales That Create Maqam Music
In this week’s video, I want to share a shortcut with you. A shortcut that will help you learn maqam music. If you’re just learning the Oud or Middle Eastern Music, then you’re going to eventually learn how to play a maqam. I know that maqams are really, really hard to get into. When I started learning, I didn’t know what maqam I was hearing or playing… But…
Read More
