makams

Makams are a system of melodic organization used in Turkish classical music and related Middle Eastern traditions. A makam specifies an octave-scale, a range of pitches, a preferred final note, and a set of characteristic melodic patterns that influence how a melody develops and resolves.

Each makam comprises a scale that often includes microtones and quarter tones, yielding intervals that differ from equal-tempered scales. In performance, musicians follow a seyir, a typical melodic trajectory within the makam, and employ cadences or end phrases to establish closure. Improvisation, known as taksim, is commonly performed within a makam under the guidance of its rules.

Turkish makams are numerous and varied. Well-known examples include Rast, Uşşak, Hicaz, Nihavent, Segah, Hüseyni, Saba, and Bayati (Bayâtı–Kürdî variants). Each has its own mood, typical ranges, and motifs, and composers select a makam to shape the character of a piece.

Although makams share similarities with maqams in Arabic and other traditions, they are distinct theoretical systems with local conventions, tunings, and performance practices. The makam concept remains central to Turkish classical music, as well as to Turkish-influenced genres and related regional styles.