maqom

Maqom, also written maqam, is a term used for a system of melodic modes in several musical traditions of the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. The word derives from Arabic maqām, meaning "place" or "position," reflecting the mode's characteristic pitch collection and melodic emphasis. In Arabic, Turkish, Persian and Central Asian music, a maqom (or maqam) consists of one or more scale segments called jins (or ajnas) that define allowable pitch material, together with prescribed melodic gestures, typical cadences, and emotional character.

A maqom is not a single scale but a modal framework within which improvisation and composition occur. Performers typically begin from a tonic or central pitch and navigate through characteristic motifs, exploring microtonal ornaments that may lie outside Western equal temperament. The repertoire assigns mood, color, and interlocking cadences; practice often involves taqsim (improvisation) and composed pieces that exemplify a maqom's path.

Differences exist among traditions: in Arabic and Turkish music the maqom system is widely used and overlaps with concepts such as Rast, Bayati, Hijaz, and Nahawand, while in Central Asia the term is often used in the Shashmaqom repertoire. Turkish and Azerbaijani traditions are commonly described with makam, a closely related term.

See also: maqam, dastgah, makam (disambiguation).