Distance between two maqams

Can Akkoc wrote:
> I have been grappling with the problem of defining a metric for
> characterizing the musical 'distance' between two maqams. Musicians
> constantly refer to different maqams being 'close' or 'distant' in
> their dialogues.

Dear Can,

You may want to check out N. A. Jairazbhoy's "The Rags of North Indian
Music, Their Structure and Evolution" -- particularly "Appendix A, The
System of Thirty-two .Thaa.ts [scales]" in which Jairazbhoy sets up a
geometric system for determining which scales are "close" and which are
"distant".

Cheers,
Christopher