Yahoo Tuning Groups Ultimate Backup tuning A paper I shall deliver to a congress in a few days

Search For A Theoretical Model Conforming To Turkish Maqam Music Practice: A
Selection Of Fixed-Pitch Settings From 34-tone Equal Temperament To The
79-tone Tuning

ï¿½Issues Regarding The Practice And Theory Of Turkish Music And Their
Solutionsï¿½ Congress (invited paper), 5 March 2008, Maï¿½ka Grounds, Istanbul
Technical University.

Ozan Yarman

Abstract

The long-standing conflict between the ï¿½Arel-Ezgi-Uzdilekï¿½ System and the
practice of Turkish Maqam Music (Art Music and Folk Music based on maqams)
had been established through computer analyses of audio recordings. Results
incontrovertibly manifest the delibarate employment of multifarious ï¿½middle
secondï¿½ intervals peculiar to the genre, yet, evaded by the current model.
These ï¿½middle secondsï¿½ are roughly expressible as 2/3, 3/4, and 4/5 tones,
and often referred to by the protagonists of the Music Reformation in
Tï¿½rkiye during the early 20th century as ï¿½quarter-tonesï¿½. It is maintained
that non-conformance arose, because the 24-tone Pythagorean theory in effect
was specifically engendered by what may be properly named the
ï¿½Yekta-Arel-Ezgi Schoolï¿½ to ward off ï¿½quarter-tonesï¿½ which allegedly
affliated the Maqam Music heritage to Byzantine & Arabs. In this paper, in
order to effectuate the convergence of theory and practice, lower resolution
temperaments where the octave is divided into 34 and 41 equal parts and
middle to higher resolution temperaments where the octave is divided into
46, 53, and 72 equal parts shall be scrutinized and furthermore, a 79-tone
tuning created and implemented on a unique custom-made qanun by the author
shall be explained. In the course of redeveloping a fixed-pitched Maqam
Music theory, it is suggested that a low-resolution 34 or 41-tone equal
temperament on the one hand, and a high-resolution 79-tone tuning on the
other hand be adopted.

Why we say ï¿½Maqam Musicï¿½, What does the term ï¿½Turkish Maqam Musicï¿½ mean?

First of all, at a conjuncture where we face expressions such as ï¿½Classical
Turkish Musicï¿½ (CTM), ï¿½Turkish Tasavvuf Musicï¿½ (TTM), ï¿½Turkish Art Musicï¿½
(TAM), ï¿½Traditional Turkish Art Musicï¿½ (TTAM), ï¿½Turkish Folk Musicï¿½ (TFM)
and ï¿½Alla Turcaï¿½, each more cumbersome than the other, it is necessary to
elucidate what we mean by the expression ï¿½Maqam Musicï¿½.

It must be confessed that our music community lingers on a medley of
concepts. As someone who received Classical Western Music formation, I am
concerned by the sight I behold. What we have here before us is a repertory
notated on a single staffï¿½ lacking dynamics more often than not, prepared
jejunely, with what instruments the scores shall be performed are not
specified, there are almost no instrumental parts, no sign of
instrumentation. Almost all the scores have been hastily notated in the near
past. Moreover, it is not very clear which of the aforesaid categories the
repertory falls intoï¿½

For example, let us take the Hijaz sharki by Hammamizade ï¿½smail Dede Efendi
with the lyrics "Ey bï¿½t-i nev eda, olmuï¿½am mï¿½btela"ï¿½ Is this sharki, which
bears the characteristics of 19th Century, CTM, TAM, or TTAM? Consider, if
it were to be performed by an instrumental ensemble comprising baï¿½lama,
kaval or kabak kemane also, what prevents them from being perceived as TFM?

Similarly, let us look at the following works with the given lyrics: Hafï¿½z
Postï¿½s Rast ï¿½Gelse o ï¿½uh meclise, naz ï¿½ tegafï¿½l eyleseï¿½, Tanburi Mustafa
ï¿½avuï¿½ï¿½s Hisar-Buselik ï¿½Dï¿½k zï¿½lfï¿½nï¿½ meydana gelï¿½ or Yesari Asï¿½m Ersoyï¿½s Hijaz
ï¿½Yar saï¿½larï¿½ lï¿½le lï¿½leï¿½ï¿½ Will they become CTM when the State Classical
Turkish Music Choir performs them? Does a work acquire ï¿½artfulnessï¿½ once it
passes through the hands of TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Institution)
that we call it ï¿½Art Musicï¿½? Or will they become TFM pieces in case the
State Turkish Folk Music Ensemble renders them? Are not the listeners of
these works ï¿½ordinary folkï¿½ already, that we establish a genre called Folk
Music?

I believe these are well-placed questions. It strikes me that we were
excessively hasty in branding styles/forms differing in the slightest withou
t the least bit of change in the texture of music as genres.

Whereas, Western societies do not bother with such problems. The
Classical-Contemporary genre, which encapsulates different performance
styles and schools, is being transmitted to new generations via
conservatories that (as the name implies) preserve the tradition, and
evolves throughout history in an organic manner without severing its ties
with the past. One may count every kind of performance tradition here, from
violin or piano solos to gigantic symphony orchestras and choirs. In these
performance traditions, twelve-tone equal temperament methodology dominates
the scene due to the undisputed influence of the pianoforte since the past
two hundred years.

Besides the Classical-Contemporary genre, regional and popular musics such
as Blues, Jazz, Rock, Country, Hiphop (all of which use a similar tuning
system and notation due to the delimiting prevalance of guitars and
electronic keyboards) and ethnic musics coming from old Western colonies to
Europe and Americas should be recalled. World Music and Fusion type
syntheses are among these. As is well known, the ones most sought after are
Indian and Arab (otherwise, ï¿½Orientalï¿½) musics. So great is the curiosity of
the West in regards to cultures foreign to its own, that ï¿½Gamelan
Orchestrasï¿½ unique to Indonesia are founded in the music departments of
some universities.

Let us return to ourselvesï¿½ It will be expedient to dissipate the confusion
just a little. I adopt the ï¿½Maqam Musicï¿½ nomenclature for this reason. The
saying ï¿½Turkish Maqam Musicï¿½ ought not imply different instrumental
ensembles, performance styles and manners, but ï¿½ just as with
Classical-Contemporary Western Music ï¿½ the repertory based on maqams which
are more or less the equivalent of keys/modes. Thereby, when the ï¿½Turkishï¿½
prefix is omitted, we may consider the works also based on maqams/dastgahs
by neighbouring nations under the umbrella of ï¿½Maqam Musicï¿½ ï¿½ just as is the
case with Brahms, Shostakovitch, and Copland making Classical-Contemporary
Western Music despite the fact that they belonged to different nations.
Hence, Abd al-wahhab and Umm Kulthum become part of our multi-cultural
identity. Moreover, it therefore becomes possible to evaluate our Armenian,
Greek, and Jewish musicians outside of the scope of a Turkish nationalism
that, from time to time, borders chauvanism.

As an additional reason why we do not say ï¿½Turkish Musicï¿½ straightforwardly,
we may offer the ï¿½Alla Turcaï¿½Alla Franca dichotomyï¿½ troubling us since
eighty years. When we say Turkish Music, no music other than ï¿½the music made
by Turksï¿½ is understood. Because no racial/ethnic distinction can be made
between westernized modernist Turks and conservative Turks who uphold
Eastern values, and because the East-West conflict still dominates a huge
part of our lives, only saying ï¿½Turkish Musicï¿½ does unfortunately nothing
but confuse minds. How much of a Westen Music can ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ktï¿½k aï¿½ï¿½k alï¿½nla on
yï¿½lda her savaï¿½tanï¿½ which incites the millions be regarded? This piece is
not sung by Westerners, but our masses. What of the Popular musics that are
in vogue since the 1950s? Such artists like Celal ï¿½nce? Erol Bï¿½yï¿½kburï¿½?
Erkin Koray? Cahit Berkay? Barï¿½ï¿½ Manï¿½o? In the end, all these artists have
most certainly composed Turkish Music, be it ï¿½without maqamsï¿½ the way we
recognize them, or in Western fashion, since they are the outcome of our
culture before all else, and are Turkish in origin.

To sum up, we dub ï¿½Turkish Maqam Musicï¿½ the genre that necessitates a tuning
which contains more tones compared to Classical Western Music, based on
characteristic maqams, comprising many performance styles and manners,
regularly performed on instruments such as tanbur, ud, kanun, kemenï¿½e, ney,
baï¿½lama, kaval and basically by people of Turkish origin or Turkophiles, and
that which is mostly monophonic.

Search for a theoretical model compatible with practice

It has been established on the basis of frequency measurements and analyses,
that the 24-tone Pythagorean tuning is not a model suitable to express all
the intervals of Turkish Maqam Music and does not suffice to compensate
practice contrary to what is claimed (Karaosmanoï¿½lu & Akkoï¿½, 2003). It has
been made manifest that characteristic middle second intervals representable
by such superparticular ratios (based on the formula n+1/n) and roughly
corresponding to 2/3, 3/4 and 4/5 whole-tone like 13:12, 12:11, 11:10 are
particularly used in maqams such as Uï¿½ï¿½ak, Saba, Hï¿½zzam, Karcï¿½ï¿½ar, and that
these are not haphazard deviations (Yarman, et al., 2008).

During the ï¿½Music Reformationï¿½ period of 1920s and 30s (Paï¿½acï¿½, 1999), these
intervals associated with Byzantine and Arabs and dubbed ï¿½quarter-tonesï¿½ had
been asserted as a pretext to reject ï¿½Alla Turcaï¿½. It is interesting that
the controversial theory employed in practice and education today was formed
just at a time when the tradition was under attack. The 24-tone Pythagorean
tuning and theoretical model based on it, whose foundations were laid by
Rauf Yekta, Saadettin Arel and Suphi Ezgi, seems to promote a ï¿½Turkish Maqam
Musicï¿½ bereft of ï¿½quarter-tonesï¿½, and thus, far from being regarded as
Arabic or Byzantine origin, and in the end, not provoking the response of
the ï¿½Music Reformationï¿½. Consequently, non-conformance appears to have
arisen due to the brushing aside of ï¿½quarter-tonesï¿½ in concord with the
rationale stated above (Yarman, 2008).

Recently, it is being debated how much sharper or flatter in terms of commas
should the variable degrees of maqams which are not executed as they are
notated be sounded compared to the theory based on the 24-tone Pythagorean
tuning called ï¿½Arel-Ezgi-Uzdilekï¿½ (AEU). This disposition is surely due to
the need to express middle second intervals not specified in current theory.

Moreover, 32 or more frets from yegah to neva are affixed on tanburs today.
In the same context, qanun-makers affix semi-tone mandals at logarithmically
one twelveth of the octave by referring to tuners imported from the West,
and divide the remaining length to the nut into six equal parts; in other
words, they practically divide the octave into 72 equal parts without
probably being aware of it. From this state of affairs, one may perceive
that it is impossible for practice not to conflict with current theory.

That being the case, to assure that there is no discrepancy between what is
written and what is performed, it is necessary to develop a new theoretical
model along with a proprietary notation faithfully embracing executed
intervals, or to reinterpret and revise the notation at hand.

Fixedness of pitch

In Turkish Maqam Music, just as there are those who say that one should
never under any circumstances venture outside the boundaries of the 24
Pythagorean perdes (tones), there are also those who set forth tenacious
opinions such as that the perdes have no fixedness, and therefore may not be
learned but ï¿½passed on by way of meshk (oral instruction)ï¿½.

It is not possible for us to agree with either of these arguments. For one
thing, characteristic middle second intervals peculiar to certain maqams do
not exist in the ï¿½Arel-Ezgi-Uzdilekï¿½ system. In order to compensate for
these, additional frets are fastened to tanburs and mandals affixed to
qanuns. On the other hand, there will inevitably be mathematical
relationships between pitches. For instance, we shall be able to say that
the interval between rast-neva, dï¿½gah-hï¿½seyni, and segah-evc will always be
a fifth, be it pure or tempered.

Besides, qanun, tanbur and ney are ï¿½quantized instrumentsï¿½, and in the very
least, the pitches of the qanun and the tanbur remain relatively static
throughout performance. Even if we were to accept that ney perdes are very
flexible, it should be feasible to satisfactorily approximate executed
frequencies by a high resolution tone-grid.

In Western Music too do wind instruments and strings show deviations from
12-tone equal temperament (tET), but this tuning is able to satisfactorily
represent played frequencies. Furthermore, instrumental education is geared
toward 12-tET which is originally intended for keyboard instruments. To
discuss how useful and necessary it is to take fixedness of pitch as a basis
in music education is redundant.

So, in order to lay the groundwork for a theory true to Turkish Maqam Music,
it becomes a fundamental goal to incline towards a ï¿½microtonal fixedness of
pitchï¿½ that shuns ambiguity but allows room for flexibility.

A selection of fixed-pitch settings for Maqam Music

In Turkish Maqam Music, amongst temperaments that equally divide the octave
into logarithmic parts, we know of 53 and 72-tone equal temperaments. The
first is being used since more than half a century as a theoretical tool to
express how much sharper or flatter in terms of commas the variable degrees
of maqams will be played (Aksoy, 1995). The latter is the elaborated version
of the ï¿½12 equal semi-tones per octave methodologyï¿½ that has come to be
applied to qanuns due to interactions with Western Music. Both are very
sturdy systems.

53-tET comprises the 24-tone Pythagorean tuning with maximum 1 cent absolute
error. In any event, we insinuate it when explaining the theory in effect by
saying that there are ï¿½9 commas in a whole-tone, 53 in an octaveï¿½. Above
all, its indispensability in elucidating the 6 and 7 comma middle seconds
peculiar to maqams such as Uï¿½ï¿½ak, Saba, Hï¿½zzam and Karcï¿½ï¿½ar is incontestable
(Yarman, et al., 2008).

However, we see in qanuns another system, namely, 72-tET. Between these two
tunings, there are differences at certain locations that amount to as much
as half a comma. In 72-tET, more detail is present. If a higher resolution
than 53-tET is desired, the advantages of dividing the octave into 72 equal
parts becomes manifest.

Since we are soaring about so high numbers, I would like to mention a tuning
I arrived at by dividing the octave into 159 parts and extracting from that
79 tones, which I implemented on a qanun manufactured by Ejder Gï¿½leï¿½. The
features of this system, whose generator interval is 15.1 cents or 2/3 of a
Holdrian comma, are:

1. That the main maqam is, as was the case in the past, Rast, as compared to
the ï¿½argah of ï¿½Arel-Ezgi-Uzdilekï¿½ which is defined as C Major (Levendoï¿½lu,
2003), and that the principal scale of this maqam is expressed as natural
(non-accidented) notes on the staff.

2. That, in accordance with the international diapason which comes along
with the usage of Western staff notation, ï¿½Sï¿½pï¿½rde Ahenkï¿½ (C key/diapason)
is taken as basis where Rast scale more or less corresponds to the white
keys of the pianoforte.

3. That the 3rd degree, which is segah, and the 7th degree, which is evc, of
Rast are acquired without breaking the cycle of fifths utilized in the
construction of the scale.

4. Again, via an uninterrupted cycle of fifths, that the 3rd and 7th degrees
of the Rast scale are replaced by the higher perdes buselik and mahur, and
therefore, modulation to Mahur is made possible.

5. That myriad ï¿½middle secondï¿½ intervals seen in practice are positioned
between such points as dï¿½gah-segah, ï¿½argah-saba, and neva-hisar.

6. That such procedures are repeated at sharp and flat tones as easily as on
natural tones, and that it becomes possible to transpose over to every ahenk
(key/diapason) on the qanun.

7. That a 12-tone closed cycle is extracted for chromatic passages.

8. That there are no inconsistencies in notation and that accidental symbols
are adequate for microtonal polyphony.

The 79-tone tuning is a most suitable theoretical device for the
transposition of scales to any degree with a maximum deviation of 8 cents at
every step.

In notating the 79-tone tuning, I adopted the ï¿½Sagittal Microtonal Systemï¿½
developed by George Secor and David Keenan (Secor & Keenan, 2006). It is
possible to express every comma nuance with only three additional microtonal
accidentals alongside customary sharps and flats. These accidentals are:

1. Left barbs raising or lowering a pitch by 1 degree /|&\!,

2. Right barbs raising or lowering a pitch by 2 degrees |\&!/,

3. Double barbs raising or lowering a pitch by 3 degrees or a quarter-tone
/|\&\!/.

Accordingly, the (/|+|\ =/|\) formula always stands. Sharps and flats are
always 6 degrees, double sharps and double flats are 12 degrees, and the
tones in between are found by adding to or subtracting from these the
microtonal accidentals of the Sagittal System. Notation is very much
consistent.

We provide the 79-tone tuning and the traditional perdes collected in 17
zones below (Table 1-not given).

But what about tanburs? No matter how long their necks are, the frets which
can be fastened are limited in number. We ought to think of the baï¿½lamas as
well. Under these circumstances, it might be necessary to focus on tunings
ï¿½less voluminousï¿½ compared to 53-tET. These are, from small to large,
34-tET, 41-tET and 46-tET. Their generator intervals are 706, 702 and 704
cent fifths respectively.

In 46-tET, just as with 53-tET, there are two kinds of middle seconds, and
it is an attractive system. If, however, we partition the octave into 41
equal parts, we can acquire the 24-tone Pythagorean tuning within tolerable
limits and obtain at least one kind of middle second. 34-tET on the other
hand, seems more compatible with the 17 traditional perdes outlook.

All of these are favourable for transpositions and polyphony. If asked that
we choose one, 41-tET appears most ideal for tanburs. Baï¿½lamas and qanuns
can too be manufactured in conformance to it. We can conceive theory and
notation from the beginning accordingly (Table 2-not given).

Nevertheless, if we seek more detail, focusing on 72-tET and beyond is
unavoidable. In academic studies, we shall preferably move up to the 79-tone
tuning.

In that case, I suggest that we advance in two frontiers, choose either 34
or 41-tone equal temperament for low resolution, and converge on the 79-tone
tuning for high resolution.

--------------

References

Aksoy, B., (1995). ï¿½Makamï¿½n Tanï¿½mï¿½na Doï¿½ruï¿½. Trans. K. Aï¿½artan. Musï¿½kiï¿½inas.
Boï¿½aziï¿½i University Turkish Music Club Publication. 2000. 70-87.

Karaosmanoï¿½lu, M. K. & C. Akkoï¿½, (2003). ï¿½Tï¿½rk Musikisinde ï¿½cra-Teori
Birliï¿½ini Saï¿½lama Yolunda Bir Giriï¿½imï¿½. Presentation to 10th Mï¿½z-Dak (Tï¿½rk
Mï¿½ziï¿½i Dernek ve Vakï¿½flarï¿½ Dayanï¿½ï¿½ma Konseyi) Symposium. Maï¿½ka Social
Establishments, Istanbul Technical University, 4 December.

Levendoï¿½lu, O. N., (2003). ï¿½Klasik Tï¿½rk Mï¿½ziï¿½iï¿½nde Ana Dizi Tartï¿½ï¿½masï¿½ ve
ï¿½argah Makamï¿½. Gazi Eï¿½itim Fakï¿½ltesi Dergisi, vol 23, nr. 2. Ankara: Gazi
University Publication. 181-93.

Paï¿½acï¿½, G., (1999). ï¿½Cumhuriyetï¿½in Sesli Serï¿½veniï¿½. G. Paï¿½acï¿½, ed.
Cumhuriyetï¿½in Sesleri. ï¿½stanbul: Tarih Vakfï¿½ Yayï¿½nlarï¿½. 1999. 10-29.

Secor, G. D. & David C. Keenan, (2006). ï¿½Sagittal ï¿½ A Microtonal Notation
Systemï¿½. Xenharmonikon: An Informal Journal of Experimental Music, vol. 18.

Yarman, O., et al. (2008). ï¿½Tï¿½rk makam mï¿½ziï¿½iï¿½nde nazariyat-icra
ï¿½rtï¿½ï¿½mezliï¿½ine bir ï¿½ï¿½zï¿½m: 79-sesli dï¿½zenï¿½. ï¿½Tï¿½ Dergisi B, ISSN 1303-7013
(pending publication).

Yarman, O., (2008). Tï¿½rk Makam Mï¿½ziï¿½i ï¿½ï¿½in 79-Sesli Dï¿½zen ve Kuram. Ph. D.
Thesis completed in Istanbul Technical University Turkish Music State
Conservatory Musicology Department.

A paper I shall deliver to a congress in a few days

🔗Ozan Yarman <ozanyarman@ozanyarman.com>

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🔗Ozan Yarman <ozanyarman@ozanyarman.com>

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