Finally, maqam polyphony in action

At last a vivid example of maqam polyphony!

I am able to contribute a piece to Chris Vaisvil's SoOn 2009 contest
after all:

(Streaming)
http://www.ozanyarman.com/muzikler.html

(Download)
http://www.ozanyarman.com/files/music/Sabastorm.mp3

This new piece is called "The Saba Storm". Catchy title, huh?

The scale employed in the composition is that of the Saba maqam, or
else a Yarman-36a subset containing the Saba scale. The 12-tone subset scale chosen from my notorious Yarman-36a tuning is given below:

Yarman-36a Saba maqam with perde rast on C
12
!
148.23705
198.74659 D
347.40794 Eb (quartertonal)
381.44577 Ed
501.35622 F
649.32179 Gb (quartertonal)
699.74399
801.68275
896.75720 A
1001.88049 Bb
1079.85183
1200.00000 C

Don't be surprised if the established theoretical models (Turkish,
Arabic, Persian, etc...) fail to faithfully represent maqams.
Remember, you need something like Yarman-36a to render maqams like
Saba, Ushshaq, Huzzam and Karjighar satisfactorily in the electronic
medium.

In the piece, I warped the Congas.mp3 sample by Norm Harris. It's hard
to recognize, because the waveform has been reversed and processed
with carefully chosen Logic Pro 8 plugins:

1-SpecGate: Dark Super Energy
2-FuzzWah: Crunchy Overdrive
3-EnVerb: Rolling Up
4-SpaceDsn: Modula B Delay & Hot Plate
5-Limiter

Notice how the original Conga beat is transformed to an ethereal Saba
aire in the background, which seemlessly intertwines with the "Saba-
ishness" of the composition. Who would have guessed that the
inharmonic spectra of congas would be so suitable for maqam Saba? The
pitches of the congas match delicately with the Yarman-36a Saba scale.

Due to the limitations with the chosen 12-tone tuning (Logic Pro does
not allow on-the-fly tuning changes), modulations are very limited.
There is a savoury modulation to Ushshaq and later to a diminished
Segah pentachord as the piece progresses. But Saba on D dominates
throughout.

The length of The Saba Storm is 5:10 minutes. The size of the mp3 file
is 3.9 MBs.

And yes, I am the one who sings the "gazel" vocal in Turkish. If
anyone wonders what the words mean, just ask me!

This is my first true attempt at electronic microtonal maqam polyphony.

Comments are welcome!

Cordially,
Dr. Oz.

✩ ✩ ✩
www.ozanyarman.com

This is definitely one of the best things I've ever heard from Tuning/MMM. You've set the bar higher for us all, and this is the kind of thing that belongs on the radio. (Not as cookie-cutter pop, of course.)

I also didn't know the diminished fourth of maqam Saba was that high! I've been using 433 cents in my own work. Actually, my 72-edo version of Saba, in cents, is 0-150-300-433-700-etc., but I've also used 0-167-317-433-700. I also use 0-117-383-500 for the Hijaz pentachord or the last four notes of harmonic minor.

~D.

----- Original Message ----- From: Ozan Yarman
To: Tuning List ; MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, 29 October, 2009 12:04
Subject: [tuning] Finally, maqam polyphony in action

At last a vivid example of maqam polyphony!

I am able to contribute a piece to Chris Vaisvil's SoOn 2009 contest after all:

(Streaming)
http://www.ozanyarman.com/muzikler.html

(Download)
http://www.ozanyarman.com/files/music/Sabastorm.mp3

This new piece is called "The Saba Storm". Catchy title, huh?

Danny it is so nice of you to say so. Thanks brother!

Oz.

✩ ✩ ✩
www.ozanyarman.com

On Oct 29, 2009, at 11:17 PM, Danny Wier wrote:

> This is definitely one of the best things I've ever heard from
> Tuning/MMM. You've set the bar higher for us all, and this is the kind
> of thing that belongs on the radio. (Not as cookie-cutter pop, of
> course.)
>
> I also didn't know the diminished fourth of maqam Saba was that high!
> I've been using 433 cents in my own work. Actually, my 72-edo
> version of
> Saba, in cents, is 0-150-300-433-700-etc., but I've also used
> 0-167-317-433-700. I also use 0-117-383-500 for the Hijaz pentachord
> or
> the last four notes of harmonic minor.
>
> ~D.

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Ozan Yarman <ozanyarman@...> wrote:
>
> And yes, I am the one who sings the "gazel" vocal in Turkish. If
> anyone wonders what the words mean, just ask me!
>
> This is my first true attempt at electronic microtonal maqam
> polyphony.
>
> Comments are welcome!
>
> Cordially,
> Dr. Oz.
>
> ✩ ✩ ✩
> www.ozanyarman.com

Fantastic work, Dr Oz! Like everyone else I'm impressed with
the production values. I would like to know what the words mean.
I hope you won't take it the wrong way, but I'm not sure I'd
call it polyphonic. I would say it has limited homophonic
harmony. But it is awesome to hear that harmony tuned
microtonally. I feel like I am hearing 12-ET harmony in most
maqam-flavored dance tracks, and it always sounds artificial
to me. Your track has more harmony than most, and it fits with
the gestalt very well.

-Carl

> And yes, I am the one who sings the "gazel" vocal in Turkish. If
> anyone wonders what the words mean, just ask me!

I guess I'm asking!

The microtonality is great - the musicianship shown in the vocals is
outstanding!!

Like everyone else I'll agree the production is sterling - perhaps you just
have an ear for clarity.

Chris

Dear Carl, thanks for the praises!

Oh yes, you are right that the work is not polyphonic in the more
theoretical sense of the word, viz., involving strict rules of "common-
practice counterpoint". But it is polyphonic in the simpler (and
perhaps more exotic) sense that there are many voices purposefully
intertwined based on new rules demanded by maqam Saba. But of course,
there are places where homophony is evident. Shall we then call it
"light-textured harmonic maqam counterpoint"?

Also, remember that I come from a country where the word polyphony
(cokseslilik or "simultaneously sounding two or more pitches at a
time") has many ideological implications. Specifically, the term is
used to draw the line between the "non-progressive" and "somniferous"
monodic tradition shunned by the Kemalist intelligentsia and the
"harmonically potent" and "sought-after" Western common-practice music
idiom desired by the regime. I am tempted to use the term "polyphony"
to signify my affliation with the techniques of the West and the term
"maqam" to still emphasize my allegiance to the culture of the Near
East. Hence the denomination: "maqam polyphony".

As for the translation of the words of the gazel vocal:

"Ah, the misfortunes I have suffered come from the heavens! misery,
misery, misery...
Will my torment never end O dear Lord? O dear Lord?"

Oz.

✩ ✩ ✩
www.ozanyarman.com

On Oct 30, 2009, at 2:43 AM, Carl Lumma wrote:

> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Ozan Yarman <ozanyarman@...> wrote:
>>
>> And yes, I am the one who sings the "gazel" vocal in Turkish. If
>> anyone wonders what the words mean, just ask me!
>>
>> This is my first true attempt at electronic microtonal maqam
>> polyphony.
>>
>> Comments are welcome!
>>
>> Cordially,
>> Dr. Oz.
>>
>> ✩ ✩ ✩
>> www.ozanyarman.com
>
> Fantastic work, Dr Oz! Like everyone else I'm impressed with
> the production values. I would like to know what the words mean.
> I hope you won't take it the wrong way, but I'm not sure I'd
> call it polyphonic. I would say it has limited homophonic
> harmony. But it is awesome to hear that harmony tuned
> microtonally. I feel like I am hearing 12-ET harmony in most
> maqam-flavored dance tracks, and it always sounds artificial
> to me. Your track has more harmony than most, and it fits with
> the gestalt very well.
>
> -Carl
>
>

So nice to hear these words from you Christopher!

As I said in my reponse to Carl, the translation of the words of the
gazel vocal part is thus:

"Ah, the misfortunes I have suffered come from the heavens! misery,
misery, misery...
Will my torment never end O dear Lord? O dear Lord?"

Oz.

✩ ✩ ✩
www.ozanyarman.com

On Oct 30, 2009, at 2:52 AM, Chris Vaisvil wrote:

>
>
>
> > And yes, I am the one who sings the "gazel" vocal in Turkish. If
> > anyone wonders what the words mean, just ask me!
>
> I guess I'm asking!
>
> The microtonality is great - the musicianship shown in the vocals is
> outstanding!!
>
> Like everyone else I'll agree the production is sterling - perhaps
> you just have an ear for clarity.
>
> Chris
>

Top tune, Ozan!

Kalle

Thanks Kalle!

Oz.

✩ ✩ ✩
www.ozanyarman.com

On Oct 30, 2009, at 11:54 AM, Kalle wrote:

> Top tune, Ozan!
>
> Kalle
>

Hi Ozan.

I've just heard the piece. It's pretty interesting to hear the two musical attitudes like complementing each other (the more "folkloristic" one on one side and the "dancefloor-like" one on the other). The truth is that since I've first heard your Supertrance, probably nothing can surprise me more. :-D

Have you considered releasing a CD with your music? I think that would have a huge success on radio shows like Charlie Gillet's "World Of Music" on the BBC World Service, not sure if you've heard that. These are half-hour programs where he plays music from allover the world. If you're interested, the guys at the WS have made a website for this at www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/wmusic.shtml

Do you maintain a list of your scales somewhere? I would find it quite enlightening to get your tuning suggestions in a single place, including your well temperaments or your "original" version of the 79-tone scale or other stuff.

Petr

Thank you dear Petr, for your kind encouraging words!

Yes, I am considering making a CD of my music in the near future. As
you say, it is my hope that my production shall catch the interest of
some ears in the business.

About my tunings, they are all part of the SCALA archive as Manuel
updates them to include my latest modifications. I believe the latest
Yarman-36 variants are already there. But if you mean the scales of
maqams, I cannot reveal them all at once. You have to ask me about a
particular maqam (one at a time please!) so that I can share my
insight about how its scale should be constructed in one of my tunings.

Cordially,
Oz.

✩ ✩ ✩
www.ozanyarman.com

On Oct 31, 2009, at 12:50 PM, Petr Pařízek wrote:

> 
>
> Hi Ozan.
>
> I've just heard the piece. It's pretty interesting to hear the two
> musical attitudes like complementing each other (the more
> "folkloristic" one on one side and the "dancefloor-like" one on the
> other). The truth is that since I've first heard your Supertrance,
> probably nothing can surprise me more. :-D
>
> Have you considered releasing a CD with your music? I think that
> would have a huge success on radio shows like Charlie Gillet's
> "World Of Music" on the BBC World Service, not sure if you've heard
> that. These are half-hour programs where he plays music from allover
> the world. If you're interested, the guys at the WS have made a
> website for this at www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/wmusic.shtml
>
> Do you maintain a list of your scales somewhere? I would find it
> quite enlightening to get your tuning suggestions in a single place,
> including your well temperaments or your "original" version of the
> 79-tone scale or other stuff.
>
> Petr
>