Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Instead of Western musics Key Signature, such as C Major, Turkish music often uses
hundreds of modes or scales, called makams. A scale or mode is an ordered series of
intervals. Mode is used in this project to distinguish from Western diatonic scales like
C Major, D minor. Each makam or mode has its own distinct sound and character so is
used for different types of songs and music.
Activity 1. Modes
Kolektif Istanbul uses some of the more common makams in their music, for example
Makam Hicaz and Hseyni.
This is what Makam Hicaz looks and sounds like (it doesnt have to start on this note,
but must have these intervals). An interval is the gap between 2 notes.
Makam Hicaz
Listen to someone playing the Oud (an Arabic lute, a bit like a guitar) in Makam Hicaz here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJpEJTpnkfM
http://www.turkishmusicportal.org/print.php?id=12&cat=article&lang2=en
a.
Composing
Computer, internet access
& headphones / speakers
10 mins
Individual
Secondary
Turkish music generally splits the octave into 17 divisions. Some Arabic systems split it
into as many as 27 divisions. Imagine if on your keyboard, instead of 7 white notes and
5 black notes in each octave, making 12 notes in total, you had 17, or even 27 keys!
17 unique pitch classes used in makamsal music
Makamsal Music is music that uses makams. Turkey is one country where makamsal
music is common, can you nd any others? There is another group coming to Love
Music Festival that also use makams. Find out who they are by listening to some of the
tracks on the Love Music Festival Jukebox.
ww
w.lo
vemu
sicfest
ival.com
p2
b.
30 - 45
mins
Class
Secondary
Instructions:
1. Listen to Srmeli Feridem by Kolektif Istanbul, which uses the above mode, Makam Hicaz.
2. Listen again to the Kolektif Istanbul track in Makam Hicaz and the Oud playing in the
same makam.
3. Discuss: Would you still describe this mode as having the same character as the Oud or
Clarinet tracks mentioned on page 1? What similarities in sound can you hear? Can you
hear that it is using the same makam?
4. Now listen to the other festival artist who uses Makam Hicaz on the Love Music Festival
Jukebox, Eva Quartet from the Sonic Harmonic festival day. Listen to White Aishas
Lament.
5. Discuss: Can you hear any similarities in character or sound here?
6. Discuss: Alongside using interesting modes, Kolektif Istanbul do some remarkable things
to make their music really exciting and make you want to dance youve thought about
the similarities, now describe the differences between Kolektif Istanbuls track and the
other tracks using makams.
ww
w.lo
vemu
sicfest
ival.com
p3
60 mins
Individual / Pair
Condent Primary /
Secondary
1. Arrange some chime bars in order from low to high or get your metallophone the right
way up (big notes = low, put them to your left) and try to include some chromatic notes.
2. Choose a selection of your notes that youd like to be in your mode. If you can, simply
remove the ones you dont want, or if you cant remove the keys, use some (removable)
stickers to mark which notes you have chosen for your mode.
3. Play your mode both up and down. Experiment with different combinations of notes until
you are happy. You could swap with others to widen your selection. Aim for between 4 7 notes in your mode.
4. Try out some different rhythms with your mode and make up a tune. Does it sound good
/ unusual / interesting / boring?
5. What kind of character does your mode have? When you were playing, which type of
music suited it best? When do you think it should be used? Can you think of a name for it?
ww
w.lo
vemu
sicfest
ival.com
p4
30-60
mins
Pair
Secondary
Extra Info
Instrumentalists could try using their own instruments following the same steps as
above, for either the riff or the improvising melody. It is probably a good idea to start with
Activity a, making up their own mode using between 3 5 notes, then continuing on to
Activity b. This way they can choose notes that are easy for them to play.
ww
w.lo
vemu
sicfest
ival.com
p5
ww
w.lo
vemu
sicfest
ival.com
p6