ARABIAN

MUSIC

Ajnas & Maqamat

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 Ajnas (sets): TriChords,
TetraChords & PentaChords
TriChords are sets of 3 notes, TetraChords are sets of 4
notes, and PentaChords are sets of 5 notes. The Arabic word
for these sets is jins, plural ajnas [ ], which means the
gender, type or nature of something. In case of PentaChords,
the word 'aqd, plural 'uqud [ ], is also used. These sets are
the building blocks for Arabic maqams.

It's possible and often practical to view a maqam as a

collection of sets, as well as a collection of notes. Each
maqam is made up two main ajnas (sets) called lower and
upper jins. The lower jins is used to group or classify the
maqam in a family. In general the starting note of the upper
jins is called the dominant note. A maqam also includes
other ajnas (called secondary) which overlap the two main
ajnas, and can be exploited during modulation.

[Modulation is a technique used during the melodic development of a

Maqam. In simple terms, modulation means shifting the emphasis from
one jins to another. The new jins may start on the same note (common-
tone modulation), or on a different note.

What makes a modulation successful (pleasing to the ear) is adhering to

compatible combinations of ajnas long established in the Arabic music
tradition. These are best acquired by listening.]

Different Arabic music references define sets slightly

differently. As with maqams, many sets are too archaic or
rarely used. There is also disagreement about the length of
each set (3, 4, or 5 notes), and some references simplify and
standardize every set as a TetraChord.

In general all sets are defined as TetraChords unless there is

a good reason not to. A set is a defined as a TriChord when
the next (4th) note is impossible to predict out of multiple
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choices, as in the Sikah and Mustaar TriChords for example.
Another reason to define a set as a TriChord is when 3 notes
are enough to convery its melody or mood. An example of
this are the Ajam and Jiharkah TriChords. Complex sets
(containing other partial sets) are defined as PentaChords, as
in Nawa Athar and its variation Athar Kurd for example.

This following is a compiled list of the most commonly used

ajnas (sets):

TriChords Ajam, Jiharkah, Sikah, Mustaar

Bayati, Busalik, Hijaz, Kurd, Nahawand, Rast,
TetraChords
Saba, Zamzama
PentaChords Athar Kurd, Nawa Athar

Ajam TriChord
The Ajam TriChord sounds
very similar to the first 3
notes in a major scale in
Western Classical Music, with
the 3rd note tuned slightly
lower. This makes it more
mellow than a Major Scale.
Some books represent this
TriChord as a TetraChord
since the 4th note is almost
always ½ tone away (E ).
Jiharkah Trichord
The Jiharkah TriChord sounds
very similar to the first 3
notes in a major scale in
Western Classical Music. The
3rd note is tuned slightly
lower than the Major Scale,
and even lower than in the
Ajam TriChord.

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 Sikah TriChord
One of the most common
sounds in Arabic music. Some
books represent this TriChord
as 3 different TetraChords,
depending on the next
possible tonal interval: ½
tone is called Huzam
TetraChord, ¾ tone is called
Iraq TetraChord, and 1 tone
is called Sikah TetraChord.
Mustaar TriChord
This is a very uncommon
TriChord. It a variant of the
Sikah TriChord, with the 2nd
note raised by a ½ tone.
Some books represent this
TriChord as 3 different
TetraChords, depending on
the next possible tonal
interval: ½ tone, ¾ tone and
1 tone.
Bayati TetraChord
One of the most common
sounds in Arabic music. The
tuning of the 2nd note (E ) is
slightly lower and more
mellow than the E used in
the Rast and Sikah sets.

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 Busalik (Buselik)
TetraChord
The Busalik TetraChord
(sometimes called 'Ushaq)
sounds very similar to the
first 4 notes of a Minor Scale
in Western Classical Music.
The tuning of the 3rd note is
played lower than in the
Nahawand TetraChord. This
difference in tuning is about
1/9th of a tone (also known as
a koma in Turkish Music).
Hijaz TetraChord
One of the most common
sounds in Arabic music. The
E is tuned slightly higher
than usual, while the F# is
tuned slightly lower, in order
to narrow down the 1+½ tone
difference and make it more
mellow.
Kurd TetraChord
The Kurd TetraChord sounds
very similar to the first 4
notes in the Phrygian Mode
in Western Classical Music.
Nahawand TetraChord
The Nahawand TetraChord
sounds very similar to the
first 4 notes of a Minor Scale
in Western Classical Music.

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 Rast TetraChord
One of the most common
sounds in Arabic music. Its
3rd note falls between a Minor
3rd and a Major 3rd in Western
Classical Music.
Saba TetraChord
The first 3 notes are a partial
Bayati TetraChord. Also notes
3 and 4 are usually used to
start a Hijaz TetraChord.

Zamzama TetraChord
This is a very uncommon
TetraChord. The first 3 notes
are a partial Kurd TetraChord.
This is the Westernized
version of Saba with the 2nd
note changed from a quarter
tone to a semitone.
Nawa Athar PentaChord
This PentaChord is sometimes
called Nikriz. The first 3
notes are a partial Nahawand
TetraChord. Also the last 3
notes are usually used to
start a Hijaz TetraChord.
Some books represent this
TetraChord as a PentaChord
with a G as the 5th note, in
order to complete the Hijaz
TetraChord.

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 Athar Kurd PentaChord
This TetraChord is a variant
of the Nawa Athar
TetraChord, with the 2nd note
lowered by a ½ tone. The
first 3 notes are a partial Kurd
TetraChord.

https://web.archive.org/web/20080105030427/http://www.m
aqamworld.com/ajnas.html#bayati

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ARABIAN MAQAMS (MAQAMAT)
01) Maqam Ajam

[This Maqam is like the Greek Ionian Mode]

02) Maqam Athar Kurd (Kurdili Nawa Athar)

03) Maqam Bastanikar

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 04) Maqam Bayati

05) Maqam Bayati Shuri (or Karjighar)

06) Maqam Farahfaza

[This Maqam is like the Greek Aeolian Mode]

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 07) Maqam Hijaz

Often the 1st (Hijaz-Rast) version is used on the way up, and
the 2nd (Hijaz-Nahawand) version is used on the way down.
08) Maqam Hijaz Kar

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 09) Maqam Hijaz Kar Kurd

[2nd version is like Greek Phrygian Mode]

The melody should start around the octave (upper C) and
develop the 1st (Hijaz-Hijaz) version, then descend from the
octave by developing the 2nd (Kurd-Nahawand) version back
to the lower C.
10) Maqam Husseini

11) Maqam Huzam

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 12) Maqam Iraq

13) Maqam Jiharkah

14) Maqam Kurd

[This Maqam is like the Greek Phrygian Mode]

15) Maqam Mahur

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 16) Maqam Mustaar

17) Maqam Nahawand

[2nd version is like Greek Aeolian Mode]

The 1st version (Nahawand-Hijaz) is used on the way up, and
the 2nd version (Nahawand-Kurd) is used on the way down.
18) Maqam Nahawand Murassah (Sunbulah)

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 19) Maqam Nairuz

20) Maqam Nawa Athar

21) Maqam Nikriz (Nakriz)

22) Maqam Rahat El Arwah

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 23) Maqam Rast

In general the 1st version (Rast-Rast) is used on the way up,

and the 2nd version (Rast-Nahawand) is used on the way
down.
24) Maqam Saba

The 1st version ends on the octave (D) while the 2nd version
goes beyond 8 notes and doesn't include the octave of the
tonic (D).
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 25) Maqam Saba Zamzam

26) Maqam Shadd Araban

27) Maqam Shahnaz (Shehnaz)

28) Maqam Shawq Afza

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 29) Maqam Sikah

Often the 1st version (Sikah-Rast) is used on the way up, and
the 2nd version (Sikah-Nahawand) is used on the way down.
30) Maqam Sikah Baladi

31) Maqam Suzidil

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 32) Maqam Suznak (Suzinak)

33) Maqam Ushaq Masri

34) Maqam Yakah (Yekah)

35) Maqam Zanjaran (Zankulah)

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https://web.archive.org/web/20080108120742/http://www.m
aqamworld.com/maqamindex.html

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