Tulis
Oud Addict
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Learn Arabic maqam - suggestion feeling "method"
Hello,
I would like to learn Arabic makam.
I have books, but i search any "method" with video, to see, hear and feeling the makam.
I can't do live online courses, because i don't speak English well.
I knew the "Maqam Mastery Program" from "www.oudforguitarists.com", but this is closed.
Know anybody any similar?
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maraoud108
Oud Maniac
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Check out Sami Abu Shumays' lessons on youtube. They're a great start. I suggest doing one lesson a week and listening to it a few times. Go slowly.
Sing with him. Don't worry about playing it on the oud. That can come with time. By singing and listening to the examples that he recommends your ears
will slowly open up.
https://www.youtube.com/user/abushumays
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
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Location: Brooklyn, NY
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What is your main language?
Do you speak or read any Arabic? This is helpful and there are many more resources.
As a start, listening to pieces that have a known maqam and try to internalize the sound and feeling of it. Doulab, Sama'i and short taqasim are good
references. Also the Syrian waslat on recordings like Sabah Fakhri are organized by maqam - you can listen to an hour of several pieces, taqasim, and
songs all in the same maqam. This will give you a very good feeling for the maqam.
Do you know the ajnas (jins)? Each group of 3-5 notes has its own character, and the maqam is made up of these parts plus some tendencies for
development and modulation. There are 9 primary ajnas that make up most of the music: Rast, Bayati, Sikah, Saba, Hijaz, Nikriz, Nahawand, Kurd,
Ajam. There are a few others but they are more advanced or less common and you can learn them later (Jiharkah, Sikah Beledi, Saba Zamzama, Athar
Kurd, Musta'ar, etc.). So learn these and pay attention when listening/playing to what jins is happening at all times. If you can't always tell at
first, that's okay and expected, but keep listening and trying.
The maqam exists in the traditional repertoire, it can't be separated. Listening and learning this is the best (only, really) way to learn the maqam -
listening and internalizing the sound. Even if it's slow at first, you can figure it out and it will get easier.
For an example, listen to "Foug al Nakhal" by Sabah Fakhri here. The maqam is Hijaz:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TClXBsotVgM
It starts with a doulab in Hijaz. This uses Jins Rast in the upper part and Jins Hijaz in the lower part, with a transition using Jins Nahawand
0:00 Jins Rast on 4
0:08 Jins Nahawand on 4
0:09 Jin Hijaz on 1
0:11 Jins Rast on 4
0:17 Jins Nahawand on 4
0:18 Jin Hijaz on 1
0:20 Jins Rast on 4
0:26 Jins Sikah on 6
0:31 Jin Nahawand on 4
0:32 Jin Hijaz on 1
etc.
Numbers are scale degrees in the maqam: 1 = first note (qarar) , 4 = 4th note (ghammaz, in this case)
When the song starts it's almost all in jins Hiijaz on 1, with emphasis on the 4th note.
At around 4 minutes, they start a new song, El Bulbul Nagha. It also mainly stays on Hijaz on 1, but has more emphasis on 5 as a contrast and uses
more Rast on the 5 below 1 (counting down from 1 - 7 - 6 - 5).
This recording is a suite in maqam Bayati: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQUeT29pwdg
It starts with Samai Muhayyer (this is a maqam closely related to Bayati, but has a descending pathway), followed by the songs "Badat min al-Khedri",
"Billathi Askara" and "Ya Sah al-Sabr". Listening to this will help internalize your sense for Bayati.
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
Posts: 2916
Registered: 1-30-2004
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Mood: Stringish
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Quote: Originally posted by maraoud108  | Check out Sami Abu Shumays' lessons on youtube. They're a great start. I suggest doing one lesson a week and listening to it a few times. Go slowly.
Sing with him. Don't worry about playing it on the oud. That can come with time. By singing and listening to the examples that he recommends your ears
will slowly open up.
https://www.youtube.com/user/abushumays |
This is great advice, Sami is an excellent teacher and explains things well.
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Tulis
Oud Addict
Posts: 45
Registered: 12-2-2018
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Thank you very much. Very helpful information.
My main language is Greek.
Sami Abu Shumays' lessons are exactly what i search for, but from oud player.
I thing that i will have difficulty with violin sound.
If i don't find anything then i will start that.
Anything information (from oud player) is welcome 
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maraoud108
Oud Maniac
Posts: 75
Registered: 2-3-2021
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| Quote: Originally posted by Tulis | Thank you very much. Very helpful information.
My main language is Greek.
Sami Abu Shumays' lessons are exactly what i search for, but from oud player.
I thing that i will have difficulty with violin sound.
If i don't find anything then i will start that.
Anything information (from oud player) is welcome |
A lot of Sami's approach will have you singing and not playing. He specifically asks instrumentalists to put their instruments down to sing, so that
the sounds get in your ear.
Once the sound is in your ear you can transfer to oud.
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
Posts: 2916
Registered: 1-30-2004
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Mood: Stringish
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Dimitri Mikelis is a great Greek oud player in Arabic style. I'd recommend reaching out to him for lessons.
Otherwise, as Maraoud108 noted, maqam is not about the instrument, but about the music. If you want to learn maqam, singing is the best approach.
You can translate that to any instrument, just find the sounds on the oud.
Otherwise, any demonstration is fine, all you need to know really are the names of the ajnas and the spoken language doesn't matter that much - just
imitate the sounds/phrases. 80-90% of what people are saying are, "this is Kurd, on the note Sol" or "this is Saba on the note Re - we emphasize the
Fa" or similar basic instructions. "we modulate to the ghammaz (dominant)" or "here is the qaflah."
If you know the 9 main ajnas and Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Si, you can follow guidance as long as you listen and imitate.
Main thing is to connect sounds with names so that you know the sound of sikah vs. rast vs. bayati vs. saba etc.
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Tulis
Oud Addict
Posts: 45
Registered: 12-2-2018
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Finally I will start the way you suggest me with Mr. Sami Abu Shumay. I hope I will achieve it.
I did not know Mr. Dimitri Mikelis. Now I looked him up and he really looks great.
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