Unit 2-4: Pitch in North Indian Raag and Turkish Makam

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Recognize pitch organization within the framework of North Indian classical music, focusing on the Hindustani tradition.
- - Identify and define the following concepts as they relate to Indian classical theory: swara, thaat, sargam, saptak, raag
  - Understand the concept of microtones (shrutis)
Recognize pitch organization within the framework of Turkish makam, focusing on the Ottoman tradition
- - Identify the concepts of ahenk, cins, perde, makam
  - Understand the concept of microtones (commas)

Note: These objectives are intended as an introduction to music theory in raag and makam. If a student wishes to perform music from either tradition, they should seek a guru or mentor.

Preparation for Class

Read:

North Indian Classical Raag
- - "Notation & Transcription" (from The Raga Guide) - just read the first page
  - Section 1–4, NYU Guide to North Indian Classical Music Theory
Turkish Makam Theory
- - Section 1–2, NYU Guide to Turkish Music Theory
Optional: Scales and Tuning in Javanese Gamelan Music (from Sumarsam, Introduction to Javanese Gamelan), pp. 9–12.

Watch

Concept of “Swara”
(Anuja Kamat, 9 mins)

Turkish Music Theory, Ep. 2: Pitch
(Turkish Ud Lessons, 9 minutes)

Explore

Ableton's Maqam Player: Try out Ableton’s interactive Maqam Player to compose with different jins from Egyptian and Syrian maqam. For more details about the tuning system, visit the Maqam Tuning Presets Guide.
Maqam World: On the Maqam World site, pick a few 3, 4, or 5-note Jins, click the notes on the staff to hear them, try singing along, and listen to recordings to identify what you hear.
Search on YouTube for “raag yaman” and see which results appear. Listen to the recording and see if you can identify the swaras being performed.

Study Aids

Handout: Guide to North Indian (Hindustani) Music Theory

Tetrachords (Scale Fragments/Cins) of Turkish Music [Musescore link]

This image displays two different types of tetrachords: the Çârgâh Tetrachord (Pythagorean) and the Rast Tetrachord (Just Intonation), with accompanying musical notation and interval descriptions. 1. Çârgâh Tetrachord (Pythagorean): The notation shows a sequence of four notes ascending on the staff. The notes from left to right are C, D, E, and F. Beneath the staff, the intervals between these notes are indicated as: T (Tanini), representing a Major Whole Step between C and D. T (Tanini), another Major Whole Step between D and E. B (Bakiye), representing a Minor Half Step between E and F. 2. Rast Tetrachord (Just Intonation): The notation shows a sequence of four notes ascending on the staff. The notes from left to right are G, A, B one-comma-flat (indicated by a backwards flat symbol), and C. Beneath the staff, the intervals between these notes are indicated as: T (Tanini), representing a Major Whole Step between G and A. K (Büyük Mücennep), representing a Minor Whole Step between A and B one-comma-flat. S (Küçük Mücennep), representing a Major Half Step between B one-comma-flat and C. 3. Legend for interval symbols (at the bottom of the image): Major Whole Step = Tanini (T). Minor Whole Step = Büyük Mücennep (K). Major Half Step = Küçük Mücennep (S). Minor Half Step = Bakiye (B).

This image illustrates three tetrachords: the Uşşak Tetrachord, Kürdi Tetrachord, and Hicaz Tetrachord. Each tetrachord is accompanied by musical notation and labeled intervals. 1. Uşşak Tetrachord: * The notation shows four notes ascending on the staff. * The notes from left to right are A, B quarter-flat (a mirrored flat symbol is used), C, and D. * Beneath the staff, the intervals between these notes are labeled as: * K (Büyük Mücennep), representing a Minor Whole Step between A and B quarter-flat. * S (Küçük Mücennep), representing a Major Half Step between B quarter-flat and C. * T (Tanini), representing a Major Whole Step between C and D. * A blue arrow pointing to the note A is labeled "Tonal Gravity," indicating the tonic or gravitational center of this mode. 2. Kürdi Tetrachord: * The notation shows four notes ascending on the staff. * The notes from left to right are A, B flat, C, and D. * Beneath the staff, the intervals between these notes are labeled as: * B (Bakiye), representing a Minor Half Step between A and B flat. * T (Tanini), representing a Major Whole Step between B flat and C. * T (Tanini), representing a Major Whole Step between C and D. 3. Hicaz Tetrachord: * The notation shows four notes ascending on the staff. * The notes from left to right are A, B demi-flat (a flat symbol with a slash is used), C sharp, and D. * Beneath the staff, the intervals between these notes are labeled as: * S (Küçük Mücennep), representing a Major Half Step between A and B demi-flat. * A (Aşiran), representing an Augmented Second between B demi-flat and C sharp. * S (Küçük Mücennep), representing a Major Half Step between C sharp and D. 4. Legend for interval symbols (at the bottom of the image): * Major Whole Step = Tanini (T). * Minor Whole Step = Büyük Mücennep (K). * Major Half Step = Küçük Mücennep (S). * Minor Half Step = Bakiye (B). * Augmented Second = Aşiran (A).

Diatonic Pitch Collection of Turkish Makam

The image shows the diatonic pitch collection of the Turkish Makam system, represented on a musical staff in treble clef. There are two lines of notation, each consisting of individual whole notes that correspond to different pitch classes in the Makam system. Below each note is the name of the pitch written in both Latin script and Arabic script. The first row includes the following notes from left to right: Yegâh, written in Arabic script as ي. Aşîrân, written as ع. Irâk, written as ف. Rast, written as a stylized ر. Dügâh, written as د. Segâh, written as س with a mirrored flat symbol, indicating a quarter-flat. Çargâh, written as حا. The second row consists of the following notes from left to right: Nevâ, written as ه. Hüseynî, written as ح. Evc, written as ا. Gerdâniye, written as ك. Muhayyer, written as م. Tiz Segâh, written as س with a mirrored flat symbol, indicating a quarter-flat. Tiz Çargâh, written as ع. Tiz Nevâ, written as ﻻ. Tiz Hüseynî, written as حـه.

Pre-Class Assignment

Assignment 2-4

In-Class Activities

Discussion

Definitions: Work as a group to define each of the following terms as they relate to:
- - Indian classical music: swara, thaat, sargam, and saptak.
    - - What are the sargam syllables used to identify swara in the scale? Sing through the scale using these syllables.
  - Turkish Music: ahenk, cins, perde, and makam.
Western and Non-Western? What are some of the ways in which North Indian classical raag and Turkish makam relate to Western major/minor scales and modes? How do they differ?
Pitch as Culture? How are the scale fragments in Turkish music tuned? What does this say about pitch as a cultural component?

Activities

Analyze Hindustani Music: Listen to the following bandish (composition) and follow along in the anthology score. Fill in the notes of the score with appropriate sargam notation.
Analyze Turkish Music: Listen to the first four measures of the Rast pesrev along with the anthology score. Identify all of the perde-s in these measures. Label all of the intervals as T, S, B, or K. Looking at the first and last perde-s of the phrase, identify the makam.

Repertoire for Practice

This section of the anthology includes examples for analyzing raag and makam. The following two pieces are included in the anthology and referred in the activity above,
- - Raag Analysis: Eri ali piya bin
  - Makam Analysis: Rast Peşrev

Go to Anthology

NEXT STEP

Next Unit: Melody

Want to learn more?

Learn More About Ragas: Kuljit Bhamra discusses how ragas compare to other scales and how musicians use them in performance.

Sing Swaras: Take a deeper dive into swaras with Urmi Battu in her two-part series exploring Shuddha, Komal and Teevra swaras.

Explore other Scales: Check out Wikipedia's extensive list of Western and non-Western scales here.

Explore Maqam: Maqamlessons.com has lessons, projects, and other resources for exploring Arabic Maqam. Maqam World has a huge collection of different Jins and Maqam that you can see notated and listen to in context. (See also Farraj and Shumays's book available online through Bobst, Inside Arabic Music: Arabic Maqam Performance and Theory in the 20th Century)

Go Hear Some Music in NYC: Check out the Brooklyn Raga Massive website to attend an upcoming event.

Kuljit Bhamra
"What is a Raga?" (9 mins)
(Watch up through 8:55)

Urmi Battu
Introduction to Shuddha, Komal and Teevra swaras (4 mins)
Continue to Part 2 here.

Optional Additional Practice

Musition: Scales: Levels 8

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