Definition: In Turkish classical music, a set of melodic structures which provide the structure for musical compositions. The closest mirror that makams have in Western music are modes, but modes simply define the notes that can be used to play any given song; a makam also includes rules for melodic development.
Close relatives of makam include Arab maqam, Byzantine echoes, Uzbek shashmaqom and Uyghur muqam. More distant relatives include Classical Indian raga and the aforementioned Western mode.
Close relatives of makam include Arab maqam, Byzantine echoes, Uzbek shashmaqom and Uyghur muqam. More distant relatives include Classical Indian raga and the aforementioned Western mode.
Alternate Spellings: maqam
