Fretwise · Maqam & Makam
Arabic maqam and Turkish makam on guitar
Maqam and makam scales use pitches that a fretted guitar does not have. Each page below draws every note where it truly lies on the neck, plays it at its exact pitch when you tap it, and tells you how to reach it on a standard guitar: the nearest fret, or a small bend. New to this? Start with how to play maqam on a standard guitar.
Arabic Maqam
Written in 24-tone equal temperament. Steps are counted in equal quarter tones of 50 cents, the usual written convention for Arabic maqam. Real intonation shifts with region, maqam and player.
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Maqam Rast
C D E½♭ F G A B½♭
2 of 7 notes between the frets
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Maqam Bayati
D E½♭ F G A B♭ C
1 of 7 notes between the frets
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Maqam Hijaz
D E♭ F# G A B♭ C
Every note on a fret
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Maqam Nahawand
C D E♭ F G A♭ B
Every note on a fret
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Maqam Kurd
D E♭ F G A B♭ C
Every note on a fret
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Maqam Ajam
C D E F G A B
Every note on a fret
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Maqam Sikah
E½♭ F G A B½♭ C D
2 of 7 notes between the frets
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Maqam Saba
D E½♭ F G♭ A B♭ C
1 of 7 notes between the frets
Turkish Makam
Written in Arel-Ezgi-Uzdilek. Intervals are counted in Holdrian commas, 53 to the octave (about 22.6 cents each), as in Arel-Ezgi-Uzdilek theory. Performance practice differs from the theory in places.
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Makam Rast
G A B↓ C D E F#↓
2 of 7 notes between the frets
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Makam Uşşak
A B↓ C D E F G
1 of 7 notes between the frets
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Makam Hicaz
A B♭↑ C#↓ D E F#↓ G
3 of 7 notes between the frets
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Makam Nihavent
G A B♭ C D E♭ F
Every note on a fret
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Makam Kürdî
A B♭↓ C D E F G
1 of 7 notes between the frets
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Makam Hüseynî
A B↓ C D E F#↓ G
2 of 7 notes between the frets
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Makam Segâh
B↓ C D E↓ F#↓ G A#
3 of 7 notes between the frets
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Makam Sabâ
A B↓ C D♭ E↓ F G A♭↑
3 of 8 notes between the frets
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Makam Hümâyun
A B♭↑ C#↓ D E F G
2 of 7 notes between the frets
How the pages show pitches between the frets
- A note with a cyan ring is not on a fret. It is drawn between the fret wires, at the point on the string where it really sounds.
- The table on each page says what a standard guitar does with it: play the nearest fret when the difference is small, or bend up from the fret below.
- Arabic maqam is written in quarter tones of 50 cents; Turkish makam in Holdrian commas of about 22.6 cents, 53 to the octave. Real intonation varies by region and player.
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise maqam and makam anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
Free
- 65 scales and 56 chord types in every key, with CAGED shapes
- A tuner with 10 tunings and a metronome from 30 to 260 BPM
- A new Daily 15 routine every day, plus free exercises
- Maqam & makam between the frets, and the Name the Note quiz
One purchase
- 282 exercises that play as tab, and routines with a speed trainer
- Chord & Scale Finder: tap the neck, get the name
- Theory Lab and the Progression Builder with 51 genre loops
- No subscription, ads removed
