Fabulous ya Ustadh, you are the best Maqam and Arabic music teacher around! Your style of explaining is by far the most absorbing, meticulous and student-friendly and I find myself greatly enriched in my understanding of Arabic melody that I am so passionate about. Wonderful video, wallahi ya Ustadh. Loking forward to Jins Sikah soon. Thanks, Shukran!
@@abushumays My daily nocturnal solace after dinner- dark chocolate, some self-blended Arabic perfume oils and Ustadh Sami's 'Ya Layli' ! You're a God-sent teacher out here. Keep it coming Ya Ustadh!
that ajam up top in Alf Leila is just so so glorious. and then descending slowly through bayati. delicious. you did a great job building up to the song by showing compositions that use parts of the diagram, to show how Alf Leila we Leila pulls everything together.
There is confusion about "Andalusian" muwashshahat. The contemporary muwashshahat are not actually andalusian in origin, although the poetry come from Andalusia. But the songs were composed in Syria over the last few centuries, and in Syria and Egypt in the 20th century. The connection to Andalusia is more about politics and and Arab Nationalism than a historical reality. So for Lama Bada Yatathanna, the poem comes from Andalusia, but the song we know is more recent, probably from Syria. The earliest recording is from Egypt in 1910. The North African repertories (especially the Nawba) also use some Muwashshahat - poems - but not the same songs as we know of as "Muwashshahat" from Aleppo, Syria.
@@abushumays Shukran ya Ustadh, your knowledge gives me much solace. This song has haunted me ever since you uploaded this lesson! Looking forward to Jins Sikah from you...that would be a lesson to remember I am sure. An evocative Maqam taught by the best teacher around. Be well and thanks again!
Great lesson, It's a pleasure to follow along. Quick question: is the natural 6 below the tonic, lower 'ajam as you said, considered part of jins nahawand out of convenience because of the open A string? Just curious! Usually the 6th is flattened (bayati, hijaz, etc.) when in the upper register so the natural A sticks out to me. I've heard 'Oud players use the open A as the 6th below the tonic too so I'm just wondering if thats because it's easier to play. I've not heard an instrument without the limitations of oud and violin such as qanun play natural 6 below tonic when developing jins nahawand. Thanks!
Thanks Chris! If you haven't heard that raised 6 in other instruments then you haven't listened enough. It's quite common in the voice in Nahawand, and occurs in both the lower *and* the upper octave (usually leading toward the octave tonic). And it occurs in different keys as well. Check Abdel Halim's Khusara, he sings Nahawand on E, and there's a prominent D# and C# below the tonic. But that's only one example among many. Be wary of any explanations for "why" a particular note occurs in maqam. The only why is because someone decided to do it and other people liked it and copied it. That's the only reason for anything you observe. Beyond that, the why explanations are a distraction because they fool you into thinking you can reduce the learning content with reasons or shortcuts. Furthermore, the voice is the primary guiding force in the development of maqam, not instruments and their particular ergonomics. The richest source of maqam vocabulary is in Qur'anic recitation, which is done without any instruments. I hope that helps! My main point: the more you stop seeking explanations, the deeper your understanding and knowledge will be.
@@abushumays Thank you for offering your vast knowledge to us all! I do have one more point of discussion if you would indulge me. I find your comment about what happens to the mind when certain phrases are repeated (expectations are created, a feeling of being 'pulled' somewhere) to be highly fascinating. Can you point me to any resources on this topic? This concept also seems to imply a contradiction to the idea that the only "why" certain notes are grouped together is basically arbitrary but perhaps suggests some kind of science of mind through the lens of musical improvisation. Or is it just that those expectations and intuitions are developed through exposure to the music and a non-educated listener wouldn't have this mental response? I can agree that when hearing a taqasim for the first time, be it live music or a recording I've never heard, that I can somewhat predict the next few seconds or how a phrase will end, where it will modulate, etc. This all happens at such a split-second that it's hard to describe but I find it very interesting, and somehow shows a connection between musical improvisation and speech. I'd love to hear anything you have to say on this matter!
@@world_musician the first place I'd point you to follow up on these questions is to my Maqam Lesson 12 (Masterclass): "What is Maqam?" Where I address those points in more detail. Although these lessons can be taken out of order - because the maqam content is modular and networked rather than linear - I've developed certain concepts in sequence and you'll really benefit by jumping all the way back to lesson one and taking them all in order. But lesson 12 is a good place to start, and then jump back to #1. Then the concepts developed in Lesson 12 are taken a step further in the lesson comparing Nahawand with the Minor Scale, in the lesson titled "the true story of Maqam: Maqam Iraq and Sirt il-Hubb," (I think that's lesson #33) and then in lesson #35 on the physicality of maqam. But all of that is if your mind needs feeding; while the true understanding comes not from intellectually grasping those ideas but rather embodying them, which will come from repetititon of *all* the lessons, learning tons of repertory by ear, etc. The second resource would of course by my book *Inside Arabic Music* (link in the description, also available on Amazon). Most people do not understand or speak about music theory in the way that I do (and in fact I find the whole history of Western music theory to be based entirely in fallacy, all the way back to Pythagoras) so I don't have other sources to recommend except perhaps Robert Gjerdingen' important book Music in the Galant Style (which addresses Mozart and his contemporaries in a way parallel to how I'm dealing with Arabic Music). Though you'll learn much more about music theory by reading Saussure's course on general linguistics and Claude Shannon/Warren Weaver's book The mathematics of Communication.
Fabulous ya Ustadh, you are the best Maqam and Arabic music teacher around! Your style of explaining is by far the most absorbing, meticulous and student-friendly and I find myself greatly enriched in my understanding of Arabic melody that I am so passionate about. Wonderful video, wallahi ya Ustadh. Loking forward to Jins Sikah soon. Thanks, Shukran!
Thank you so much!
@@abushumays My daily nocturnal solace after dinner- dark chocolate, some self-blended Arabic perfume oils and Ustadh Sami's 'Ya Layli' ! You're a God-sent teacher out here. Keep it coming Ya Ustadh!
@@KR-ls8ug this guy said it.
تسلم الانامل جزاكم الله خيرا❤ اتابعكم من الجزائر عازفة علئ آلة العود
Thank you so much for these 🙏🙏🙏
that ajam up top in Alf Leila is just so so glorious. and then descending slowly through bayati. delicious. you did a great job building up to the song by showing compositions that use parts of the diagram, to show how Alf Leila we Leila pulls everything together.
Thanks!
Man, what a brilliant and clear lesson!
Thank you!
Learned so much! Thank you!
Did not know about the bayati variation on ‘Lamma.’ Cool!
Listen to Sabah Fakhri he normally plays around with maqams including the Bayat version
E.g
th-cam.com/video/MvA0wwbTa3c/w-d-xo.html
Since 'Lamma Bada' is said to be from Andalusian repertoire, would it also be performed in North Africa, especially the Maghreb?
There is confusion about "Andalusian" muwashshahat. The contemporary muwashshahat are not actually andalusian in origin, although the poetry come from Andalusia. But the songs were composed in Syria over the last few centuries, and in Syria and Egypt in the 20th century. The connection to Andalusia is more about politics and and Arab Nationalism than a historical reality.
So for Lama Bada Yatathanna, the poem comes from Andalusia, but the song we know is more recent, probably from Syria. The earliest recording is from Egypt in 1910.
The North African repertories (especially the Nawba) also use some Muwashshahat - poems - but not the same songs as we know of as "Muwashshahat" from Aleppo, Syria.
@@abushumays Shukran ya Ustadh, your knowledge gives me much solace. This song has haunted me ever since you uploaded this lesson! Looking forward to Jins Sikah from you...that would be a lesson to remember I am sure. An evocative Maqam taught by the best teacher around. Be well and thanks again!
Great lesson, It's a pleasure to follow along. Quick question: is the natural 6 below the tonic, lower 'ajam as you said, considered part of jins nahawand out of convenience because of the open A string? Just curious! Usually the 6th is flattened (bayati, hijaz, etc.) when in the upper register so the natural A sticks out to me. I've heard 'Oud players use the open A as the 6th below the tonic too so I'm just wondering if thats because it's easier to play. I've not heard an instrument without the limitations of oud and violin such as qanun play natural 6 below tonic when developing jins nahawand. Thanks!
Thanks Chris!
If you haven't heard that raised 6 in other instruments then you haven't listened enough. It's quite common in the voice in Nahawand, and occurs in both the lower *and* the upper octave (usually leading toward the octave tonic). And it occurs in different keys as well. Check Abdel Halim's Khusara, he sings Nahawand on E, and there's a prominent D# and C# below the tonic. But that's only one example among many.
Be wary of any explanations for "why" a particular note occurs in maqam. The only why is because someone decided to do it and other people liked it and copied it. That's the only reason for anything you observe. Beyond that, the why explanations are a distraction because they fool you into thinking you can reduce the learning content with reasons or shortcuts.
Furthermore, the voice is the primary guiding force in the development of maqam, not instruments and their particular ergonomics. The richest source of maqam vocabulary is in Qur'anic recitation, which is done without any instruments.
I hope that helps! My main point: the more you stop seeking explanations, the deeper your understanding and knowledge will be.
@@abushumays an amazingly insightful response! Thank you
@@world_musician glad it's helpful and thanks for following the lessons!
@@abushumays Thank you for offering your vast knowledge to us all! I do have one more point of discussion if you would indulge me. I find your comment about what happens to the mind when certain phrases are repeated (expectations are created, a feeling of being 'pulled' somewhere) to be highly fascinating. Can you point me to any resources on this topic? This concept also seems to imply a contradiction to the idea that the only "why" certain notes are grouped together is basically arbitrary but perhaps suggests some kind of science of mind through the lens of musical improvisation. Or is it just that those expectations and intuitions are developed through exposure to the music and a non-educated listener wouldn't have this mental response? I can agree that when hearing a taqasim for the first time, be it live music or a recording I've never heard, that I can somewhat predict the next few seconds or how a phrase will end, where it will modulate, etc. This all happens at such a split-second that it's hard to describe but I find it very interesting, and somehow shows a connection between musical improvisation and speech. I'd love to hear anything you have to say on this matter!
@@world_musician the first place I'd point you to follow up on these questions is to my Maqam Lesson 12 (Masterclass): "What is Maqam?" Where I address those points in more detail. Although these lessons can be taken out of order - because the maqam content is modular and networked rather than linear - I've developed certain concepts in sequence and you'll really benefit by jumping all the way back to lesson one and taking them all in order. But lesson 12 is a good place to start, and then jump back to #1. Then the concepts developed in Lesson 12 are taken a step further in the lesson comparing Nahawand with the Minor Scale, in the lesson titled "the true story of Maqam: Maqam Iraq and Sirt il-Hubb," (I think that's lesson #33) and then in lesson #35 on the physicality of maqam.
But all of that is if your mind needs feeding; while the true understanding comes not from intellectually grasping those ideas but rather embodying them, which will come from repetititon of *all* the lessons, learning tons of repertory by ear, etc.
The second resource would of course by my book *Inside Arabic Music* (link in the description, also available on Amazon).
Most people do not understand or speak about music theory in the way that I do (and in fact I find the whole history of Western music theory to be based entirely in fallacy, all the way back to Pythagoras) so I don't have other sources to recommend except perhaps Robert Gjerdingen' important book Music in the Galant Style (which addresses Mozart and his contemporaries in a way parallel to how I'm dealing with Arabic Music). Though you'll learn much more about music theory by reading Saussure's course on general linguistics and Claude Shannon/Warren Weaver's book The mathematics of Communication.