Mike's Oud Forums

Note Names

newlife_ks - 9-14-2017 at 06:15 AM

Hello everybody!
Somewhere on the web I found a diagram covering two octaves from G to g2 including the original arabian note names and all of the microtonal names too. Starting from G/yakah, A/ushayran up to g2/ramal tuti. Now this diagram misses the note names down from G to the lower C string.
I just want to know them because I'm working on Charbel Rouhana's book which in its preface sometimes mentions note names without further explanation. Well, he's surely arabian spoken and knows them, but not me being german.
So I'd be glad if someone can provide a complete list or a link.

bulerias1981 - 9-15-2017 at 10:45 PM

Here's the note names from my "Oriental Solfege" workbook I studied out of whilst in Lebanon back in 2010.

Within a couple weeks I had them all memorized, but forgot half of them by now. There is some correlation between the maqamaat and the names, so it is very interesting actually.

newlife_ks - 9-16-2017 at 12:13 AM

Hello John!

Thanks for your reply! Unfortunately it does not help me much in two ways. First - I can't read arabian letters. Second - your diagram misses the notes down from G to C which I was looking for. :(

bulerias1981 - 9-16-2017 at 07:22 AM

This does go down to G, which is yekah however, as far as I know the notes like the low C and those have no names since that was added later?

Brian Prunka - 9-16-2017 at 11:56 AM

Here is a chart with transliterated names:
http://oudipedia.info/arabnotes.html

Some of these disagree with other sources, noted below.

John is correct, the lowest theoretical note in the maqam system corresponds to Yekah (low G), everything below that is a technical addition to the oud and not really part of the maqam system (i.e., it's for playing octaves, drones, and other support, or for echoing a higher idea an octave down).

Of these, the practical terms to know are:
G - Yekah
A - Ushayran
Bb - Ajam Ushayran (I've heard this more than qarar Ajam)
B/b - Iraq
C - Rast
D - Dukah
Eb - Kurd
E/b - Sikah
E - Buselik
F - Jiharkah
F#/Gb - Hijaz
G - Nawa
G#/Ab - Hisar
A - Husayni
Bb - Ajam
B/b - Awj
C - Kirdan
C#/Db - Shehnaz
D - Muhayyer

Bold indicates the ones I would consider essential to know

newlife_ks - 9-18-2017 at 12:47 AM

Dear Brian!

Thanks a lot for your explanations!

John Erlich - 9-20-2017 at 09:25 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bulerias1981  
Here's the note names from my "Oriental Solfege" workbook I studied out of whilst in Lebanon back in 2010.

Within a couple weeks I had them all memorized, but forgot half of them by now. There is some correlation between the maqamaat and the names, so it is very interesting actually.



Hi John,

Thanks so much for posting this! Is there any chance of posting or emailing me a higher resolution copy, especially for those of us with limited Arabic reading skills?

Peace out,
"Udi" John