jenni
Oud Addict
Posts: 35
Registered: 2-12-2010
Location: Montreal
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some questions about arabic song
When learning an arabic song (to SING), how important is it to keep the introduction/mawal? Is this usually a part of the song, or do singers just
use it to introduce the maqam, like in taqsim?
also, are there rules to repeating lines of poetry etc. in vocal improvisation or does one just do as he/she pleases in this regard?
and lastly, in your opinion, is it a practical way to learn how to improvise by copying others' improvisations? (this question applies to voice and
oud, and i guess any other instrument)
thanks
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Abo Zaina
Oud Lover
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Registered: 8-3-2010
Location: UAE
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Hi Jenni
Mawal is not always related to the song it is just an introduction and sometimes it's used in the middle of the song ( Wadee' El Safi and Mohammad
Abdo do so) but most Shami, Iraqi and Egyption singers sing it at the begining.
when it is at the begining it as u said as introdution while when it is in the middle it sounds like the singer has reached a "higher state" of
enjoying the music.
the lyrics of mawal is a poem but the way it is song is improvisation.
relating the mawal to the same maqam of the song is also not often.
but maqam is like taqaseem in that u have to end with the same maqam u started with .. so it is either one maqam for the whole mawal or if u changed
maqam through the mawal u have to close by the same maqam at the beginning.
for repeating lines it was in the classical songs that may last for an hour but in the recent songs no much repeating more than twice.
and my opinion for the last question is that u try to practice on others improvisations it needs a lot of practice and listening to the same part of
it maybe 30 times untill u get a good experince or let us say credit that will enable u to improvise urself or to play well known music but with ur
very own way
regards
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jenni
Oud Addict
Posts: 35
Registered: 2-12-2010
Location: Montreal
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Thanks for the answer, Abo.
What does "shami" mean?
so is there not really a way to "learn" how to improvise? is it just more that one listens to music a lot and gets it "in their blood" and then can do
it? it is something i have a lot of trouble getting, both with playing oud and singing. to be fair i am new to this music; i guess i'm looking for a
shortcut to the understanding of this concept 
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myeyes2020
Oud Junkie
Posts: 172
Registered: 10-5-2007
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Mood: na3im
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Hi Jenni,
Depending on who you ask, "sham" can mean the city of demascus OR the Arabic countries of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.
Learning to "improvise" is a broad topic that also has a broad explanation depending on who you ask. The elite members of the forum will hesitate to
answer this broad topic because it's very difficult to be complete about a complex topic that involves complex vocabulary sophisticated ideas about
individual notes.
There are quite a few people who who learned to improvise by listening to lots of music is the same manner children learn to speak a language without
academic study. At this point, it will be difficult for you to learn in this natural manner without academic study.
In my view, the word "improvise" is a poor translation for taqsim (literally "the breaking") which for music means the melodic development of the
maqam (scale) using rules, phrases, endings to the phrases called qaflat (literally closings) and pausing. When you learn to develop a melody on one
maqam using these rules and some creativity, you can learn to modulate to another maqam (although this is not necessary). Before you can do this you
should learn at least one maqam or preferably two maqamat (pl of maqam) very well, backwards and forward and be able to identify their tetrachords
(ajnas) very well on your oud. In my view, the best way to learn maqam is by their ajnas ON YOUR OUD. If you eventually want to sing, then sing the
notes along with your oud to train your ear.
For your first maqamat, I recommend analyzing and familiarizing yourself with Nahawand and Bayati using http://www.maqamworld.com as a resource.
Nahawand is essentially the "minor scale" plus some more. as you play and sing the notes on your oud, concentrate that it is "nahawand on c" + "hijaz
on G" ascending and then "kud on G" + Nahawand C decinding. http://www.maqamworld.com/maqamat/nahawand.html
Then learn bayati in a similar maner. bayati = bayati d + nahawand G up and down the "scale." http://www.maqamworld.com/maqamat/bayati.html forget that other ajam stuff for now.
As you practice each of these, keep in mind that the tonic of bayati is D and the tonic of nahawand is C. The dominant for both is G. All this must
be in your mind as you practice these scales on your oud. even if you practice tetrachord (jins) nahawand c, hijaz G, Kurd G, bayati D, nahwad G by
themselves. Assuming that you have your oud tuned and know how to play, you should know these backwards and forward within two weeks. This practice
will serve you well as you approach other maqamat. Then you will be able to discuss taqasim. BTW, mawal is a vocal taqasim.
For the time being hope this helps. good luck!
Adel
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