Inside Arabic Music: Arabic Maqam Performance and Theory in the 20th Century

Inside Arabic Music is a comprehensive introduction to Arabic music, theory, and performance. Basing their work largely on oral traditions of performance practice, renowned musicians Johnny Farraj and Sami Abu Shumays cover melodic and percussion instruments, vocal and instrumental forms, ornamentation, improvisation, rhythm, ensembles and arrangement, the Arabic Maqam, the tuning system, and Tarab.

Cover -- Inside Arabic Music -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Approach to Music Theory -- A Note on Transliteration and Spelling -- Introduction -- The Golden Age of Arabic Music -- The Arabic Maqam -- The Wider Maqam Phenomenon -- Oral Transmission -- A Vocal Tradition -- A Communal Character -- Listening and Readiness -- Standards of Formality -- 1. Melodic Instruments -- The Two Clans: Melodic and Percussion -- The Melodic Families: Sahb and Naqr -- Intonation Precision -- Traditional Arabic Instruments -- The ʻUd -- The Qanun -- The Nay -- The Arabic Violin -- The Buzuq -- Folk Melodic Instruments -- 2. Arabized Instruments -- The Selective 24-​Tone ET Scale -- The Arabic Accordion -- The Arabic Org -- The Arabic Keyboard -- The Arabic Piano -- The Arabic Electric Guitar -- The Arabic Trumpet -- The Arabic Saxophone -- 3. Percussion Instruments -- Skin Tuning -- The Daff -- The Egyptian Mazhar -- The Riqq -- The Tabla -- The Tabl Baladi -- The Katim -- The Sajat -- The Drum Set -- Electronic Percussion -- Combining Percussion Instruments -- 4. Ensembles -- The Takht -- The Midsize Ensemble -- The Arabic Orchestra -- The Raqs Sharqi Orchestra -- The Arabic Pop Ensemble -- Hybrid Songs and Ensembles -- Backing Vocalists -- Arabic Choirs -- Signaling -- The Conductor -- Tuning an Ensemble -- 5. Ornamentation -- Ornamentation Techniques -- Variation Among Regions and Time Periods -- Learning Ornamentation -- Establishing New Ornamentation Traditions -- Vocal Ornamentation -- Repetition -- Heterophony -- Notating Ornamentation -- 6. Rhythm -- Building Blocks -- Clapping and Vocalizing -- Vocalizing Rests -- Shorthand Notation -- Notating Iqa'at -- Interpreting Iqa'at -- Ornamenting Iqa'at -- Timing Subtleties -- Managing Tempo -- Rhythmic Modulation -- Rhythmic Heterophony -- Melody and Iqa'.