1 @c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*-
3 Translation of GIT committish: FILL-IN-HEAD-COMMITTISH
5 When revising a translation, copy the HEAD committish of the
6 version that you are working on. See TRANSLATION for details.
21 @subsection Arabic music
26 * Arabic music notation overview::
27 * Arabic note names ::
28 * Arabic key signatures::
29 * References for Arabic music::
33 @node Arabic music notation overview
34 @unnumberedsubsubsec Arabic music notation overview
37 @cindex medium intervals
41 Arabic music so far has been mainly an oral tradition. When music is
42 transcribed, it is usually in a sketch format, on which performers are
43 expected to improvise significantly. Increasingly, Western notation,
44 with a few variations, is adopted in order to communicate and
45 preserve Arabic music.
47 Some elements of Western musical notation such as the transcription
48 of chords or independent parts, are not required to typeset the more
49 traditional Arabic pieces. There are however some different issues,
50 such as the need to indicate medium intervals that are somewhere
51 between a semi-tone and a tone, in addition to the minor and major
52 intervals that are used in Western music. There is also the need to
53 group and indicate a large number of different maqams (modes) that
54 are part of Arabic music.
56 In general, Arabic music notation does not attempt to precisely
57 indicate microtonal elements that are present in musical practice.
60 @node Arabic note names
61 @unnumberedsubsubsec Arabic note names
63 @cindex Arabic note names
65 The more traditional Arabic note names can be quite long and are
66 not suitable for the purpose of music writing, so they are not
67 defined by the inclusion of "arabic.ly". English note names
68 @code{a, b, c, d, e, f, g} are not very familiar in Arabic music
69 education. Italian or Solfege note names @code{do, re, mi, fa,
70 sol, la, si} are more familiar, and are used when
71 @code{"arabic.ly"} is included. Modifiers can also be used, as
72 discussed in @ref{Note names in other languages}.
74 For example, this is how the Arabic @notation{rast} scale can be
77 @lilypond[quote,verbatim]
78 % TODO: commented out until arabic is included
81 % do re misb fa sol la sisb do sisb la sol fa misb re do
92 @ref{Note names in other languages}.
95 @node Arabic key signatures
96 @unnumberedsubsubsec Arabic key signatures
98 @cindex Arabic key signatures
100 In addition to the minor and major key signatures, the following
101 key signatures are defined in @code{"arabic.ly"}: bayati, rast,
102 sikah, iraq, and kurd. These key signatures define a small number
103 of maqam groups rather than the large number of maqams that are in
106 In general, a maqam uses the key signature of its base maqam in the
107 same group, or a neighbouring group, and varying accidentals are
108 marked throughout the music.
110 For example to indicate the key signature of a maqam muhayer piece:
114 Here re is the default pitch of the muhayer maqam, and bayati is the
115 name of the base maqam in the group.
117 While the key signature indicates the maqam base or group, it is
118 common for the title to indicate the more specific maqam, so in this
119 example, the name of maqam muhayer should appear in the title.
121 You can also set the key signature using Staff.keySignature as discussed
122 in @ref{Key signature}. This offers more flexibility if you don't wish
123 to be limited to the key signatures that are defined in "arabic.ly", or if
124 you don't wish to use the above method of determining a key signature based
127 For example, you can set the key signature to do sharp, mi semi-flat, and
128 sol flat as follows :
130 @lilypond[quote,verbatim]
131 % TODO: uncomment when arabic is added.
132 %\include "arabic.ly"
134 % \set Staff.keySignature = #`( (0 . ,SHARP) (2 . ,SEMI-FLAT) (4 . ,FLAT) )
137 % re misb fa solb la si dod re sisb la solb fa misb re
151 @rlearning{Accidentals and key signatures}.
154 @rinternals{KeySignature}.
156 @node References for Arabic music
157 @unnumberedsubsubsec References for arabic music