@c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*-
@ignore
    Translation of GIT committish: FILL-IN-HEAD-COMMITTISH

    When revising a translation, copy the HEAD committish of the
    version that you are working on.  See TRANSLATION for details.
@end ignore

@c \version "2.11.51"

@node World music
@section World music

FIXME

@menu
* Arabic music::                
@end menu

@node Arabic music
@subsection Arabic music

FIXME

@menu
* Arabic music notation overview::  
* Note names ::                 
* References for Arabic music::  
@end menu

 
@node Arabic music notation overview
@unnumberedsubsubsec Arabic music notation overview

@cindex Arabic music
@cindex medium intervals  
@cindex maqam 
@cindex maqams

Arabic music so far has been mainly an oral tradition.  When music
is transcribed, it is usually in a sketch format, on which
performers are expected to improvise significantly.  Increasingly,
Western notation, with a few variations, is adopted in order to
communicate and preserve Arabic music. 

Some elements of Western musical notation such as the
transcription of chords or independent parts, are not required to
typeset the more traditional Arabic pieces.  There are however
some different issues, such as the need to indicate medium
intervals that are somewhere between a semi-tone and a tone, in
addition to the minor and major intervals that are used in Western
music.  There is also the need to indicate different maqams which
are more similar to the ancient modes, than modern musical scales,
in the sense that certain flows, intervals, quality of intervals,
musical patterns and finalis are part of the maqam, and may
distinguish two maqams that have the same scale intervals. 

In general, Arabic music notation does not attempt to precisely
indicate microtonal elements that are present in musical practice.
The mode, if present, may indicate the quality of intervals,
including medium intervals. 
 

@node Note names 
@unnumberedsubsubsec Note names

@cindex Arabic note names 

The more traditional Arabic music note names indicate an absolute
position on an instrument, for example the note name of kardan
refers to the pitch produced when the first (and highest in pitch)
open string on a traditional oud is plucked.  This is notated as
@code{do''}, ie a C note that fits in the treble clef, but the
actual pitch produced on the oud is equivalent to the middle C on
a piano if Western tuning is used (since the oud sounds an octave
lower than notated).  Many of the more familiar Arabic note names
are associated with maqams for which they serve as the finalis.  

@multitable {Arabic Note Name} {symbol}         

@headitem Arabic Note 
  @tab symbol

@item yakah  
  @tab sol 

@item ushairan  
  @tab la 

@item ajam ushairan  
  @tab sib 

@item iraq  
  @tab sisb 

@item rast 
  @tab do'  

@item dukah  
  @tab re' 

@item kurd  
  @tab mib' 

@item sikah 
  @tab misb' 

@item jaharkah  
  @tab fa' 

@item hijaz-saba  
  @tab solb' 

@item nawa  
  @tab sol' 

@item husseini  
  @tab la'  

@item kardan  
  @tab do''

@item muhayer  
  @tab re''

@item mahouran  
  @tab fa'' 

@item jawab nawa  
  @tab sol'' 

@item jawab kardan  
  @tab do''' 

@end multitable               


The Arabic note names can be quite long and are not suitable for
the purpose of music writing, so they are not defined by the
inclusion of "arabic.ly".  English note names @code{a, b, c, d, e,
f, g} are not very familiar in Arabic music education.  Italian or
Solfege note names @code{do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si} are more
familiar, and can be used when @code{"arabic.ly"} is included.
Modifiers may be used, as discussed in
@ref{Note names in other languages}.

For example, this is how the Arabic rast scale can be notated:

@lilypond[quote,verbatim]
%\include "arabic.ly"
%\relative do' {
%  do re misb fa sol la sisb do sisb la sol fa misb re do
\relative c' {
  c4
}
@end lilypond


@seealso 

Notation Reference:    
@ref{Note names in other languages}.


@node References for Arabic music
@subsubsection References for arabic music