About the Arabic Maqām Network
Project Overview
The Arabic Maqām Network is an innovative open-access online platform dedicated to the study and exploration of the Arabic maqām system. This comprehensive digital resource represents a groundbreaking approach to preserving, analyzing, and sharing the rich musical heritage of the Arabic-speaking region.
Developed by Dr. Khyam Allami and Ibrahim El Khansa at the Music Intelligence Lab at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, this platform bridges traditional Arabic music theory with modern computational tools and interactive technologies.
Mission & Purpose
Our mission is to create a comprehensive, academically rigorous, and accessible resource for understanding the intricate world of Arabic maqāmāt. The platform serves as both an educational tool and a research platform, enabling users to explore, analyze, and experience the mathematical and musical structures that define this ancient musical tradition.
We aim to make the complex theoretical concepts of tuning systems, ajnās, maqāmāt, and modulations accessible to a global audience while maintaining the depth and authenticity required for serious academic research.
Who Is This For?
The Arabic Maqām Network is designed to serve a diverse community of music enthusiasts and professionals:
- Students learning Arabic music theory and practice
- Musicians seeking to understand and perform maqāmāt
- Composers incorporating Arabic musical elements
- Musicologists conducting research on Middle Eastern music
- Educators teaching world music and ethnomusicology
- Researchers in computational musicology and music theory
- Cultural enthusiasts exploring Arabic musical heritage
Technical Innovation
The platform leverages cutting-edge web technologies to create an interactive and immersive experience. Built as a modern single-page application using Next.js, React, and TypeScript, the system provides real-time audio synthesis, MIDI integration, and sophisticated mathematical analysis tools.
Our unique approach includes the implementation of algorithmic modulation analysis based on Sāmī Al-Shawwā's historical rules for maqām transitions, providing users with authentic pathways for exploring musical relationships and structures.
Core Features
Interactive Exploration
Play and hear hundreds of tuning systems, ajnās, and maqāmāt using your computer keyboard or MIDI devices.
Comparative Analysis
Switch between multiple tuning systems to compare their structures and hear their unique interval characteristics.
Mathematical Precision
Access detailed mathematical analysis including interval calculations, frequency ratios, and cent values.
Modulation Pathways
Explore authentic maqām modulations based on traditional theoretical frameworks and historical practices.
Expert Commentary
Read detailed analyses and commentaries by Dr. Khyam Allami on each tuning system, maqām, and sayr.
Open Data Access
Export data in various formats and access our open API for programmatic integration and research.
Academic Foundation
The platform is built upon a foundation of rigorous musicological research and draws from extensive historical sources and contemporary scholarship. Our comprehensive bibliography includes classical treatises, modern academic works, and field recordings that inform our understanding of maqām practice and theory.
Every data point in the system is carefully sourced and documented, ensuring that users have access to the scholarly context behind each musical element. This commitment to academic integrity makes the platform a trusted resource for serious research and education.
Open Access & Community
As an open-access platform, we believe that knowledge about Arabic musical heritage should be freely available to all. Our commitment to accessibility extends beyond just making the platform free to use—we also provide open data and API access to enable researchers and developers to build upon our work.
We encourage collaboration and welcome contributions from the global community of musicians, scholars, and technologists who share our passion for preserving and promoting Arabic musical traditions.
Future Vision
The Arabic Maqām Network represents just the beginning of our vision for digital preservation and exploration of world music traditions. We continue to expand our database, refine our analytical tools, and develop new features that serve the evolving needs of our diverse user community.
Through ongoing research, technological innovation, and community engagement, we aim to set new standards for how traditional music systems can be studied, preserved, and shared in the digital age.