Just-37 interval system — A complete set of natural harmonics for Turkish maqams

Abstract

Identification and classification of music signals provide solutions for multi-media applications including categorized data sharing over the web. The mathematical analysis of music requires features for discriminating; East-West; Turkish-Arab-Chinese-Indian; blues-jazz-classical music etc. The widely used twelve-tone equal temperament (12-TET) interval system for the classical music and the just tones preferred by the East is readily distinguishable by time-frequency analyses. Unfortunately, this is not exactly true when the analyzed music are all based on those harmonics, namely `the fifths' where Turkish maqams are good examples. The musical interval systems must be analyzed and for each type, distinguishable features should be found. In this work, the problem of identification of Turkish maqams is examined. The various lists for maqams are unified on a single list, possibly filtering out some of the possible misleading information. The latest and widely accepted Arel-Ezgi-Uzdilek interval system and its missing maqams; `Dik Geveşt' and `Dik Puselik' are analyzed. The just 37 interval system which includes those missing maqams and as well as forgotten maqams of the past is proposed.