This section brings together the principal maqamat of Arabic music in a clear and practical introduction. From here, each family begins with its main maqam, then leads into its related branches to make the lower jins, upper jins, and modal transitions easier to understand. Click any maqam to explore its family.
A maqam in Arabic music is not only a scale. It is a way of moving, a sense of stability and tension, and a relationship between tonic, ghammaz, ajnas, and melodic ornaments. Musicatea presents maqamat by family, with structure, sayr, listening examples, and the interactive scale: when you click the notes, you can hear each pitch, and when you click the lower and upper jins, you can see their notes on the scale.