MAQAM, article by Issa Boulos, 2002

Maqam (plural maqamat), is a series of pitches (scale) that can be represented by a seven or more tones based on eastern-modal systems. The repertoire that came out of these maqamat is called maqam music. Historically, maqam  music gained sophistication and momentum during the height of the Islamic Empire between the eighth and the thirteenth centuries. The mood of the maqam is maintained by time-tested monophonic melodic figures that bare rhythmic and/or modulatory qualities and formulas. A musical composition is governed by the accumulation of these figures and formulas while other variations on pitch and melodic relationships are constantly being explored. A melodic entity is based within a group of notes (tetrachords and pentachords) interlocking with a different group within the maqam for the sake of development and exploration of other areas of the maqam including its higher register. The musical entry differs from one  maqam  to another. Occasionally, a player would emphasize certain areas of a single maqam that are not necessarily indicating directly to its tonal center. The concept of resolution and melodic development depends on the pitch make-up of the maqam, its register, repertoire and genre.

These elements and roles also govern the ascending or descending procedures of a composition. Eventually, they become the basis upon which performers depend while composing and/or performing a monophonic piece. The maqam  is established to introduce a instrumental or vocal performance or as an independent solo piece with decisive musical beginning and ending. In all cases, modulating to different maqamat is possible but with a final return to the original scale. The number of maqamat in use has varied through history. Of these, about one hundred have been  developed into musical settings. The intonation system of maqam music is not equally tempered. It is rather based on microtonal octave divisions. The microtonal divisions of the octave have varied historically. Depending on genre, musical heritage and region (from the Atlas Mountains and parts of the Sahara in Africa to the Arabian Gulf region and the banks of the Euphrates),  a single maqam octave  may contain between 17 to 72 microtonal octave divisions.

There are many theoretical intonation systems that were developed and are currently in use. Each with a different set of roles and pitch necessities.  Since this tradition continues to rely to a great extent on oral tradition, ear memory of maqam  tone series and number of scale note and pitch entities within the octave, it's nearly impossible to accommodate all the existing regional variations of a single maqam  by applying one intonation system on the whole repertoire. Meanwhile, for instance,  the tonal structure of vocal and instrumental music in Syria shows relative coherency and unity of the their existing intonation system. Although this system is not theoretically articulate, the existence of a unified and coherent musical performances indicate that regional theoretical systems are only dealt with as merely musical aiding tools to the coexisting orally transmitted tradition. Accordingly, musicians and theorists in different regions apply different systems that fit their own regional and traditional musical criterion which leads to differences in the musical practice and its transcription.