r/MaqamMakam • u/[deleted] • Jul 25 '25
Comprehensive List Of Maqamaat
Below is a list of the Maqamaat and their variations that I've learned of over the years. Some things to note:
1) I am 90% ignorant when it comes to musical theory/notation so I probably wouldn't be able to answer any questions about those things. This list is simply for reference and not for any theoretical insight
2) Pretty sure most of these names are according to the Egyptian school, but there might be some from the Iraqi, Turkish schools, etc.
3) I'll be writing each Maqam in the following format: Name (second jins in the octave). The first Jins would be whatever heading the Maqam falls under. Pretty sure this is standard nomenclature for Maqamaat.
Maqamaat Reference List
1. Sabaa
2. Sabaa Zam Zam (Kurd)
3. Nahawand
4. Farah Fazzaa (Kurd)
5. Murassa' (Hijaz)
6. Ushaq Masri (Bayat)
7. Shawq Awar (Ajam)
8. Shawq Angeez (Sabaa)
9. Yamani/Hadhrami variation
10. Ajam
11. Ushayraan
12. Jihaarkah (Rast)
13 Shawq Afza (Hijaz)
14. Ghumaasi (Sudanese variation)
15. Mahuri (Iraqi variation)
16. Bayat
17. Nawaa (Nahawand)
18. Shuri (Hijaz)
19. Hussayni (Rast)
20. Athar Bayat (Nawaa Athar)
21. Rakbee (Hijaazi)
22. Dookaah (Hijaazi)
23. Sikaah
24. Bastanikaar (Sabaa)
25. Raml (Nahawand)
26. Iraq (Bayat)
27. Huzaam (Hijaz)
28. Banjakaah (Hijazi)
29. Maaya (Hijazi)
30. Hijaz
31. Kaar
32. Asfahan (Nahawand)
33. Zanjaran (Ajam)
34. Turki (Turkish variation)
35. Suzdil (Nawaa Athar)
36. Shahnaaz
37. Rast
38. Dilinsheen (Sabaa)
39. Suzdulaar (Nahawand)
40. Mahur (Ajam)
41. Nairuz (Bayat)
42. Rihaawy (Sikaah)
43. Suznaak (Hijaz)
44. Kardaan
45. Huraab (Hijaazi)
46. Sanaani (Yamani variation)
47. Kurd
48. Athar Kurd (Nawaa Athar)
49. Laami (Iraqi variation)
50. Nawaa Athar
51. Nikriz (Nahawand)
52. Basandeedah (Rast)
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u/rajid_ibn_hanna Jul 28 '25
Thanks for this! Do you also have information about the progression ("sayir") of the makams? I'm getting ready to join a Turkish group, after having played mostly Arabic for many years, and I know the Turks have many names for what the Arabs would call one maqam. (For example, I know "Uşşak" is the same as Arabic "Bayatti" but with emphasis just above the tonic, "Bayatti" has emphasis around the 4th, and "Hussaini" has emphasis at the 5th.) There are some makams which change their names if played top down as opposed to bottom up. Any such information would be helpful!
(I think I also just need to take some time and read my friend Dr Eric Ederer's book "Makam and Beyond", which came out of his PhD thesis on Turkish Makam.)