Exposition

From Makam to Saxophone: Techniques for Microtonal Performance (last edited: 2025)

Orlando Cialli

About this exposition

This research work is a practice-based enquiry that investigates the use of the saxophone in Middle Eastern music and in Makam-music in general. This research will not focus on a specific style, but on all aspects common to the various regional styles included within the Makam-music macrocategory. Characteristics such as microtonality, modality, ornamentation and a specific type of phrasing are in fact common to a very wide variety of musical styles, present in a geographical region ranging from the Balkan peninsula to Anatolia, the Arab world and North Africa. In this research I focused on the saxophone's technical possibilities of producing microtonal notes, which are fundamental to all makam-music. To do this, I analysed the approach of various performers, consulted some experts on the subject and self-analysed my own approach, developed over five years of studying this type of music. As a proof of concept of this work, I recorded three improvisations. On my practical outcome, I carried out analysis work together with the network of experts.
typeresearch exposition
keywordsMakam saxophone, Makam music, Arabic saxophone, Turkish saxophone, Microtonal saxophone
date06/10/2025
last modified29/10/2025
statusin progress
share statuspublic
copyrightOrlando Cialli
licenseCC BY-NC-ND
languageEnglish
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/3917986/3917987


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