My microtones production approach
When I started playing makam-music, the main problem I had to face was the fact that I had to hear and play new intervals, which were not part of my musical background and which I had never heard before. The biggest problem was that I had to re-educate my ear to hear the correct pitch of the microtonal intervals, and only after educating my ear could I start playing these intervals on the instrument. About this I agree with Vandegraaf S. when he says "My approach in this area could have benefited early on from a more formalised structure. I think it would be far more natural for me to feel, hear and replicate the microtones if I had greater exposure to them earlier in my formative stages as a musician, particularly as a child." [Vandegraaf, 2018]
When I started playing pieces from the makam-music repertoire on the saxophone, I began with an approach very similar to that shown by Vandegraaf S. [Vandegraaf, 2018, 61] (Ex. 12).
Example 12: Alternative fingerings to play the Bayati Jins on E (transposed in Eb) [Vandegraaf, 2018, 61]
In this image, he shows a makam scale with the position on the sax to obtain microtones. In Vandegraaf S.'s thesis [Vandegraaf, 2018] similar images for the same makam are given on the other transpositions. However, I quickly abandoned this structured approach to follow a more intuitive path, relying more on sound and muscle memory.
I find it useless, in the field of makam-music, to search for all the microtones predicted by theory, as Vandegraaf S. did. In fact, although both Arabic and Turkish theory predict the presence of many microtones distributed over the entire two-octave range, in reality, not all notes are used in practice and in the repertoire. Only those required by the main makam are used.
In the modern approach to makam-music, there is the idea that one should be able to play every makam on every possible perde, and this is leading to increasingly complex microtonal systems. However, despite the fact that this music can theoretically be transposed to 12 tonalities, in practice the transpositions used are fewer. According to Vandegraaf S., the most frequently used transpositions reflect the pitches of the seven main Arabic neys and thus place Dügah perde on C, D, E, F, G, A and Bb. I partially agree with this idea. In my experience, in folk music, the major transpositions involve placing Dügah perde on C, D, E, F, G and A. Personally, I have very rarely encountered the transposition that places Dügah perde on Bb. In Ottoman art music, on the other hand, the most frequently encountered transpositions reflect the sizes of the four main Turkish neys: Bolahenk (Dügah perde on E), Süpürde (Dügah perde on D), Kız (Dügah perde on B), Mansur (Dügah perde on A). So, instead of searching the alternative fingerings for all the microtones predicted by theory, I think it makes more sense to be familiar with the microtones used in the main makams, in the most commonly used transpositions.
As a final note, it should be pointed out that the extension range of makam-music is usually limited to two octaves, because it must imitate the extension of the human voice. Therefore, the search for microtones in extreme ranges (extremely low or high) of the instrument, as did by Paulson J. W. [Paulson, 1975], is an unnecessary straining. It would result in notes that, apart from being out of style, are actually little used in the repertoire.
After five years of studying this type of music, I have come to the conclusion that the result a wind instrumentalist (especially for reed instruments) should aim for is to produce microtones using only the bending technique. As Fausto Sierakowski says about the pedagogical aspect “From the beginning, especially for students coming from Western classical music, it has to be taught to use the diaphragm and to have flexibility in air production, in the throat and to use pitch bending, but this takes some time for the student.” And as A. Simu says “The correct approach is to work on your embouchure technique so that you can actually play everything with it, but if you have a need for certain alternative fingerings, you can use them as long as you don't lose the purpose. All that matters is what comes out on the other side to the audience, how you do it doesn't matter. I don't have a problem with Ibrahim Malouf adding another valve to the trumpet!”
However, to master the bending technique is very difficult, and during the learning process one might find oneself in uncomfortable and difficult situations. So, I think it is a good practice to help yourself with the use of some alternative positions, combining this technique with the use of the bending technique. The use of alternative fingerings can be useful especially for fast passages or in a very low register of the instrument [F. Sierakowski, 2025, personal communication], [A. Simu, 2025, personal communication]. Sometimes, the use of unusual positions on the instrument can also have a ''mnemonic'' effect, in fact, the use of unusual positions could serve as an alarm to remind our mouths that we need to change position and emission at that point. In this sense, while aiming at the ideal of achieving microtones exclusively with bending, I place myself within the category of ''Musicians who mix alternative fingerings with bending''.
Another, very individual aspect that influences the production of microtones is the sound and dynamic context. Indeed, depending on the performer, the materials used (mouthpiece and reed, as discussed in the Appendix), the acoustics and the dynamics, the production and control of microtones can be more or less difficult. Regarding this aspect, Vandegraaf S. says: "In general, I found playing with an overall quieter volume and lower air pressure reduced problems of dynamic consistency across the range while greatly facilitating the nuanced approach required for the performance of idiomatic Arabic repertoire including taqāsīm”. I have a diametrically opposed position to that of Vandegraaf S.. With the materials I use (mouthpiece Yanagisawa metal tip opening 7, reeds Vandoren or D'Addario Plasticover No. 2-2.5), the production and control of microtones is much easier for me when I play loud and ''saturate'' the air column inside the instrument. With this approach I achieve good intonation and control over the microtones. This makes it easier for me when I have to play loud musical styles, such as zurna music, but I am more uncomfortable when I have to play a different repertoire, such as the Ottoman classical repertoire, in which the dynamic nuances are much more subtle. Having to play at a lower volume makes my sound less stable and the intonation of the microtones less controllable. Also according to F. Sierakowski, obtaining microtones in a quiet dynamic is more difficult and it can be very convenient in this situation to use alternative positions [F. Sierakowski, 2025, personal communication].
As a final consideration, regardless of the technique used, the important thing is to concentrate on being able to sing the music, and by singing the music the sound will come to the ears. And once it's in your ears, it's easier to let your ears guide you whether you use one technique or the other. Especially for students who come from a non-microtonal tradition, it is very important that they sing [F. Sierakowski, 2025, personal communication]. The biggest problem is if someone is not aware of the process and the need to have melodic nuances. If someone is not aware, it doesn't matter if you have a microtone in the music or not, the purpose is completely lost [A. Simu, 2025, personal communication].
Reflection on Practical Outcomes
Here I will present a self-analysis and observations on improvisations recorded as Practical Outcome.
First, I can say that the opening movement of the three improvisations I recorded is similar in all three and reflects the performance practice of the music of Thrace, central Balkan area and many geographically close traditional musics. Often the improvisations begin with a fast, ornamented melodic movement (usually ascending) that arrives on a major tonal centre and holds it as a long note. I internalised this movement after having studied the music of Thrace, and also after having studied Macedonian brass band music in depth, in which this characteristic is present in many improvisations.
Another important stylistic feature I have attempted to reproduce concerns the musical pace. In general, improvisations in the whole of makam-music are often arrhythmic improvisations. That is, they have no internal rhythm but float above the rhythm kept by the other instruments. To best render this characteristic of arrhythmicity it is common to mix melodic fragments with different musical pace even in the same phrase. For example, alternating fast movements with slow movements, alternating fast movements with very long notes, alternating melodic movements with a local rhythm with fully arrhythmic movements.
A third stylistic feature that I can comment on after the work of self-analysis concerns the way musical phrases are conducted, from an expressive point of view, in makam-music aesthetics. In Western classical music, we are accustomed to sustaining a musical phrase, especially the more lyrical phrases, with tension and direction pointed towards the final note. The whole melody is performed with fluidity (often even sluring the notes) and direction until the final note. In makam-music, movements are often much more fragmented, with many breaths and caesuras within the same musical phrase. This is especially noticeable when approaching the final note of a melodic section. Often, after arriving at the final note, this is not played long and sustained, but is played short and is abruptly interrupted, only after a short breath, the same final note is played again, as a long note (often ornamented), as a confirmation of the previous melodic movement.
The feedback I have received from experts is generally positive. They say that I am “coming close stylistically” to the original style [A. Simu, personal communication, 2025]. And that “The attention given by Orlando to ornaments and to tuning is excellent and very faithful to the original recordings. Most importantly, in his playing he manages to assimilate and reproduce the character of the zurna, that is the pace of playing and the weight that the playing has, consequence of the heavy, loud and special sound of the instrument. Another aspect which I thought was very well interpreted by Orlando is the “swimming on the top of the rhythm”. Congratulations, and looking forwards to hearing more!” [F. Sierakowski, personal communication, 2025].
Regarding the ornamentations, experts agree that the ornamentations I insert should be smoother and less noticeable, they should feel less present. This could be achieved by performing more glissandi between notes and keeping the fingers more relaxed, with precise but light movements. Regarding the sound, it has been pointed out to me that in the zurna style there is only the ''f'' dynamic, so I should try to always play in this dynamic by supporting the sound with good pressure of the diaphragm and mouth muscles.
General Reflections
First of all, I would like to emphasise that the process of assimilating the aesthetics of makam-music, especially the microtonal nuances, is a very long process, particularly for musicians who, like me, come from a geographical area where this music is not naturally present. I started this process five years ago and I must say that the process has been very varied, with positive moments of satisfaction and desire to progress, but also with moments of frustration. This process will certainly not end with the development of this research work, but will continue in the future, probably for a long time.