Welcome to MakampediA

Visual analyses of makam performances 

What is Makampedia?

Makampedia is a bridge between the fading tradition of Master-Apprentice (Mesk) Makam education and current academic music-education practices. It employs Taksim (improvisation) and performance analysis, visualizations, and annotations of celebrated performances in the core of the learning process. It highlights the diverse spectrum of idiomatic approaches and encourages the development of individual idiosyncrasies.

Why Makampedia?

Using a combination of audio synchronised scores, graphic melodic contours, and annotations based on analysis and interviews, Makampedia uses improvisation to present theoretical concepts of Makam and offers vivid representations of various layers of performance.

These complementary videos combine a simple, easy-to-read music score, while melismatic characteristics of the melody are unveiled with the use of melodic contours.

This approach provides transparency on melismatic movement and can help the viewer visualize audio in order to engage faster with the genre. 

The concept and protocol for transcription, analysis, visuals and annotations were developed by Michalis Cholevas.