Theory

Koma (comma)

Koma

The small unit used to measure intervals in makam music; a whole tone (tanini) is counted as 9 commas. The Arel-Ezgi-Uzdilek theory builds its pitches from Pythagorean ratios (the Pythagorean comma, about 23.5 cents); dividing the octave into 53 equal parts (the Holder comma, about 22.6 cents) matches this system within less than 1 cent and is what is used in practice, including on this site.

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Other terms in Theory

Ara perde (in-between pitch)Interval Dik Scale Esnek perde (flexible pitch)Holder koması (Holdrian comma)Kaba (low)Mûsikî Nağme Theory Nim Octave Perde (pitch)Pisagor koması (Pythagorean comma)Ses düzeni (tuning system)Tam perde (main pitch)Tiz (high)

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Sources

The definitions were written in our own words, drawing on sources such as the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, Yılmaz Öztuna's Encyclopedic Dictionary of Turkish Music and Wikipedia; pitch and interval values follow the Arel-Ezgi-Uzdilek system. This content has not yet been reviewed by an expert; if you spot a mistake, please write to us.

TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi

Yılmaz Öztuna, Türk Musikisi: Akademik Klasik Türk San'at Musikisi'nin Ansiklopedik Sözlüğü, Kültür Bakanlığı Yayınları, Ankara, 1990.

H. Sadettin Arel, Türk Mûsikîsi Nazariyatı Dersleri (haz. Onur Akdoğu), Kültür Bakanlığı Yayınları, Ankara, 1991.

Vikipedi, “Türk müziği” maddesi.