Baglama
Baglama

TWO BAGLAMA FRETTINGS

Praveen Venkataramana·
Articles
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The bağlama has many things that make it advantageous for the general soundworld of tetrachordal and harmonic/diaphonic scales.

YALÇIN TURA’s fretting

YALÇIN TURA fretting
Fig. 1

ERV WILSON’s 17 Tone 11 Limit Scale (Not explicitly indicated as a baglama fretting

ERV WILSON's 17 Tone 11 Limit Scale) Not explicitly indicated as a baglama freting)
Fig. 2

ERV WILSON’s fretting (from “The Rast/Bayyati Matrix” page 16)

ERV WILSON fretting (from “The Rast/Bayyati Matrix” page 16)
Fig.3

The baglama frettings listed below are built up from seeds based on stacks of 2-step generators (neutral seconds) in 17-tone equal temperament. The first fretting has successfully been implemented on a baglama the usual way, with no need to tie new frets. This suggests that baglamas are typically built with necks that have so little taper that frets can safely be moved so far down from standard frettings, adding to their versatility for new music.

13-CAP BAGLAMA FRETTING (Inspired by Kraig Grady’s Centaura)

13-CAP BAGLAMA FRETTING (Inspired by Kraig Grady’s Centaura)
Fig. 4

7-CAP BAGLAMA FRETTING

7-CAP BAGLAMA FRETTING
Fig. 5

LATTICE OF THE 7-CAP FRETTING

LATTICE OF THE 7-CAP BAGLAMA FRETTING
Fig. 6

Below are listed rotations of three “makam scales” treated as abstract step size patterns in 17 tone equal temperament, transferred to these two bağlama frettings as well as Erv Wilson’s 17 tone 11 limit scale. The first scale (Hüseyni) is a common one in Turkish folk music, and I’ve also listed two Hicaz variations, inspired by two different recordings by Muhlis Berberoğlu. The second Hicaz is notable in having a single step above the tonic; this produces some interesting shadings when applied to new bağlama frettings.

Note however that these scales and rotations are not necessarily meant to be used to retune existing music; I suggest that these scales more importantly be used to start exploring and making new music. Some of the instantiations of these makam scales sound wildly different from the original makams. Tunings that may sound “out of tune” when applied to old music may fit perfectly in new music, and vice versa

MAKAM HUSEYNI ROTATIONS in the 13-Cap Baglama Fretting

MAKAM HUSEYNI ROTATIONS in the 13-Cap Baglama Fretting
Fig. 7

MAKAM HICAZ ROTATIONS (one variation) in the 13 Cap Baglama Fretting

Fig. 8

MAKAM HICAZ ROTATIONS (another variation) in the 13 Cap Baglama Fretting

MAKAM HICAZ ROTATIONS (another variation) in the 13 Cap Baglama Fretting
Fig. 9

MAKAM HUSEYNI ROTATIONS in the 7-Cap Baglama Fretting

MAKAM HUSEYNI ROTATIONS in the 7-Cap Baglama Fretting
Fig. 10

MAKAM HICAZ ROTATIONS (one variation) in the 7-Cap Baglama Fretting

MAKAM HICAZ ROTATIONS (one variation in the 7-Cap Baglama Fretting
Fig. 11

MAKAM HICAZ ROTATIONS (another variation) in the 7-Cap Baglama Fretting

MAKAM HICAZ ROTATIONS (another variation) in the 7-Cap Baglama Fretting
Fig. 12

MAKAM HUSEYNI ROTATIONS in Erv Wilson’s 17 tone 11 limit scale

MAKAM HUSEYNI ROTATIONS in Erv Wilson's 17 tone 11 limit scale
Fig. `13

MAKAM HICAZ ROTATIONS in Erv Wilson’s 17 tone 11 limit scale

MAKAM HICAZ ROTATIONS in Erv Wilson's 17 tone 11 limit scale
Fig. 14

MAKAM HICAZ ROTATIONS (another variation) in Erv Wilson’s 17 tone 11 limit scale

MAKAM HICAZ ROTATIONS (another variation) in Erv Wilson's 17 tone 11 limit scale
Fig. 15