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Maqam Hijaz on guitar, bouzouki and bağlama

Hijaz is known for its characteristic interval: an augmented second between the second and third degrees, which gives it a dramatic, unmistakably Eastern sound. It has no quarter tones, so it is easy to play on instruments with regular frets.

Choose an instrument and a root above to see Hijaz on the fretboard.

Instrument Category Maqam / Scale Root View Position size

RootQuarter tone (half-flat ↓)Other notes (including regular flats and sharps)

Note: a regular flat (like E♭) is a semitone, so it is blue. Only a half-flat (↓, e.g. E↓ or B↓) is a quarter tone, shown in yellow. Each quarter tone is drawn inside the fret box above it, and if that box also holds a regular note, both are shown side by side. Play it by bending the string or on a fretless guitar.

Structure and notes

Degrees: 1 - b2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7

Notes on D: D E♭ F♯ G A B♭ C

Notes on C: C D♭ E F G A♭ B♭

In terms of notes, Hijaz in its basic form is identical to the Phrygian dominant scale.

Quarter tones

Maqam Hijaz has no quarter tones, so it can be played on instruments with regular frets without any change.

How to practice

Turn on the drone on the root to hear each note's relation to the tonic.
Choose one position (three frets) and play it note by note at the metronome's tempo.
Use the tuner to check that every note is accurate.
Try the same maqam on other instruments, guitar, bouzouki, bağlama and bass, and hear the difference.

What users and teachers say

Instrument sounds are based on open-source recorded samples (Karoryfer Samples: Black And Green Guitars and Black And Blue Basses; University of Iowa Electronic Music Studios; tonejs-instruments).

Tuner

—

— Hz

— cents

±50 cents

♭●♯

Play a string to start

Settings

Input source Instrument Mode Short beep when the pitch is accurate CalibrationHz

Input level

Diagnostics (if the tuner does not work)

Press "Run diagnostics", play a string during the test (about 3 seconds), and send me the report that appears.

Info

On a phone the tuner listens through the built-in microphone. On a computer, choose your sound card or audio interface from the "Input source" list. Automatic audio processing is turned off so the measurement stays accurate. If the metronome plays while you tune, its click may be picked up by the microphone.