Rast makam
One of the basic makams of Turkish music, built on Rast (G). Its third, Segâh, sits one koma below B, and its seventh, Eviç, four komas above F.
At a glance
- Karar (tonic)
- Rast (G)
- Güçlü (strong note)
- Nevâ (D)
- Yeden (leading note)
- Irak (F♯)
- Seyir (melodic direction)
- ascending (çıkıcı)
- Key signature (donanım)
- B koma flat (1 koma), F bakiye sharp (4 komas)
- Scale (dizi)
- a Rast pentachord on Rast, with a Rast tetrachord on Nevâ
The scale, note by note
As written in Turkish notation. Under each note: its koma accidental, if any, and the nearest clarinet note, with its Boehm fingering.
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1 G
On the clarinet: G4 · played as written
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2 A
On the clarinet: A4 · played as written
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3 B
B koma flat (1 koma)
On the clarinet: B4
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4 C
On the clarinet: C5 · played as written
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5 D
On the clarinet: D5 · played as written
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6 E
On the clarinet: E5 · played as written
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7 F
F bakiye sharp (4 komas)
On the clarinet: F♯5
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8 G
On the clarinet: G5 · played as written
Playing koma notes on the clarinet
A Boehm clarinet has no keys for koma accidentals. Players take the fingering of the nearest note and bend the pitch with the embouchure or an alternative fingering, listening for the makam’s colour. The scale above shows which notes need it.
Rast in Dizek
When you scan a piece in Rast, pick “Hüseyni, Muhayyer, Rast — F♯ (koma flats rounded)” as the key on the scan screen. Dizek reads the koma accidentals as the nearest flats and sharps, writes the note names in Turkish if you like, and transposes for your clarinet, including the G clarinet.
Photograph a page in Rast, play it tonight
Get DizekSources
Makam theory after the Arel–Ezgi–Uzdilek system, as described by TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi and Klarnet Park.