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Maqām and makam
Arab maqām and Turkish makam are systems of melodic modes, each with its own notes, typical phrases and path through the scale. Many of them use intervals that fall between the keys of the piano, such as a neutral third, halfway between minor and major. Arab theory often writes them on a grid of 24 quarter tones per octave, and Turkish theory on a grid of 53 small steps. In practice, the exact pitch of these notes changes from one maqām to another and from region to region, and it is learned by ear from a teacher.