TURKISH MUSIC DICTIONARY

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V Y Z

Ûd

A lute used in Turkish Classical Music as well as by local musicans in some areas. It has six double courses of strings and is played by a plectrum. It has a large body and a short, thick neck. It is only used in Eastern countries. Its modern shape was given it by Farabî.

Ûd-i Kadîm

Lit. "Old ûd." A type of ûd once used in Turkish Classical Music.

Ûd-i Kâmil

Lit. "Perfect ûd." A type of ûd once used in Turkish Classical Music.

Ûdî

A player of the ûd.

Usûl

In Turkish Classical Music, the name for the sum of rhythmic patterns in various arrangements.

Urfa Ağzı

The musical style of singing uzun havas and rhythmic pieces common in the Şanlıurfa region.

Urum Bozlağı

A type of bozlak (See Bozlak) sung by the Barak Turkmen of Gaziantep.

Usta

1. A master of music or any profession.
2. The word used by musicians among the Abdal tribes of Central Anatolia to identify themselves. Although the term has been used from very old times for those who play and sing well, today it is a term used by tribe members who do not accept the Abdal identity.

Uşşâk

A simple makam used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding a Bûselik pentachord to the Uşşâk tetrachord. It is ascending in characters. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A), its dominant is nevâ (Re/D) and its subtonic is râst (Sol/G). Its suspended cadences are the flavors Segâh and Ferahnâk on segâh (Si/B one koma flat), and Râst on râst (Sol/G).

Uşşâk-Aşîrân

In a variant of the makam Uşşâk used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding an Uşşâk tetrachord on aşîrân (Mi/E) to the scale of the makam Uşşâk.

Uşşâk Tetrachord (Uşşâk Dörtlüsü)

In Turkish Classical Music, a four-note scale pattern based on dügâh (La/A - in its place) so as to form a perfect fourth.

Uşşâk-Gerdâniye

A variant of the makam Uşşâk used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Uşşâk-Geveşt

A variant of the makam Uşşâk used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Uşşâk-Mâye

A variant of the makam Uşşâk used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Uşşâk-Nevrûz

A variant of the makam Uşşâk used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Uşşâk-Rûy-I Nikrîz

A variant of the makam Uşşâk used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Uşşâk-Selmek

A variant of the makam Uşşâk used in. No examples have survived to the present.

Uşşâk-Şehnâz

A variant of the makam Uşşâk used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Uyak

Rhyme, derived from the verb uymak, to agree, to jibe.

Uzak Geçki

A modulation from one makam to another makam with similar characteristics.

Uzak Makam

A makam sharing few common characteristics with another.

Uzun Hava

The general name for songs with a set melodic pattern and progression but in a free meter, and local folk songs in particular. There are many different terms used regionally with the same meaning: Gurbet Havası, Bozlak, Barak Havası, Elezber, Hoyrat, etc.

Uzzâl

1. The name given in some old sources for the note dik hisâr.
2. A simple makam used in Turkish Classical Music, formed by adding an Uşşâk tetrachord to a Hicâz pentachord. It is ascending in character. Its tonic is dügâh (La/A), and its dominant is hüseynî (Mi/E). Its suspended cadences are the flavors Nikrîz on râst (G/Sol), the notes dik kürdî (Si/B four komas flat) and nîm hicâz (Do/C four komas sharp) with no flavor, Bûselik and Râst on nevâ (Re/D) and Hicâz on hüseynî (Mi/E).

Uzzâl-Acem

A variant of the makam Uzzâl used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Uşşâk-Hüseynî

A variant of the makam Uzzâl used in Turkish Classical Music. No examples have survived to the present.

Uşşâk-Şehnâz

A variant of the makam Uşşâk used in Turkish Classical Music.

Üç Ayak

A subcategory of the Halay and Bar group of folk dances.

Üçlü

Thirds. In Turkish Classical Music, there are five types of thirds, covering 18, 17, 14, 13 and 10 komas.

Üç Telli

Lit. "With three strings." A cura-sized member of the bağlama family played by Turkmen-Yörük peoples in the areas of Burdur, Denizli, Muğla and Fethiye.

Üflemeli Çalgılar

Wind instruments.

Ümmü Düzeni

A tuning used on instruments of the bağlama family, mostly in and around Kütahya. The lowest string is La/A, the middle string is La/A and the upper string is Re/D.

Üslûp

Style.

Üst Eşik

The nut of a stringed instrument.

Üst Mızrap

An upstroke with a plectrum.