Quarter-tone Intonation
Hitting the Arabic neutral note (quarter-tone) precisely in cents, not rounding it to the nearest Western semitone.
The five levels
Each anchor describes what separates one level from the next — not a general description of quality. This is the text the evaluator itself reads.
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Level 1 Below Standard
The neutral note is played as a Western semitone (error over 60 cents).
Example Sīkāh played as 'B-flat', losing the maqām's flavour.
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Level 2 Approaching
Aims for the neutral note but its deviation is 40–60 cents and unstable.
Example A quarter-tone wavering between two attempts.
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Level 3 At Standard
The neutral note within ±30 cents of its correct maqām value.
Example A clear, audible sīkāh that marks Rāst.
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Level 4 Above Standard
The neutral note within ±20 cents and steady across the whole phrase.
Example A steady quarter-tone that doesn't drift up or down.
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Level 5 Excellence
±10-cent precision with awareness of school variance (Egyptian vs Aleppan Rāst).
Example Tuning the quarter to suit the intended character.
Where does your own work sit on these levels?
Submit one work to be read against this criterion alone: your position across the five levels, why you are not higher and why not lower, three literal quotes from your own work, and one exercise with its success check. Your first card is free.
Price: 7 SAR · Included in Pro & Artist Plus · First one free — Pricing details
Read my work by this criterionOther criteria in the same art
Maintaining a consistent and continuous tempo throughout the performance
The five levels →Accuracy in playing notes and avoiding deviation from correct pitches
The five levels →Conveying a feeling or meaning to the listener through musical performance
The five levels →Constructing performance with cohesive structure: intro, development, climax, outro
The five levels →Musician's complete presence in the moment during performance
The five levels →Musician's ability to create genuine dialogue with their listeners
The five levels →Executing the Arabic rhythmic cycle's structure (dum/tak) at its correct time positions (Maqsūm, Maṣmūdī…).
The five levels →Building the maqām's sayr: opening from the root, expanding toward the octave, and closing on the tonic.
The five levels →