Īqāʿ Cycle Accuracy
Executing the Arabic rhythmic cycle's structure (dum/tak) at its correct time positions (Maqsūm, Maṣmūdī…).
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
Doesn't keep the cycle's structure; dum and tak fall randomly.
Example A Maqsūm with no distinction of the strong beat.
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Level 2 Approaching
Keeps the general pulse but not the precise dum/tak structure.
Example A steady-tempo rhythm with wrong internal positions.
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Level 3 At Standard
Correct cycle structure with timing slips over 80 ms.
Example A Maqsūm with readable structure but slight lag.
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Level 4 Above Standard
Precise structure with under-50 ms slip and steadiness across cycles.
Example Successive cycles matched in timing.
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Level 5 Excellence
Under-30 ms slip with rhythmic ornament that doesn't break the metre.
Example Rhythmic embellishment enriching the Maqsūm yet keeping it tight.
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 →Hitting the Arabic neutral note (quarter-tone) precisely in cents, not rounding it to the nearest Western semitone.
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 →Building the maqām's sayr: opening from the root, expanding toward the octave, and closing on the tonic.
The five levels →