Improvisation of Maqam Kurd in Gambus Johor and Arabic Oud playing / Siti Nur Shahirah Hussin

The purpose of this thesis is to help the Gambus Johor and Arabic Oud players to improve their improvisation or taqsim of Maqam Kurd in their playing. This thesis will finding out the techniques, ornamentations and modulations of maqam that can be used for both instruments player while improvising. This thesis also finds out about the differences on the playing techniques for both Gambus Johor and Arabic Oud instruments. Thus, some literature review on the topic which related to this thesis has been done. Adding to that, there are interviews with Gambus Johor and Arabic Oud students and also some professional players which can give a trustworthy advice and explanation about the techniques and ornamentations that can be used for improvising the maqam. From the literature review, proving the advice and fact from the interviewee can be accepted. Majorly the ways to improvise the maqam are by using various types of plucking techniques on the right hand, adding some ornamentations in their playing, separate the notes in the maqam into different groups or phrase, improvise the maqam with their own soul and lastly by modulating the maqam with other different types of maqam that is suitable with it. As for the differences of playing techniques for Gambus Johor and Arabic Oud, the playing techniques for both instruments does not consist so much differences. For Gambus Johor the picking of the instrument will follow the rhythm for the specific genre of the piece and the dynamic is clearer than the Arabic Oud but as for Arabic Oud the picking technique are mostly straightforward and softer than Gambus Johor.