Semiotic convergence: makam music traditions and electronic music production in contemporary Turkish music

Abstract

The creative tension arising when original performance practices intersect with the new expressive possibilities offered by digital technologies constitutes the focus of this study. From a historical perspective, the interaction between makam and electronic music has gone through three distinct periods: the early experimental period (1960-1980), the technological expansion and synthesis period (1980-2000), and the digital revolution and diversification period (2000 onwards). Beginning with pioneering figures such as İlhan Mimaroğlu and Bülent Arel, and extending to contemporary artists such as Mercan Dede, Cevdet Erek, and İpek Görgün, this process has seen the expansion of technological possibilities, enriching the ways in which makam structures are expressed in electronic environments. Technically, the electronic transformation of makam music revolves around three key challenges: the application of microtonal intervals in digital environments, the algorithmic implementation of makam progressions (modal progressions), and the modeling of traditional instrument timbres in electronic environments. The solutions developed to overcome these challenges—customized tuning systems, software tools specific to makam structures, spectral analysis techniques, and physical modeling approaches—represent not only technological innovations but also the adaptation of cultural knowledge to the digital age. On a cultural level, the electronic transformation of makam music encompasses negotiations between authenticity and innovation, dynamics of global circulation and local reception, and the transformation of traditional knowledge transfer systems. Archival, adaptive, and transformative approaches reflect the different relational forms artists have with tradition, while the global circulation of these musical forms transforms cultural contexts and creates new modes of reception. In conclusion, this musical convergence is regarded as a creative space that establishes a dynamic balance between the preservation and renewal of traditional heritage, blending technological innovation with cultural continuity, and fostering meaningful dialogues between the past and the future.