Maqam Sikah Baladi is arguably the most challenging Arabic maqam. Its scale (and sayr) is something of a hybrid between a transposition of Maqam Huzam to an ordinary non-Sikah note, and Maqam Hijazkar – the intervals are not quite the same as either, but it sounds a bit like both. None of its intervals match either just or equal-tempered intonation, making it impossible to reproduce on anything but the voice and traditional Arabic instruments.
Maqam Sikah Baladi is not part of a maqam family.
Watch a 1-minute sample Violin Taqsim in Maqam Sikah Baladi by Sami Abu Shumays.
