Cultural Framework

DiArMaqAr operates through a culturally-specific methodology that prioritizes Arabic theoretical frameworks and epistemological systems. This approach reflects decolonial computing principles and challenges Anglo-European-centric paradigms in digital musicology.

Decolonial Computing Principles

Foundational Philosophy

As Serra (2011) identifies, there is a foundational epistemological problem in digital musicology: "Our information technologies do not respond to the world's multicultural reality; instead, we are imposing the paradigms of our market-driven western culture on IT."

Postcolonial Computing Framework (Irani et al. 2010):

• Digital technologies can either reinforce or challenge hierarchies of knowledge
• Scope must encompass software and hardware design
• Systems embed cultural assumptions into technical foundations
• Not just user interface choices, but architectural decisions

DiArMaqAr's Approach

The platform implements culture-specific methodology by:

1. Prioritizing Arabic Theoretical Frameworks

   • All operations grounded in Persian-Arab-Ottoman note naming convention
   • Arabic concepts as foundational logic, not exotic variation

2. System-Level Implementation

   • Data model enforces Arabic structures
   • Computational operations built from Arabic theory
   • Interface presents Arabic hierarchies natively

3. Avoiding Western-Centrism

   • Arabic maqām theory is not a deviation from Western tuning
   • Represents independent theoretical frameworks
   • Avoids positioning as "alternative" or "xenharmonic"

Persian-Arab-Ottoman Note Naming Convention

Primary Reference System

All pitch calculations begin from this framework:

• Note names: rāst, dugāh, segāh, chahārgāh, nawā, etc.
• Organizational hierarchies: Tanāghīm → Ajnās → Maqāmāt → Suyūr → Intiqālāt
• Extended ranges: Lower register (qarār prefixes) and upper register (jawāb prefixes)

Implementation

• Data model: Enforces Arabic note naming
• Calculations: Begin from Arabic frameworks
• Interface: Presents Arabic hierarchies natively
• Operations: Built directly from Arabic structures

Avoiding Microtonality Terminology

Critical Terminology Standards

NEVER use "microtonal": This Western-centric term implies deviation from equal temperament as the norm.

Use culturally appropriate alternatives:

• "Unequal divisions"
• "Non-12-EDO pitches"
• "Pitches with fractional precision"
• "Pitches with decimal/fractional MIDI values"
• Describe specific theoretical framework (e.g., "following Arabic maqām theory")

This applies to ALL:

• Code comments
• Documentation
• Variable names
• Function descriptions
• Export data
• User-facing text

Historical Authenticity

Source-Based Implementation

• Historical sources: Medieval treatises through modern scholarship
• Bibliographic attribution: Complete source references
• Scholarly verification: Enables academic citation
• Transparent provenance: Clear data origin

Avoiding Standardization Bias

As Marcus (1989) documents, 20th-century "modernisation" trend increasingly adopted Anglo-European frameworks to standardize historical diversity. DiArMaqAr:

• Preserves historical diversity
• Avoids forcing external frameworks
• Maintains multiple theoretical approaches
• Respects interpretative flexibility

Computational Representation

Culture-Specific Formalization

Following Serra (2017), DiArMaqAr approaches Arabic maqām as:

• "A system of interconnected entities"
• Musicians, instruments, performances, melodic motifs
• Linked through various relations
• Requiring "adequate digital traces, rigorous formalization"
• Grounded in culture-specific theoretical frameworks

Integration of Perspectives

As Srinivasamurthy et al. (2023) demonstrate for Indian art music, computational musicology requires:

• "Integration of ethnomusicological perspectives alongside signal processing"
• Making explicit what remains implicit in Western-centric approaches
• Recognizing that every computational method carries embedded musicological assumptions

Research Implications

Infrastructure Gap

Addresses core structural problem identified by Gedik and Bozkurt (2009):

• Divergence between theory and practice
• Lack of reliable, computationally accessible theory
• Need for "valid pitch-class definitions grounded in culturally-specific frameworks"

Model for Other Traditions

DiArMaqAr demonstrates:

• Viability of culture-specific approaches
• Preservation of cultural specificity
• Computational accessibility without cultural compromise
• Potential for broader digital humanities applications

Practical Implementation

Technical Architecture

• Note naming: Persian-Arab-Ottoman convention as primary
• Data organization: Arabic hierarchies enforced
• Calculations: Begin from Arabic frameworks
• Interface: Arabic concepts presented natively

Bilingual Support

• Library of Congress Romanization: International scholarly standards
• Arabic script: Native language support
• Reverse transliteration: Accurate conversion
• Cultural accessibility: Local and international communities

Challenges and Responses

Avoiding Reductionism

• Maintains complexity of historical sources
• Preserves multiple theoretical perspectives
• Resists simplification to fit computational models
• Honors interpretative traditions

Computational Precision vs. Cultural Authenticity

• Mathematical accuracy maintained
• Historical sources preserved
• Performance practice variations accommodated (cents tolerance)
• Balance between precision and authenticity

Academic Context

Scholarly Contribution

DiArMaqAr contributes to:

• Decolonial computing discourse
• Computational ethnomusicology
• Digital humanities methodology
• Culturally-responsive technology

Model for Future Work

Provides framework for:

• Similar projects in other musical traditions
• Culture-specific digital musicology
• Preservation of local knowledge systems
• Global accessibility with cultural integrity

Next Steps

• Learn about Theoretical Framework
• Explore Bibliographic Sources
• Understand Research Applications