Makam (pl. makamlar; from the Arabic word مقام) is a system of melody types used in Turkish classical music. It provides a complex set of rules for composing and performance. Each makam specifies a unique intervalic structure (cinsler) and melodic development (seyir).
Whether a fixed composition (beste, şarkı, peşrev, âyin, etc.) or a spontaneous composition (gazel, taksim, recitation of Kuran-ı Kerim, Mevlid, etc.), all attempt to follow the melody type.
Read more about Makam: Geographic and Cultural Relations, Basic Makam Theory