A study on Ardahan minstrel melodies (Kars, Ardahan, Artvin)

In this study, it is aimed to make the theoretical and cultural analysis of minstrel music, which means the widespread musical presence of the Northeast Anatolia Region. The study is based on the sample of Kars, Ardahan, and Artvin Minstrel Music from the Northeastern Anatolian Folk Music population. The aim of this study is to reveal the similarities and differences of Kars, Ardahan, and Artvin Minstrel Music by making a musical and cultural analysis, and to obtain concrete and scientific results by considering the concepts of makam (mode), hava (melody), şube (branch), and ayak (rhyme) in terms of minstrel music. The importance of the study is to examine the aforementioned data and concepts through the products of minstrel music compiled from these three regions, and to carry out the analyzes made in order to reach concrete data through original works. In this study, data collection methods such as compilation, literature review, personal interview, and data processing methods such as notation, analysis, and evaluation have been used. In the study, it has been concluded that while there are some similarities in the minstrel music compiled from Kars, Ardahan, and Artvin regions, there is a theoretical and cultural diversity in the context of makam (mode), ayak (rhyme), etc. concepts and the names or the stories of the birth of the works. Keywords: Northeastern Anatolian Folk Music, Minstrel Melodies, Concepts of Makam (Mode) and Ayak (rhyme), Kars Region Minstrel Music, Ardahan Region Minstrel Music, Artvin Region Minstrel Music.