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Maqam Academy

Terms of Use and Subscription Terms

Last updated: 5 September 2026

1. Scope

These Terms govern access to and use of Maqam Academy, including the website, interactive maqam tools, notation, keyboards, audio playback, educational material, databases, accounts and paid subscription services.

“Maqam Academy”, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to:

Rami Al-Rajab — Maqam Academy / iMaqam Korbinianstraße 61 80807 München Germany

These Terms apply to both free users and paying users.

Additional conditions displayed during checkout may form part of the agreement for a paid subscription.

Mandatory rights granted to consumers under the laws of their country of residence remain unaffected.

2. Maqam Academy

Maqam Academy is an educational and interactive platform for exploring Arabic maqam theory.

Depending on the available features, the platform may provide access to:

The available content and functionality may change as Maqam Academy develops.

3. Free, Plus and Edu access

Maqam Academy offers three principal access levels.

Maqam Academy Free

Free access provides a selected portion of Maqam Academy for learning and exploration. The exact Free selection is shown on the website and may change from time to time. Practice, the Academy Guide and Research & Sources are paid Academy areas and are not part of Free. Their exact inclusion depends on the applicable Plus or EDU entitlement.

Maqam Academy Plus

Maqam Academy Plus is the complete paid individual subscription.

Depending on the current product version and Super Admin content configuration, Plus may include expanded Maqamat, instruments, audio material, Ajnas, relationships, analytical tools, Basic Practice, Advanced Practice, Structure Training, the Academy Guide, Research & Sources, BRoM analysis and other Plus features.

Advanced Practice and Structure Training may remain separate internal entitlement modules for technical access control. They are not sold as separate customer add-ons under the current commercial model.

The exact features included in Plus are shown on the relevant Plans, Subscription or purchase interface. A reference to “complete”, “full” or “all” access means the content and functions currently designated as part of Plus. It does not promise that every feature developed in the future will automatically be included in every existing subscription.

Maqam Academy Edu

Maqam Academy Edu is intended for private educators, music schools, conservatories, universities, colleges, music departments, researchers and educational institutions.

EDU content is designated independently from the individual Plus package. EDU does not need to inherit Plus content. The content and education-oriented rights or functions included with Edu are those identified for Edu on the current Plans page and within the service.

Unless a custom institutional agreement applies, the standard self-service EDU plan includes one Educator Account and a selected quantity of student seats shown on the Plans and EDU pages. The Educator Account has the internal role Edu Admin and does not itself consume a student seat. Self-service subscriptions currently support 2 to 150 student seats using graduated annual pricing.

During an active paid annual term, an increase in the student-seat quantity may take effect during the current term and may result in a prorated charge for the remaining billing period. A requested reduction in student seats takes effect for the next annual renewal rather than generating a mid-term credit, subject to mandatory applicable law. Seat changes during a free trial are reflected in the quantity that will be billed if the subscription continues after the trial.

The current Edu classroom functions may include creating classes and student groups, adding or removing Student Accounts from those teaching structures, assigning existing Practice exercises that are available to Edu, selecting supported Practice difficulty and question count, setting assignment deadlines, storing verified assignment scores and question-level results, reviewing exercise history, viewing progress and strong/needs-work topic analytics, and generating CSV or PDF learning reports.

Future education tools, including features described as planned, are included only when the website expressly shows them as available. A description of a future feature does not itself promise that the feature is currently part of an Edu subscription.

Institutions requiring more than the current self-service seat maximum, custom quantities, special invoicing or negotiated arrangements may contact Maqam Academy for an institutional plan managed separately.

4. Changing Free, Plus and EDU features

We may add, remove, reorganize or replace individual items within the Free offering.

For paid digital services, material changes affecting a current subscriber will be handled in accordance with the subscription agreement and applicable consumer law.

Where required by law, users will receive advance information about material changes and any corresponding rights to terminate the contract.

We will not use this provision to remove essential paid functionality in a way prohibited by mandatory consumer law.

5. Accounts

Certain functions may require a user account.

You must provide accurate account information and keep your login credentials confidential.

You are responsible for activity performed through your account unless the activity results from circumstances for which you are not responsible.

You must inform us promptly if you believe that your account has been accessed without authorization.

Accounts are personal unless Maqam Academy expressly offers a family, institutional, educational or multi-user licence.

Sharing one individual account between multiple unrelated users is not permitted except where an Edu or institutional licence expressly allows multi-user access.

6. Age requirements

Users must be legally capable of entering into the relevant agreement under the law applicable to them.

Users who have not reached the age required to independently consent to an online service or to the processing of their personal data must use Maqam Academy only with the involvement and authorization of a parent or legal guardian where required by applicable law.

Maqam Academy is not intended to knowingly collect personal information from children in violation of applicable child-privacy laws.

Where parental consent is legally required, an account must not be created or used until the required consent has been obtained.

We may restrict or remove an account if we reasonably believe the applicable age or consent requirements have not been met.

7. Formation of a paid subscription

The presentation of Maqam Academy Plus or Maqam Academy Edu on the website does not by itself constitute a binding contractual offer unless expressly stated otherwise.

Before submitting a paid order, the user will be shown the essential subscription information, including where applicable:

The user can review and correct order information before submitting the order.

A paid contract is formed when the order is accepted in accordance with the checkout process and the user receives confirmation.

The user will receive the contractual information in a form that can be saved or otherwise retained where required by law.

8. Prices and taxes

Current prices are displayed before purchase.

Prices may be shown inclusive or exclusive of applicable taxes depending on the user’s location and the requirements of applicable law. The checkout will show the amount payable before the order becomes binding.

Taxes such as VAT, GST, sales tax or similar transaction taxes may be calculated according to the customer’s location and applicable tax rules.

Currency conversion charges imposed by banks, card issuers or payment providers are outside our control.

9. Payments

Payments and subscription-management functions are processed through Stripe.

Maqam Academy may receive information such as payment status, transaction identifier, billing country, subscription status and limited billing information.

Payment-card details are handled through Stripe’s payment infrastructure rather than intentionally stored as complete card numbers by Maqam Academy.

Stripe’s own terms and privacy information may also apply to the payment services it provides.

10. Automatic renewal

If a subscription automatically renews, this will be clearly stated before purchase.

The checkout will identify the applicable billing interval and renewal terms.

By purchasing an automatically renewing subscription, you authorize recurring charges in accordance with the plan selected at checkout until the subscription is cancelled or otherwise ends.

We will provide renewal notices where required by applicable law.

Nothing in these Terms limits cancellation, renewal-notice or automatic-renewal rights granted by the mandatory laws of your country or region.

11. Price changes

We may change subscription prices for future billing periods.

Existing subscribers will receive advance notice where required by law or contract.

A price increase will not be applied retroactively to a completed billing period.

Where applicable law requires consent or provides a right to cancel because of a price change, those rights will be respected.

12. Changing a Plus billing interval

Where the website offers both monthly and yearly Plus billing, an existing subscriber may be able to request a change through the account or subscription-management flow.

A monthly-to-yearly change is scheduled for the end of the current paid monthly billing period. The current monthly period remains unchanged and no payment is taken when the change is scheduled. At that monthly boundary, Stripe charges the full yearly price and a new 12-month yearly billing period begins. The switch does not use proration or an unused-monthly-time credit.

A yearly-to-monthly change is not offered during an active paid yearly term. A yearly subscriber may instead cancel the next yearly renewal. The already-paid yearly access remains available through the paid annual period. After that paid yearly access ends, the customer may choose a new Monthly subscription if Monthly is then available.

The complete Plus package moves together when the Plus billing interval changes. The Stripe invoice and payment records remain authoritative for the financial transaction.

13. Cancelling a paid subscription

You may cancel a recurring paid subscription using the account or online cancellation process made available by Maqam Academy.

For Maqam Academy Plus, cancellation may be requested at any time before the next renewal is actually processed. Cancellation stops that next renewal and normally takes effect at the end of the current paid billing period. Plus access remains available through the already-paid period. Maqam Academy does not impose a separate 7-day monthly or 3-month annual Plus advance-notice deadline.

If Stripe has already processed a renewal before the cancellation request is completed, that newly paid period has begun and ordinary cancellation stops the following renewal. Scheduling ordinary cancellation does not itself create an automatic current-period refund or billing credit.

Where required by German or other applicable law, an additional direct online cancellation mechanism will be provided.

Statutory rights to immediate termination, refunds, withdrawal or remedies remain unaffected.

Users who purchased through a third-party marketplace or platform may need to manage their subscription through that platform where permitted by applicable law.

14. Right of withdrawal and cooling-off rights

Consumers may have a statutory right to withdraw from an online contract.

For consumers in Germany, the European Union and the European Economic Area, applicable withdrawal information will be provided during or following the checkout process as required by law.

Where the law provides a 14-day withdrawal period, the period and the applicable procedure will be stated in the withdrawal information supplied with the purchase.

If the user requests that performance begin before the withdrawal period expires, any legal consequences of that request will apply only to the extent permitted by applicable law and only where the legally required information, consent and acknowledgements have been provided.

Immediate access to Maqam Academy Plus does not remove mandatory withdrawal rights unless the requirements for doing so under the applicable law are satisfied.

Consumers in other countries may have their own cooling-off, cancellation or refund rights. Those mandatory rights remain unaffected.

15. Online withdrawal function

Where German law or another applicable law requires an online withdrawal function for eligible contracts, Maqam Academy will make the required function available during the legally relevant period.

The withdrawal function is separate from ordinary subscription cancellation.

Cancellation concerns future renewal or termination of an ongoing subscription.

Withdrawal concerns the statutory right to reverse an eligible recently concluded contract.

16. Refunds

Except where required by law or expressly stated during checkout, payments for an already-started billing period are not automatically refundable solely because a user stops using Maqam Academy.

This does not limit:

17. International customers

Maqam Academy is intended to be accessible internationally where technically and legally possible.

The service is operated from Germany.

Users outside Germany may benefit from mandatory consumer-protection rules in their own country.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude rights that cannot legally be excluded by contract.

If a local mandatory rule conflicts with these Terms, that mandatory rule applies to the extent of the conflict.

Availability of payment methods, currencies, features or subscriptions may differ by country.

We may restrict access from a country or territory where offering the service would violate applicable law, sanctions, payment restrictions or other binding legal obligations.

18. Educational nature of Maqam Academy

Maqam Academy is an educational resource.

Arabic maqam practice includes regional, historical, pedagogical and performance traditions that may differ in terminology, tuning, intonation, melodic treatment and classification.

Maqam Academy presents material according to the theoretical model, terminology and database used by the platform.

The platform does not claim that every maqam tradition or performance practice can be reduced to one universal system.

Audio playback, notation, interval diagrams and digital tuning are educational representations and may not reproduce every expressive intonation used by individual performers or regional traditions.

19. Building Rules of Maqam (BRoM)

The Building Rules of Maqam, abbreviated BRoM, are an original theoretical framework conceived and developed by Rami Al-Rajab for analysing how maqamat can be understood through Ajnas and structural interval functions within the Maqam Academy model.

BRoM introduces and organizes concepts including Root Jins, Primary Upper Jins, Disjunct and Conjunct structures, Primary Overlapping Jins, Additional Overlapping Ajnas, Jumping Maqam structures and named structural intervals such as Schism, Prime, Obligate and Complement intervals.

BRoM is presented as a Maqam Academy analytical framework. It is not a claim that every historical, regional or pedagogical maqam tradition must adopt one universal theory.

20. Musical notation, tuning and Live Tuner

Maqam Academy may represent pitches using Western notation together with symbols and concepts used for Arabic quarter-tone music.

Quarter-tone and other microtonal representations are provided according to the platform’s theoretical and technical system.

The Live Tuner is an educational pitch-analysis tool. Chromatic mode identifies pitches against a conventional semitone grid, while Micro-tone mode uses a 50-cent grid that can represent quarter-tone positions. The tuner may also allow the user to change the Reference A frequency used for its pitch calculations and reference tone.

Microphone use is optional and requires permission through a compatible browser or device. The quality and stability of a tuner reading can depend on the microphone, background noise, signal level, browser, device, instrument, vibrato and whether more than one pitch is sounding.

The tuner, notation, interval diagrams and digital tuning functions are educational representations and are not represented as certified laboratory or calibration instruments.

Users should understand that actual musical performance may include intonational variation not fully represented by fixed digital pitches or a single tuner reading.

21. Acceptable use

You may use Maqam Academy for personal learning, teaching, research and other lawful purposes subject to these Terms.

You must not:

22. Intellectual property, database rights and original Maqam Academy material

The Maqam Academy platform and its original content are protected to the extent provided by applicable intellectual-property laws.

This may include:

The Maqam Academy databases may be protected as database works and/or by database-producer rights under applicable law. To the extent such rights apply, all rights are reserved.

A Free, Plus or Edu account grants access to and use of the service according to the applicable plan. It does not transfer ownership and does not grant a licence to reproduce, extract, scrape, mirror, republish, redistribute, adapt, translate, repackage, commercialize or incorporate protected Maqam Academy content or database material into another database, website, application, publication, dataset, software product, AI system or service.

Except where a statutory right or exception applies, any such reuse for which permission is legally required requires the prior express written permission of Rami Al-Rajab. Permission must be specific to the material and type of use concerned. The fact that material can be viewed through Maqam Academy does not constitute permission to copy or reuse it.

Building Rules of Maqam (BRoM) © Rami Al-Rajab is an original theoretical framework conceived and developed by Rami Al-Rajab. The original BRoM texts, explanations, diagrams, terminology arrangements, classifications, examples, database structures and software implementations are protected to the extent provided by applicable law.

Where Maqam Academy grants permission to reproduce, publish, adapt or otherwise reuse protected BRoM material, the following attribution is required unless a different written attribution has been agreed:

Rami Al-Rajab — Building Rules of Maqam (BRoM), Maqam Academy, www.maqamacademy.com

Rules of Related Maqamat (RoRM) © Rami Al-Rajab is an original theoretical framework by Rami Al-Rajab. Original RoRM texts, diagrams, classifications, examples, database expressions and software implementations are protected to the extent provided by applicable law.

Keys X-Ray is the name used by Maqam Academy for a keyboard-visualization feature. It is a Maqam Academy visualization concept independently developed by Rami Al-Rajab, originating from an idea conceived in 2003. The compact Academy attribution is:

Keys X-Ray · © Rami Al-Rajab

The copyright notice for Keys X-Ray refers to protectable original expression and implementation, including original text, graphics, interface elements and software to the extent protected by applicable law. Maqam Academy does not claim copyright ownership over an abstract idea, method, individual fact or musical principle, and these Terms do not present Keys X-Ray as a registered trademark or patented invention.

Academic citation, lawful quotation and other statutory exceptions remain governed by applicable law. Nothing in these Terms claims copyright protection for abstract ideas, methods, individual facts or musical principles where applicable law does not provide such protection.

Removing required attribution, falsely claiming authorship, or reproducing, adapting, extracting, redistributing or commercially exploiting protected Maqam Academy or BRoM material without a required permission may infringe applicable rights. Maqam Academy and the relevant rights holder may pursue available remedies, including removal, cessation, injunctive relief and damages where the legal requirements are met.

Screenshots, screen recordings, photographs and other captures

The technical ability to make a screenshot, screen recording, photograph or other capture of Maqam Academy does not itself grant a licence to publish, redistribute or otherwise reuse protected content. Except where applicable law permits the particular use or Maqam Academy has given prior express written permission, users may not publish, upload, distribute, transmit, republish, commercially exploit or incorporate screenshots, screen recordings, photographs or other captures of protected Maqam Academy content into another website, application, publication, presentation, course, video, social-media account, dataset, AI system or commercial product.

This applies in particular to protected notation and staff displays, original diagrams and graphics, BRoM and RoRM materials, Keys X-Ray visualizations, Practice material, original explanatory text, database displays, classifications and other protected visual or textual content. A screenshot or recording made solely for private personal use may be subject to statutory exceptions under applicable law; such an exception does not automatically authorize later publication, distribution or commercial reuse.

Public recitation, presentation and display

Access to Maqam Academy does not by itself grant a licence to publicly recite, read aloud, project, display, livestream, record or otherwise present substantial protected Maqam Academy text, diagrams, visualizations or teaching material. Such use requires permission where the relevant right is reserved by applicable law, unless a statutory exception such as lawful quotation applies. Ordinary discussion of ideas, musical principles, facts and theoretical concepts remains possible within the limits of applicable law; Maqam Academy does not claim exclusive copyright over abstract ideas, methods, individual facts or musical principles.

Attribution and rights information

Where Maqam Academy grants permission to reproduce or publicly present protected material, the permission is conditional on any attribution requirements stated in the permission. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the preferred general attribution is:

Rami Al-Rajab — Founder, Maqam Academy, www.maqamacademy.com

Where applicable law requires identification of the author or source, the legally required attribution must be provided. Specific BRoM, RoRM and Keys X-Ray attribution statements set out in these Terms continue to apply where relevant. Attribution does not make an otherwise unauthorized reproduction lawful.

Users may not remove, conceal or deliberately obscure copyright notices, watermarks, attribution or rights-management information from protected Maqam Academy material for the purpose of presenting, publishing or redistributing that material without the required authorization. Cropping or editing a capture does not create a licence to republish the underlying protected content.

Enforcement

Maqam Academy and the relevant rights holder reserve the right to take appropriate action against unauthorized infringement. Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, this may include requests for removal, preservation of evidence, cease-and-desist measures, claims for injunctive relief, information and damages, and legal proceedings before the competent courts. Where applicable law provides for a warning or other pre-litigation procedure, such measures may be used before court proceedings.

Nothing in this section limits mandatory statutory rights or exceptions, including lawful quotation or other uses permitted by applicable copyright law.

23. Research, citation and publication

Maqam Academy welcomes legitimate academic and educational reference to its work. Researchers, authors, teachers and students may discuss Maqam Academy, BRoM, RoRM, Keys X-Ray and publicly available theoretical information in research papers, articles, books, theses, lectures and comparable work in accordance with applicable law.

Where Maqam Academy or BRoM is used as a source, it should be identified clearly as:

Rami Al-Rajab — Maqam Academy, www.maqamacademy.com

For BRoM, the preferred reference is:

Rami Al-Rajab — Building Rules of Maqam (BRoM), Maqam Academy, www.maqamacademy.com

For Keys X-Ray, the preferred provenance wording is:

Keys X-Ray — a Maqam Academy visualization concept independently developed by Rami Al-Rajab.

Attribution does not convert an otherwise unauthorized reproduction or database extraction into a permitted use. Substantial copying, systematic extraction, republication of protected database structures, extensive reproduction of text or diagrams, or incorporation of Maqam Academy material into another database, application, website, commercial publication, dataset or software product requires prior express written permission where permission is legally required.

24. Permitted educational use

Unless expressly stated otherwise, individual users may display Maqam Academy during their own lessons, lectures, private study or educational demonstrations.

This permission does not include the right to copy substantial parts of the database, distribute audio libraries, resell access or republish Maqam Academy as course material on another platform.

Institutional, school, university, library or commercial licences may have separate conditions.

25. Audio material

Audio samples and instrument sounds are provided for playback within Maqam Academy unless a separate licence expressly allows downloading or reuse.

Users may not extract, redistribute, sample, resell, publish or incorporate Maqam Academy audio files into another audio library, software product, musical production or machine-learning dataset without permission or another applicable legal basis.

26. Automated access, text and data mining, and AI training

Automated extraction of substantial Maqam Academy content for training, fine-tuning, evaluating or building artificial-intelligence or machine-learning systems is not included in ordinary Free, Plus or Edu access unless prior written permission or another applicable legal basis exists.

This applies in particular to systematic extraction of:

To the extent legally effective, Maqam Academy reserves rights regarding text and data mining under applicable law. Statutory exceptions and mandatory rights remain unaffected.

27. Availability

We aim to provide a reliable service but cannot guarantee uninterrupted operation at all times.

Temporary interruptions may occur because of:

Where mandatory consumer law establishes stronger availability or conformity obligations for a paid digital service, those obligations remain unaffected.

28. Updates

Maqam Academy may receive technical, security, compatibility and content updates.

Users may need a current web browser, operating system or device configuration for some functionality.

We may stop supporting obsolete technologies where continued support would create security, maintenance or compatibility problems.

Mandatory update obligations for digital products remain unaffected.

29. Changes to Maqam Academy

We may develop, improve or change Maqam Academy.

Changes may include:

For current paid subscriptions, changes will be made subject to applicable rules governing digital services and ongoing consumer contracts.

30. Accuracy and corrections

Maqam Academy aims to provide musically and technically reliable information.

Because the project deals with music theory, historical terminology, regional traditions, tuning systems and evolving research, content may occasionally require correction or revision.

Users are encouraged to report suspected errors.

A correction to theoretical, historical, musical or technical information does not by itself constitute a reduction of a subscription service.

31. Third-party technology

Maqam Academy may rely on third-party services or technologies such as:

Their availability may affect individual parts of the service.

Where third-party terms apply directly to you, they will be identified where appropriate.

32. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or terminate access where reasonably necessary because of:

Where appropriate and legally required, we will provide notice and an opportunity to remedy the issue before termination.

Mandatory consumer rights remain unaffected.

33. Liability

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where such exclusion or limitation is prohibited by applicable law.

Under German law, we remain liable without limitation where liability cannot legally be excluded, including where applicable for intent, gross negligence, injury to life, body or health, fraudulently concealed defects and liability under mandatory statutory provisions.

For ordinary negligence involving essential contractual obligations, liability may be limited to foreseeable damage typical for the contract to the extent legally permitted.

For consumers outside Germany, mandatory liability rights under applicable local law remain unaffected.

34. Force majeure

Neither party is responsible for failure or delay caused by events outside its reasonable control to the extent recognized by applicable law.

This may include major internet outages, natural disasters, war, governmental restrictions, widespread infrastructure failures or similar events.

Payment obligations already due and mandatory consumer remedies remain unaffected.

35. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, excluding its conflict-of-law rules, to the extent legally permissible.

If you are a consumer habitually resident in another country, this choice of law does not deprive you of mandatory consumer protection granted by the law that would otherwise apply to you.

36. Jurisdiction

Mandatory consumer jurisdiction rules remain unaffected.

Consumers may bring claims before courts available to them under applicable mandatory law.

Where a valid exclusive jurisdiction agreement may legally be concluded with a business customer, the competent courts at our business location in Germany may be agreed as the place of jurisdiction.

37. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms where necessary because of:

Material changes affecting existing paid contracts will be communicated in accordance with applicable law.

A change to these Terms will not retroactively remove rights that have already arisen.

38. Severability

If one provision of these Terms is invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue to apply to the extent permitted by law.

Mandatory statutory rules replace an invalid provision where legally required.

39. Language

Maqam Academy may provide these Terms in several languages.

If translations differ, the version designated during checkout as the contractual version will govern to the extent legally permissible.

Mandatory rules concerning consumer language and transparency remain unaffected.

40. Consumer dispute resolution

We are neither willing nor obliged to participate in dispute-resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board unless a legal obligation to participate applies in an individual case.

Applicable mandatory consumer rights remain unaffected.

If a dispute concerning a consumer contract cannot be resolved directly, any information duties that apply under German consumer-dispute law will be fulfilled in the required form.

41. Contact

Questions about these Terms may be sent to:

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