<![CDATA[Penelitian ini mengkaji penerapan taqsim hijaz pada improvisasi saksofon alto dalam lagu "SAB" karya Ilan Smilan sekaligus mengidentifikasi teknik ornamentasi yang membangun karakter musikal Arab. Kajian ini berangkat dari masih terbatasnya penelitian tentang adaptasi taqsim dan sistem maqam pada instrumen tiup Barat. Metode yang digunakan adalah kualitatif dengan pendekatan practice as research (PaR), yang menempatkan praktik artistik sebagai sarana utama produksi pengetahuan. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi repertoar taqsim, wawancara semi-terstruktur dengan praktisi musik Arab, dokumentasi audio-visual, dan eksplorasi artistik, kemudian dianalisis secara deskriptif-analitik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa taqsim hijaz pada saksofon alto dibangun melalui struktur melodi maqam hijaz yang dipadukan dengan ornamentasi grace notes, trill, mordent, glissando, dan bending. Teknik repetition, kombinasi ornamentasi, serta sound effect (reverb, delay, wah-wah) turut memperkaya ekspresi dan memperkuat karakter improvisasi. Temuan ini membuktikan bahwa saksofon alto mampu mengadaptasi idiom musik Arab tanpa mengorbankan karakteristik estetik maqam hijaz. Penelitian ini berkontribusi pada kajian improvisasi lintas budaya dan menawarkan alternatif pendekatan kreatif bagi musisi yang mengembangkan improvisasi berbasis maqam pada instrumen Barat.Kata Kunci : Taqsim hijaz, Maqam hijaz, improvisasi, saxofon alto, practice as researchThis study examines the application of taqsim hijaz in alto saxophone improvisation within the song "SAB" by Ilan Smilan, while identifying ornamental techniques that construct the characteristic musical qualities of Arab music. The research is motivated by the limited scholarly attention given to the adaptation of taqsim concepts and the maqam system on Western wind instruments, particularly the alto saxophone. A qualitative approach was employed using the practice as research (PaR) method, which positions artistic practice as the primary means of knowledge production.Data were collected through observation of taqsimrepertoire, semi-structured interviews with Arab music practitioners, audio-visual documentation, and artistic exploration, subsequently analyzed through a descriptive-analytic framework.The findings reveal that taqsim hijaz on the alto saxophone is constructed through the melodic structure of maqam hijaz integrated with ornamental techniques including grace notes, trill, mordent, glissando, and bending. Furthermore, the techniques of repetition, ornamental combinations, and sound effects (reverb, delay, wah-wah) substantially enrich musical expression and reinforce the improvisational character. These findings demonstrate that the alto saxophone is capable of accommodating Arab musical idioms without compromising the aesthetic characteristics of maqam hijaz. This research contributes to the development of cross-cultural improvisation studies and offers a creative alternative approach for musicians seeking to develop maqam-based improvisation on Western instruments.Kata Kunci : Taqsim hijaz, Maqam hijaz, improvisasi, saxophone alto, practice as research ]]>
