Sercan Ektik was born in Balıkesir, where Anatolian folk is heard over café radios at daybreak. At ten, he grabbed a small classical guitar from a street vendor’s stall. Wood felt rough, strings sat high, yet his ear caught modal nuances within every pluck. By thirteen, he handled local bar sets, shifting between arabesque ballads, ’80s pop riffs, and raw blues shuffles. Audiences cheered the curious mix. He thrived.
Formal Study at Ege University
A spot at Ege University State Turkish Music Conservatory awaited his talent, and the faculty pushed fretboard theory alongside makam analysis. Lectures covered Rast, Hicaz, Hüzzam, Segâh, Uşşak, plus ear-training drills on twenty-four-step octave division. Each week closed with ensemble labs, oud players on one side, kanun virtuosi on the other, while Sercan voiced microtones on steel strings through half-pulled bends.
Twenty-Five Years on Six Strings
Time raced. Bar residencies in Balıkesir and İzmir paid rent while studio gigs in İzmir tracked pop singles, film cues, and commercial jingles. Clients praised his quick takes and microtonal bends. TRT FM aired him during Gece Yolculuğu, where listeners heard an acoustic cover of “Dönülmez Akşamın Ufkundayız” over crisp radio air. TRT Müzik invited him to Alaturka Evenings, pairing his fretwork with veteran vocalists. Ege TV hosted a live set on Hayat Sevince Güzel, spotlighting his warm baritone.
Ten-Year Mentor Stretch
Izmir Music Academy hired him as a senior guitar mentor. He tailored lesson plans for a wide skill range—absolute first-year students to advanced jazz heads. Students drilled alternate-picking etudes, makam phrasing workouts, ear-guided microtone bends, plus pedalboard tone hunts. Graduates credit those sessions for studio call-backs and cruise-ship contracts.
New Chapter in Dubai
Two years back, Sercan packed his guitar, plus a pedal case heavy on analog stomp boxes. Dubai’s multicultural pulse attracted him.. He joined Seyyah Band, a multi-national band that performs Turkish pop, Gulf percussion, and Western funk grooves in beach bars, hotel ballrooms, and desert weddings. He also opened a private tuition roster. Remote learners across the GCC dial in for weekly webcam sessions, drilling fingerstyle tremolo or maqam motifs upon demand.
Gear & Tech Passion
Walk into his apartment studio and spy acoustic panels, an Apollo interface, LED strips, and a triple-screen edit bay. Color-grading tests flicker while the riff takes a loop through Logic. He edits performance clips during off-hours. The guitar rack hosts vintage tube heads, modern modelers, and a fretless electric, which is perfect for Segâh passages requiring four-koma dips.
Composer and Arranger Hat
Producers across Izmir, Doha, and Dubai dial his number to request session layers or complete chart drafts. He crafts hooks, pads, and counterlines. Albums across pop, folk, and indie rap feature his name under “lead guitar.” Clients cite fast turnaround, tight intonation, and tasteful modal inflection.
Turkish Makam Masterclass: Sercan’s Seven-Step Guide
1. Modal Mindset First
Western major/minor logic falls short. Adopt Rast, Hicaz, Segâh, Hüzzam, Uşşak, Nihavent, plus rare gems such as Suzinak. Each modal path holds mood rules and melodic arcs.
2. Koma Awareness
Twenty-four mini-steps live inside one octave. A Segâh phrase needs a four-koma flat. Standard frets miss it. Stretch a bend, or slide fretless.
3. Tune for the Task
Drop-D serves Rast lines on low drones. Flatten the B string a touch for Segâh. High positions grant extra micro-control.
4. Ornament as Grammar
Grace-note slides, half-step glides, fast-hand trills, plus slow vibrato shape every phrase. Hit pitch plus nuance.
5. Adaptation Over Frustration
Accept fret limits. Bend smart. Slide slowly. Embrace fretless options for complete authenticity.
6. Key Note References
- Rast mode (root C): C, D, E flat four koma, F, G, A, B flat four koma.
- Hicaz mode (root D): D, E flat one koma sharp, F sharp one koma flat, G, A, B flat, C.
7. Listen Before You Play
Recordings by Tanburi Cemil Bey, Necdet Yaşar, and Cinuçen Tanrıkorur reveal subtle pitch drifts. Absorb nuance through headphones, then chase it on guitar.
Middle Eastern vs Western Guitar World
| Focus Area | Western System | Middle Eastern Approach | Sercan’s Fix |
| Scale Grid | Twelve equal semitones | Makams with micro-steps | Bend, slide, or fretless |
| Harmony Weight | Chord progressions rule | Melody line reigns | Use drone strings, sparse triads |
| Ornament Role | Flavor, optional | Core syntax | Trills and bends are must-haves |
| Instrument Design | Fretted for equal temperament | Lute-family fretless | Microtonal mods on Strat |
Daily Practice Blueprint
- Warm-up (20 min) – chromatic runs, right-hand accent drills, slow bends at Segâh pitch.
- Modal Etude Block (30 min) – pick one makam, craft four-bar motifs, vary dynamics.
- Repertoire (40 min) – gig set or student demo pieces.
- Creative Corner (30 min) – loop pedal jams, new riffs, video shoot setups.
- Tech Study (20 min) – pedalboard chain tests, DAW plug-in tweak.
Total: roughly 2½ hours, split morning and evening slots. On show days, add band run-throughs.
Why Clients Call Sercan for Private Tuition
- Makam Clarity – microtone mastery simplified through colored fret markers or bend-target charts.
- Cross-Genre Fluency – switch from Segâh taksim to Stevie Ray bend in one lesson.
- Tech Savvy – amp sim setup, pedal order hacks, mobile interface advice.
- Stage Prep – setlist pacing, radio mic etiquette, solo-spotlight confidence drills.
Sercan Ektik resides where Anatolia meets contemporary Dubai. Twenty-five years on, strings whisper proof. Bar crowds cheered first riffs, radio hosts praised nuanced lines, and GCC learners now log in weekly for modal truth. Grab a seat, tune the G string, and chase every koma under his guide. Your guitar voice will thank you. If you want to take private classes, Sercan is a great expert of the topic.
