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Pakistan’s renowned Saami Family of qawwals are undertaking a project that seeks to preserve their musical expertise and 800-year-old sonic lineage — with the help of some international partners.

Led by Rauf Saami of the Saami Brothers — master practitioners of both qawwali and khayal traditions — and guided by his father, Ustad Naseeruddin Saami, the Infinite Raag project aims to document and preserve the family’s generational singing and study its “microtonal precision, intricate melodic movements, and sonic depth”, according to a press release issued on Monday.

The project, undertaken in collaboration with the Centre for Cultural Vibrancy — a non-profit organisation uplifting traditional heritage practitioners and promoting cross-cultural learning — is slated to receive funding and technical resources from the US-based Mozilla Foundation as part of their Artists Make Technology initiative. The Saami Family is one of 20 inaugural grantees awarded funding and technical resources to build technologies for use in their field.

The Infinite Raag project combines sound recordings and biometric data to create ethical, artist-owned tools to safeguard the family’s centuries-long living tradition of khayal.

Ustad Naseeruddin and his principal students’ multi-hour vocalisations will be captured by an artist-owned recording and analysis system in collaboration with the Center for Cultural Vibrancy.

Synchronised audio, biometric sensors, and a microtonal pitch tracker beyond the 12-tone system — Ustad Naseeruddin is credited with using a 49-note system — used in Western study of music will map moments of deep coherence and transcendence, guided by Artificial Intelligence tools.

Infinite Raag will also study the effects of the rigorous training and practice needed to perfect khayal on the bodies of its practitioners.

Commenting on the project, Rauf said his father had dedicated his life to the “pursuit of the truth of sur (melody)” and Infinite Raag was an attempt to preserve some of the knowledge Ustad Naseeruddin had gathered over his life for future generations to appreciate.

“Infinite Raag seeks to challenge extractive uses of AI and advance technology that supports cultural sovereignty, preservation, and exploration of transcendence,” Rauf said.

The Saamis are from the over 800-year-old Qawwal Bacha Gharana, said to have originally been founded by the Persian poet Amir Khusrow.

Rauf’s father is considered by many to be one of the few surviving old masters of his craft. He was recognised by the Aga Khan Music Awards last year for his work. At the time, Ustad Naseeruddin described his craft as “prayer through breath”.

Cover photo: Mozilla Foundation