Mugam singers, who mastered all rules to sing mugams and best tradition of their predecessor, carefully protected these traditions, developed and enriched them, and then transmitted to the future generation. Thus they created their own style of singing, own traditions, own performing schools, and had own adherents.

That time mugams were performed mainly at weddings and banquets. However, starting from the second half of the 19th century new tradition had appeared. It was a tradition to arrange poetic and musical mejlises, i. e. music assemblies or meetings of poets and musicians. Wonderful Azerbaijani poetess Khurshud Banu Natavan arranged such assemblies, called “Mejlisi-uns”. An outstanding scientist, artist, and musicologist Mir Mohsun Navvab arranged such assemblies, called “Mejlisi Faramushan”.

Mejlises cardinally differed from wedding parties. They carried on interesting talks on literature and painting, and discussed aesthetic problems of poetry, music and mugam mastery.

Mugam-destgakh were improving and enriching with new sections. New tesniffs and rengs were creating. Performance of such mugams as “Rast”, “Shur”, “Mahur”, “Seygakh”, “Chahargakh”, “Bayati-Shiraz” and “Bayati-Isfagan” often continued up to 2 or 3 hours. Sometimes several singers performed one and the same mugam and connoisseurs assessed them, expressed their opinions, criticized and corrected mistakes. That is why each singer and instrumentalist constantly aimed to improve his mastery.

Young singers often appeared at such assemblies. It was an examination for them. Those who could pass it and receive favorable reviews were ready for self-contained creative life.
Music assemblies were of great importance in the development of mugam art. In addition they also became the school of mastery for mugam performers.

Music instruments started improving in the middle of the 19th century as well. That time Iranian tar was a main instrument accompanying for singers (it was kept on the lap). Tar-player Mirza Sadig Asad (in public lovingly called Sadigjan) reconstructed this tar and factually created new instrument: Azerbaijani tar. It was eleven stringed and seventeen-stepped instrument. They played this tar clasping it to one's bosom. As a result this tar obtained new sounding and new performance techniques appeared. Azerbaijani tar took the leading place in mugam performance as both: soloing and accompanying instrument.

Mirza Sadig Asad created his own school. Tar-players Gurban Pirimov and Meshadi Zeynal were his students and adherents. They brought up many generations of players at folk instruments.

We should note the following singers, who created their own schools: Haji Husi, Abdulbagi Zulalov, Jabbar Garyagdi, Seid Shushinsky, Zulfi Adigezalov, Islam Abdullayev, Khan Shushinsky, Sara Gadimova, Arif Babayev, Sabir Mirzayev. Tar-players are the following: Ramiz Guliyev, Ogtay Guliyev, and Mansum Ibrahimov.