I’m glad to you're reading this, because which means you have an interest in shopping for an Oud! The Oud is an enchanting instrument with a protracted history. I’ll give you some options and suggestions when looking on your first Oud.
TYPES OF OUDS
You'll first need to know what kind of Oud you need to buy, because there are several types of Ouds available: Arabic Ouds, Turkish Ouds, Iraqi Ouds, and Iranian Ouds.
ARABIC OUDS
Arabic Ouds are by far the most well-liked Ouds available. You will see these used within the music of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Levant. They are known for a nice, deep, round sound, with very low sustain. Low maintain shouldn't be a bad thing, in fact, it is desirered sound. There is a very wide range of quality that can be found in this category, from decorative trinkets to exquisite professional instruments.
TURKISH OUDS
Turkish Ouds are quite a distinct animal. Turkish Ouds are brighter as they're tuned at a higher pitch than Arabic Ouds. They are additionally constructed with a thinner soundboard creating a lighter and brighter tone and timbre. A good friend of mine who builds Ouds will even sand down his soundboard a little bit just to get more of that Turkish sound. Additionally they try to reduce the amount of bracing used on the soundboard so it resonates more. The Turkish Oud is at the very least an inch shorter in scale than the Arabic Ouds as well. The nut is sort of non existent making a tone with more buzz. The difference between Arabic Ouds and Turkish Ouds is similar to the distinction between Classical guitars and Flamenco guitars.
Turkish Ouds may be a great guess for a newbie because the action will likely be low making it easy to play. Additionally, inexpensive factory constructed models are usually quite trustworthy and well-built.
IRAQI OUDS
Iraqi Ouds may have a floating bridge meaning that the bridge isn't mounted to the wood face. This also provides a brighter tone. The bridge is similar to the development of some Mandolins and Irish Bouzoukis, the place the strings are hooked up to the underside of the instrument instead of the bridge. This is the preferred Oud of Nasser Shamma and Munir Bashir. I personally love the sound of these Ouds, but some individuals don’t like them either. All of it is determined by your choice and the sound that you wish to make.
IRANIAN OUDS
Iranian Ouds are again a really totally different breed. They are called Barbat in Farsi and are the end result of research into the design of historical Ouds in Middle Japanese art and literature. Apparently, the Oud was an vital instrument in Iran however for some reason fell out of use in Iran and became the most important instrument in Arab music. The Barbat was reinvented in just the last 30 years in Iran by one explicit master luthier. He made the body smaller allowing more playability further down the neck. The bowl shape is less wide, but slightly deeper, making it simpler to hold and giving the bass notes a punchy sound. The bass sound is deep, punchy and robust, however the high finish is bit weaker than Arabic Ouds. It fits well into the sound required for Iranian music and ensembles.
ACTION
Typically, when shopping for an Oud an important part is making sure it has low action. Action is the term for the space between the fingerboard and the strings. If the strings are near the the fingerboard it will probably be simpler to play. This is important because it will make or break your expertise and really dampen your mood, specially when putting in quite a lot of practice trying to improve your technique. An Oud with high motion will probably be hard to progress past the basics. Ouds aren't constructed with truss rods like guitars so the neck just isn't adjustable. It is better to see the Oud for yourself to determine how the motion is. If you are shopping for on-line, ask for pictures of the neck from the side if you're in doubt.
USE THE PROPER STRINGS
It will be important not to put too heavy gauge strings in your Oud, particularly if you have purchased a cheap Oud. Oud strings of many types and gauges can be ordered online so don’t risk placing heavy classical guitar strings on it. Additionally, when you buy an Arabic Oud, don’t put D’Addario Turkish Oud strings on it. They're meant for a distinct tuning, and if you happen to use that tuning it's possible you'll put more pressure in your Oud than necessary.
LOW QUALITY OR HIGH QUALITY
If you're already a musician and know a thing or two about tone woods, then use the standards you know best when looking for a decent Oud. Better quality Ouds will naturally use ebony tuning pegs, ebony fingerboard, and a strong spruce top, which may be made of two items of spruce glued and braced together. Other woods used for the bowl back are maple, walnut, palisander, and padouk. When you can inform the Oud is made out of these woods, then you are getting into more critical craftsmanship.
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