em.20 - 9-26-2012 at 02:13 AM
Hello,
it's been a while since I've bought my turkish oud. It was quite cheap. I bought it as a beginner oud but more and more I've the impression that the
sound is not very turkish, as far as I've heard other ouds in the internet. It is something between turkish and arabic.
The action on the neck-body-joint is 3mm, on the nut less than 1mm and the string length amounts 58,5cm.
Can this depend on my amateur playing technique or is there something wrong with the oud?
Sample: http://www23.zippyshare.com/v/62000951/file.html
Marcus - 9-26-2012 at 03:27 AM
Hi em.20 
I have a turkish oud that sounds similar to yours. It costs around 350€ in Istanbul.
What do you miss in the sound of your oud? The typical turkish buzz?
Mine have a low action like yours, I thought about to work on the nut to lower it a bit more, but I`m afraid to ruin the oud.
Maybe the only solution to get a real turkish sound is to buy a good turkish oud!?
Here you can listen to the sound of my turkish oud(the first minute).
Maybe one of the experts can tell us if and how it is possible to get a real turkish sound out of our cheapies
This is what I would call "real turkish".
Cheers,
Marcus
em.20 - 9-26-2012 at 04:14 AM
Hi Marcus,
your turkish oud sounds better than mine, but I agree with you that the oud from Cengiz Sarikus sounds like a real turkish oud.
In the sound of my oud I miss the, someone called it "zzzing". My oud doesn't have this "zzzing", it sounds too flat.
I tought the action of 3mm is too high for a turkish oud?
Marcus - 9-26-2012 at 04:26 AM
Hi em.20
I think 3mm is ok, but I´m not sure.
What you called "zzzing" I miss too. It gets better with new strings and hard plucking, but after a few days its gone
Btw.:where are you located?
Franck - 9-26-2012 at 06:11 AM
You have attack more aggressively and use down strokes as much as you can with an angle of attack
slightly oblique.
Good luck
Brian Prunka - 9-26-2012 at 07:14 AM
Hi em.20,
I quite like the sound of your oud, at least on the recording, though I admit I am partial to the Arabic sound.
The very old Turkish ouds I've played sounded more like yours, I think this "zing" is a modern Turkish sound.
I do think playing technique has something to do with it, though. You play well, but perhaps a more aggressive attack, as Franck mentions might make
it sound more the way you want. Also, the typical Turkish ornamentation (glissando, etc.) would make a difference.
em.20 - 9-26-2012 at 08:05 AM
Thank you guys for your help! I will improve my technique and hopefully then I get the sound I want.
Marcus, I live in Cologne, but soon I will move to Aachen to study.
em.20 - 9-27-2012 at 02:06 AM
I've found a video of Yurdal Tokcan and this is what I would call the "Turkish oud sound": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7vI8mvUk9Q
My oud doesn't have the typical buzzing on Turkish ouds. I guess this depends on the action. Maybe the action(neck-body-joint is 3mm, on the nut less
than 1mm) of my oud is too high and that changes the sound to a more dry and percussive sound?
Arto - 9-27-2012 at 03:04 AM
I´m sure the action has a lot to do with the sound and typical "buzz". I have a Haluk Eraydin "beginner" oud, the action is pretty high (4-5mm at
neck-body junction? I have not measured it), and the sound is rather "dry". Of course, my playing is primitive and dry... It was good to see the advice of playing with stronger attack and more "downward".
Makes complete sense - why haven´t I thought of that myself?
Mutlu Torun´s oud method gives the optimal string heights as 0,5mm at the nut and 2mm at the neck-body junction. That is really low! Must have very
exact and smooth fingerboard to articulate all notes clearly...
Arto
Marcus - 9-27-2012 at 03:28 AM
Hi em.20
regrettably Aachen is up north-no other oudies here down south to meet and jam
And yes, the oud in the video sounds turkish, but every oud will sound more or less great if it is played by Yurdal Tokcan-he is, for sure ,one of the
greatest turkish style players.For me he is #1.