Mike's Oud Forums

5-course, 6-course, what?

oudmood - 3-19-2014 at 12:29 PM

I tried my own research and only came away with the vaguest idea of what it means when someone says 5 course oud performance or 6 course oud performance.

Can someone provide me with a brief explaination?

hussamd - 3-19-2014 at 12:33 PM

The missing course is the C drone string (Bass C). I have not found uses for it yet. Many Egyptian ouds do not use this string.

Lysander - 3-19-2014 at 12:47 PM

Here we are:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Course_(music)
Quote:

A course, on a stringed musical instrument, is two or more adjacent strings that are closely spaced relative to the other strings, and typically played as a single string. The strings in each course are typically tuned in unison or an octave. Course may also refer to a single string normally played on its own on an instrument with other multi-string courses, for example the bass (lowest) string on a nine string baroque guitar.


Some ouds have five courses, some have six, as hussamd has pointed out.

oudmood - 3-19-2014 at 12:50 PM

so a 5 course oud just means there's a single bass string, with the 5 higher strings being doubled.

a 6 course has the bass string doubled as well?

SamirCanada - 3-19-2014 at 12:57 PM

nope, when they say a course its really a note.

so 5 course oud is typically a oud tuned (trebble to bass) cc gg dd AA FF
that bass string can be doubled or not, doesnt matter

A 6 course oud usually adds the bass string cc gg dd AA FF C
that 6th string is never doubled because they are so thick they would rattle against eachother.

Lysander - 3-19-2014 at 12:58 PM

Quote: Originally posted by oudmood  
so a 5 course oud just means there's a single bass string, with the 5 higher strings being doubled.

a 6 course has the bass string doubled as well?


As far as I'm aware, if there are five courses, there are ten strings. If there are six courses, there are eleven strings.

The bass string being a single drone string for six course ouds. This goes for Turkish as well as Arabic ouds.

oudmood - 3-19-2014 at 01:07 PM

Got it, thanks.

I'm shopping for my first oud now, and I've see 5-course oud in writing a lot, but I think I've only come accross 6 course ouds. I'm guessing the 10 strings are not popular

Jody Stecher - 3-19-2014 at 02:14 PM

OK. The sixth bass course may be doubled. It is rare for C tuning, (where the trebles, low to high are : AA dd gg cc ) but not unknown. Hamza El Din used a doubled bass course for instance. See attached photo.

But in F tuning it unusual for the bass course to be single. Check out Naseer Houari on youtube for instance. you will see six double courses, 12 strings in all. See attached photo. That's just one example of 12 courses.

Courses have nothing to do with performance.

Five course ouds are unpopular with those who prefer six courses or seven courses. Six course ouds are unpopular with those who prefer seven courses or five courses. Seven course ouds…etc.

No, a five course oud does not mean an oud with five double courses and one single course. That is called a 6 course oud. A five course oud is an oud with five courses, be they single, double or whatever.

A course may be single (as on a guitar) double (as on a mandolin and some kinds of buzuq) triple (as on a qanun or a piano, or other kinds of buzuq) or a combination of double and single as on an oud.



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SamirCanada - 3-19-2014 at 03:49 PM

well said Jody.

my advice is get a 6 course oud, one that has the right number of pegs and holes in the bridge to accommodate the strings.

then you can try the oud tuned with 5 courses or 6. more flexible that way.

oudmood - 3-19-2014 at 04:54 PM


I have a good understanding of it now, thanks everyone for the replies.