Habibi - 3-17-2017 at 12:15 AM
When listening to some players online namely this being one example
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o0AsR7JpwuI
According to Nazih Ghadban's site he states that this tuning is C to C on this particular Oud but when checking it on a standard 440 pitch tuner is C#
to C#
I'm installing pyramid Oud 665/11 http://www.oudstrings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=...
I understand the tension is slightly higher on these so I don't want to over tension.
My question is do most people tune to CtoC or is it supposed to be C#toC# or does Arabic tuning operate on a different pitch?
Thanks
Matthias - 3-17-2017 at 12:59 AM
Hello,
I never heard of this, tuning a half note higher.
The tension info about that strings you can find here:
https://music-strings.de/Pyramid-super-Aoud-strings-11-string-set
A half note higher neans .3 Kg more in trension, so it means if you have a 60 cm scale you willhave 5.3 Kg on the low C and the others
respectively.
For me that is a tension for a floating bridge.
Matthias
Brian Prunka - 3-17-2017 at 05:41 AM
Arabic music in general doesn't necessarily use a fixed pitch reference, so tunings can indeed vary somewhat. However, I would definitely not tune
any set higher than intended—this can be very risky for the instrument.
More common is to tune lower—tuning the C down to B or Bb is common.
Most people these days do tune to C though. I've never come across someone tuning to C#.
Habibi - 3-17-2017 at 02:36 PM
If you listen to the Ghadban clip it's in #
Jody Stecher - 3-17-2017 at 10:35 PM
Yes, the absolute pitch of the oud in this video is C sharp. But the oud is tuned down a half step from "standard", not up. The note
Rast is not C sharp. Rast would be B natural. It is the open third string that is tuned to C sharp. Every time that pitch sounds you can see the risha
playing the open third string. The bass string is tuned an octave below the third string.
Jody Stecher - 3-18-2017 at 10:28 PM
In other words the tuning here is a half step lower than
D G (or F) A d g c