oudmad - 7-6-2008 at 02:14 PM
There is an impressive array of websites that DISCUSS and DESCRIBE oud tuning (many different ways). None of them are designed for a barely musically
literate person like myself. Second, none of the sites offer sound clips on any of the tuning of the oud, in case one wishes to tune the oud by ear.
Does anyone know of, or has a sound clip of, a typical Arabic style oud tuning (preferably no more than 2 methods)? If it is no extra problem, could
the tuning notes be indicated in solfeo notes (do-re-mi etc.)? I would really appreciate your help. Thanks.
muhrvis - 7-6-2008 at 05:59 PM
One of the typical Arabic tunings is C-F-A-D-G-C (from the lowest to the highest note). Use a piano to help you get tuned, or buy yourself a little
electronic tuner/metronome which will tell you what note you are tuning to for each string and when you get it exactly right. Or a little tuning fork
would help you tune by ear.
C-F-A-D-G-C would correspond to DO - FA - LA - RE [next octave] - SO - DO. But it is not enough to know only the relationship of the tones, because
the strings are made specifically for a certain tension, so if you tune them too high they might snap, too low and they will be too loose. Plus you
wouldn't be able to play along to recordings that were made at the actual correct pitch.
oudmad - 7-6-2008 at 07:05 PM
Thanks muhrvis. That would be a great start. Appreciate your taking time.
muhrvis - 7-7-2008 at 07:30 PM
No problem. Enjoy!
Rule of forth
katakofka - 7-7-2008 at 08:05 PM
Arabic or turkish tuning are based on the same rule, the rule of forth. You find it tipical in turkish tuning but in arabic it varies for the lower
tone strings. As mentionned, DO-FA-LA-RE-SOL-DO is typical in arabic tuning. Sometimes you find DO-SOL-LA-RE-SOL-DO or DO-MI-LA-RE-SOL-DO. However,
the last 4 strings are always separated by 4 notes. The low strings are mainly used as a Pedal to hit base notes.
Recently with the use of a high pitch F (fa) string I have seen this tuning RE-LA-re-so-do-fa. Nasser Shamma tuning is FA-DO-re-sol-do-fa.
In turkish the tuning is higher one tone ( SI-MI-LA-RE intsead of LA-RE-SOL-Do)
Hope this was helpfull and not confusing