Tulis
Oud Addict
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Registered: 12-2-2018
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String length 61.5cm or 58.5cm
Hello everybody,
I have a turkish oud (58.5cm string length) with arabic tuning and i consider to buy a new oud. I read that the arabic oud string length is 61.5cm.
What is in the different in the sound between two ouds tuned in arabic style and have different length?
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
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Location: Brooklyn, NY
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The differences between any two ouds' sound are generally much bigger than the difference betwen the scale (vibrating string length) of the oud. The
biggest thing that determines the sound are skill and imagination of the maker, not the scale length.
That said, there is no "Arabic oud string length." Arabic ouds range from 57cm to 63cm. 61.5 is a pretty common one, but there is a wide range (in
contrast with Turkish ouds, which are nearly all 58.5cm).
In my experience, the biggest thing that the longer scale length helps with is getting a good sound on the second course (g in standard tuning). It's
tough to get that string to resonate properly on smaller ouds, though good makers manage to do it. The biggest drawback to longer ouds is that the
wound 3rd course (d) can easily be overpowering. Both of these issues have to do with the material properties of strings (it's hard to make a heavy
plain string that sounds good and it's hard to make a light wound string that sounds good).
For that reason, I prefer 60cm as it is a good middle ground and allows the widest range of string options to try (and saves money since you are less
likely to need expensive custom strings), and often has a bit smoother transition between the plain and wound strings.
But more important to get a well-made instrument than anything else.
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Tulis
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This is clear now. Thank you very much.
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rojaros
Oud Junkie
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When I ordered my first oud from Sebastian Stenzel, I asked him to do 61,5 scale length. He persuaded me to make it shorter and I'm for ever grateful.
It's 60. I have no small hands, but I prefer 58.5 these days.
Of course you can get familar with almost everything, but shorter scale length is sooooo much more comfortable IMHO.
Mustafa Said plays 58.5 and you can't say he doesn't sound arabic LOL. It's much more to the oud construction to sound 'arabic' than the scale length,
which is probably least important of the parameters.
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