billkilpatrick
Oud Junkie
Posts: 563
Registered: 1-3-2004
Location: italy
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tone enhancment
a simple way to improve the tone of your instrument:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KB29agLAQg
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dss
Oud Lover
Posts: 11
Registered: 3-15-2005
Location: NY
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Interesting
When he put the cloth over his mandolin I was half expecting a magic trick where all the sudden it would disappear.
Any experience that anything like this actually works in terms of creating a perceptible difference in tone? Would putting one of those magnetic wrist
bands around the peg box work as well? "Oud-strong" ;-)
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carpenter
Oud Junkie
Posts: 248
Registered: 8-30-2005
Location: Eugene OR
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Mood: brimming with hope
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There were some old-time fiddlers who would drop a rattlesnake rattle down the soundhole for tone improvement. Whatever lets you sleep nights, I guess
...
Here's my theory in action. An old geezer told me a long time ago to keep instruments on the wall, and the sympathetic vibrations from the radio,
other instruments, even talking would keep the vibrations going 24/7 and exercise the tops, like playing. I don't know for sure, but I've been hanging
mine up for 20 years or so; I like to think it works. When they're all nicely tuned and the dog barks, the ringing is kind of impressive - not like
noon in a clock shop, but cool.
I've noticed if I keep my violin in the case for a long time, it takes longer to "wake up" when I start playing.
No control group, of course. As an Authentic Old Geezer, I freely pass along the half-baked opinion, however.
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gregorypause
Oud Addict
Posts: 44
Registered: 10-20-2007
Location: Hungary
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You have an impressive collection carpenter! Nice hurdy-gurdy.
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carpenter
Oud Junkie
Posts: 248
Registered: 8-30-2005
Location: Eugene OR
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Thanks - now if I had time to keep 'em all played in ...
<< Nice hurdy-gurdy >>
Thanx again. With sympathetic strings, even! Armed with my oud-bowl-making experience (small as it is), I think a bowl-back 'gurdy is in the near
future.
But I'm wandering off-topic again Our local music store keeps their instruments hanging out in the open, claiming the same supposed intangible tonal
benefits. Who knows for sure? Maybe I could strap my orbital sander on the old oud and let it run overnight ...
Nothing beats regular playing in tune.
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Dr. Oud
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 12-18-2002
Location: Sacramento, CA, USA
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This reminded me of a summer camp when I hung a bunch of instruments in a tree for about 2 weeks. They made the best wind chimers I've ever heard, nd
I think they sounded better than ever before or since too.
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Jameel
Oud Junkie
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Afif and Peter played my #2 for like 3 hours straight during one of Mike's oud summits, and it sounded incredible for literally 2-3 weeks afterwards.
It was incredible.
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billkilpatrick
Oud Junkie
Posts: 563
Registered: 1-3-2004
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tone quality can't help but be a subjective consideration. i hear a difference but i don't think a "before/after" sound sample via my cam/corder
would detect a change. but it makes sense to think that constant vibration will cause an improvement. the question is: how long will it last and is
it accumulative?
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Sasha
Oud Maniac
Posts: 95
Registered: 1-12-2003
Location: San Diego, California
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There was a discussopn on this subject at mimf.com about a decade or so ago.
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rebetostar
Oud Maniac
Posts: 96
Registered: 1-31-2007
Location: the East shore, BC
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Jameel
Afif and Peter played my #2 for like 3 hours straight during one of Mike's oud summits, and it sounded incredible for literally 2-3 weeks afterwards.
It was incredible. |
Sounds like they imbued the instrument with a much subtler vibration (yet more powerful?) than what a vibrator could accomplish.
Still, this is an interesting idea! Must experiment.
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billkilpatrick
Oud Junkie
Posts: 563
Registered: 1-3-2004
Location: italy
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Mood: what?
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| Quote: | Originally posted by carpenter
There were some old-time fiddlers who would drop a rattlesnake rattle down the soundhole for tone improvement. Whatever lets you sleep nights, I guess
...
Here's my theory in action. An old geezer told me a long time ago to keep instruments on the wall, and the sympathetic vibrations from the radio,
other instruments, even talking would keep the vibrations going 24/7 and exercise the tops, like playing. I don't know for sure, but I've been hanging
mine up for 20 years or so; I like to think it works. When they're all nicely tuned and the dog barks, the ringing is kind of impressive - not like
noon in a clock shop, but cool.
I've noticed if I keep my violin in the case for a long time, it takes longer to "wake up" when I start playing.
No control group, of course. As an Authentic Old Geezer, I freely pass along the half-baked opinion, however. |
complimenti - looks like very inviting part of the house.
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carpenter
Oud Junkie
Posts: 248
Registered: 8-30-2005
Location: Eugene OR
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Mood: brimming with hope
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Thanks; I think so - next to the kitchen, that is ...
<< a much subtler vibration (yet more powerful?) than what a vibrator could accomplish.
Still, this is an interesting idea! Must experiment. >>
Get your oud tuned up, prop it up in front of the speaker, feed it some good CDs for a couple of hours at a decent volume, and see. (Mine likes Rahim
Alhaj, but who doesn't?) Maybe there's an improvement, maybe not, but at least I get to hear some good music while I ponder the imponderables.
<< a discussopn on this subject at mimf.com about a decade or so ago >>
I wasn't paying attention to them a decade ago - it's a mark against me, and I know it - but was there a determination made?
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Melbourne
Oud Junkie
Posts: 354
Registered: 10-9-2006
Location: Mlebourne, Australia
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Mood: راحة الأرواح
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Interesting....
What if you rest your oud right against a floorstanding speaker (so it is in contact), and play a loud solo oud cd? I'm going to give that a go now
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OudandTabla
Oud Maniac
Posts: 81
Registered: 2-21-2008
Location: Eugene, OR
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Mood: Oud-a-licious
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When I first started learning Oud, I practiced for 2 hours a day, and by the end of the first year I started getting picky about tuning. I used a
combination of just intonation and equal temperament to try to get it to ring on all the perfect fourths, fifths and octaves. As you know, just
intonation and equal temperament are very different beasts, and I was never satisfied with my combination.
So one day I grabbed a cheap guitar tuner and spent 20 minutes tuning exactly to the device. For some reason, everything I played that day sounded 10
times better! It rang more, sounded more in tune, and the Oud sounded "alive" like never before.
I have no explanation (I thought equal temperament would sound less in tune, not more) and never got it to sound quite like that again, but believe me
I try!!!
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OudandTabla
Oud Maniac
Posts: 81
Registered: 2-21-2008
Location: Eugene, OR
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Mood: Oud-a-licious
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Addendum: my theory is that when all the strings are perfectly in tune with itself, the instrument will ring with a much more full voice.
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