Mostafa Harake
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 10-27-2014
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Arabic Tuning Versions
Hello Guys,
It seems that I will need your help a lot as this is my second day with my Oud and I feel that things are quite complicated.
Now, I learned how to sit and hold the Oud and how to strike the strings and all these very basic things. But, I have a problem in tuning.
(1) Apparently, there are different kinds of Arabic Tuning. The Oud that I have is tuned as follows (from down to up): F, C, G, D, A, F (i.e. Fa Do
Sol Re La Fa). In this tuning, the upper string is double.
(2) However, all the learning materials I have access to teach the tuning as follows (from down to up): C, G, D, A, F, C (i.e. Do Sol Re La Fa Do). In
this tuning, the upper string is single.
Now, I have a couple of questions please:
a) If I want to convert my Oud from stage (1) into stage (2), I need to delete the lowest string (the low Fa) and shift all the other strings downward
by one level. But, in this case I will have an empty string at the upper level, which should be the high Do. So, how can I get this high Do?
b) When I adopt one type of tuining and I do all the exercises on, will I be able to play another Oud with different tuning?
c) Which type of tuning is more known/used? And what do you advise me to adopt?
Please let me know if any of my questions are ambiguous. I am looking forward to benefit from your professional opinions.
Thank you all and I really appreciate your help.
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
Posts: 2916
Registered: 1-30-2004
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Mood: Stringish
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First, you should get used to reversing how you name the strings. We name the strings by how they sound in music, not by physical orientation, so the
highest string is the highest-sounding one.
You need a low C string, and it's possible the slot for it in your nut may need to be widened.
Personally, I prefer the low-C tuning. Most "classic" music is best in this tuning. Both tunings are popular, but it I would recommend the low-C
tuning if you are learning. You can always switch to high f'f' later. The main reason for this is that if the highest string is c', you will have to
develop your ability to switch positions fluidly . . . if your high string is f', you may avoid developing this skill (obviously not true of everyone,
but just a general potential problem).
You can buy an individual string from my shop, or a local store. Usually something around .043in is appropriate. Strings available for lute or
classical guitar are fine.
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Jody Stecher
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1353
Registered: 11-5-2011
Location: California
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To add to Brian's response: the answer to question "a" is *yes*, move the strings over, but, as Brian said, you will be moving them down, not up. If
you think of it geographically you will have a hard time communicating with other string players and with sellers of strings because string
manufacturers label the thinnest, highest string on an instruments as "first" etc. However before you move the strings over you might want to wait
until you have acquired a bass C string. In the meantime, if you are working with written materials you can imagine that ff, cc, gg, and dd are cc, gg
dd, and AA. Your fingering will be the same and the sound will be an interval of one fourth higher. If you are working with audio/visual teaching
materials then this approach will be frustrating and annoying.
Most of what you will be playing at first will be on these highest four courses anyway. For the same reason you can move the strings now and play with
5 courses.
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Mostafa Harake
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 10-27-2014
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Hello Brian and Jody,
thank you so much for your informative comments. I got that the highest is the thinnest which is the nearest to the ground..
I have a question here, if I want to move all the strings down, can I move them from the bridge (in a way that I won't deattach all they string
keys)?
Of course this will make different keys control different strings, is that okay?
Please forgive my bad musical terminologies.
thanks again and again
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Jody Stecher
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1353
Registered: 11-5-2011
Location: California
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Quote: Originally posted by Mostafa Harake  | Hello Brian and Jody,
thank you so much for your informative comments. I got that the highest is the thinnest which is the nearest to the ground..
I have a question here, if I want to move all the strings down, can I move them from the bridge (in a way that I won't deattach all they string
keys)?
Of course this will make different keys control different strings, is that okay?
Please forgive my bad musical terminologies.
thanks again and again |
The answer is "probably not". It is likely to cause tangles and angles you don't want to know about!
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jack
Oud Junkie
Posts: 116
Registered: 4-5-2010
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Wise, and splendidly empirical. Gave me a good chuckle.
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juju
Oud Junkie
Posts: 125
Registered: 11-13-2011
Location: Paris - France
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Hi,
Choosing the right tuning is not so easy... First you have to answer the question "what kind of music I'd like play?".
If you wanna play traditional music maybe the most common choice is the "CFADGC" tuning.
"CGADGC" is also commonly used. "DGADGC" is used sometimes. In those tunings, the 2 bass strings change, but the others strings are always tuned in
fourth. The reason is that the bass strings help you to play different kind of maqam (the low D for Bayati is a good option). A good starting point
should be "CFADGC" ... then you can detune the bass strings and try different tunings.
The "high F" tuning (FADGCF) is often used in non-traditional context. It's a good option if you play with a bass player.
Best.
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Mostafa Harake
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 10-27-2014
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Hi JuJu,
Thanks for explaining
In the sequence of your letters, do you always start from the nearest string to the ground? or vise versa?
Cheers
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juju
Oud Junkie
Posts: 125
Registered: 11-13-2011
Location: Paris - France
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The sequences are given from bass strings to treble strings ... ( it's to say that my last letter is the closest strings to your feet)
a better notation should be "C2 F2 A3 D3 G3 C4" instead of "CFADGC"
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Mostafa Harake
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 10-27-2014
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okay okay i got it.
i need to learn a lot about these things 
thank you mate, highly appreaciated
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