rojaros
Oud Junkie
Posts: 580
Registered: 7-9-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
reasonable oud action
Hello, what is in your opinion a reasonable action at the neck-body joint for the highest treble course?
Inputs much appreciated
|
|
|
SamirCanada
Moderator
Posts: 3404
Registered: 6-4-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
I like between 2mm and 2.5mm, I can live with 3mm for a little bit but anything higher needs to be addressed.
just wondering why on the highest treble course? the action should be similar for all the courses.
sometimes the largest 6th base string needs a bit higher to avoid a lot of slapping on the fingerboard but not that big a deal.
@samiroud Instagram
samiroudmaker@gmail.com
|
|
|
rojaros
Oud Junkie
Posts: 580
Registered: 7-9-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Thanks!
In my experience bass strings, especially the lowest course, just does need a bigger excursion leeway in order not to slap a lot and to have a fullest
possible sound. But this is not a big issue as I'm not playing much in higher positions on the lowest course anyway.
It obviously depends also on the string tension. I'm using 3kg per string on double courses, and that's a bit on the soft side.
But I have seen Mustafa Said playing such an amazingly low actions with a tremendously full sound and no slapping at all - so all it boils down to,
probably, is risha technique...
|
|
|
SamirCanada
Moderator
Posts: 3404
Registered: 6-4-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
so all it boils down to, probably, is risha technique...
YES 
I would say he has a pretty good technique, what do you think?
@samiroud Instagram
samiroudmaker@gmail.com
|
|
|
rojaros
Oud Junkie
Posts: 580
Registered: 7-9-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
You mean Mustafa Said? Oh man, you can say so.
He's totally beyond technique. Once he was visiting me when we worked on a final master of his Autism CD. He was quite ill with flue, but he wanted to
work nevertheless. He then also tried my ouds, and he played a fantastic taqsim on my 7 course Stenzel and excused himself he isn't accustomed to 60cm
scale length (he plays only 57,5cm as a regular situation) and he is too ill for quick adjustments, but in my ears this was not of this world what he
played. And no buzzes whatsoever. He plays a very hard risha ... I couldn't handle at all.
Yes, he is a great master of the oud beyond any doubt.
|
|
|
SamirCanada
Moderator
Posts: 3404
Registered: 6-4-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
yeah that's for sure. Master.
@samiroud Instagram
samiroudmaker@gmail.com
|
|
|
rojaros
Oud Junkie
Posts: 580
Registered: 7-9-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Any other contributions as to the optimum action you like?
|
|
|
Omar Al-Mufti
Oud Junkie
Posts: 333
Registered: 3-14-2012
Member Is Offline
|
|
For me, an action of 2.5-2.7 mm is the optimum in terms of playability and sound. I literally HATE buzzing. Believe me, I have bought and played many
ouds over the past 30 years, close to 100 ouds or more. No oud with action less than 2.5 is buzzing-free, and if, it is just a fortunate set of
circumstances.
The low action issue has been exaggerated lately. I am really against putting playability superior to sound.
I need to draw the attention that, with great respect to oud modern schools, oud is not violin. Oud in my opinion is designed to be played in the
range of the neck, in some case when needed then beyond that towards the soundboard. Oud needs more development in terms of design and technique to
reach violin playability. I have never seen an oud player who can get correct notes beyond the neck joint. For those few notes beyond the joint, I
wouldn't sacrifice the sound just to have a lower action close to the soundboard.
Check please the new ouds made by Nazih Ghadban. They buzz like hell, although they guy is really good, just to satisfy the newly-introduced criteria
of very low action.
With all respect to the forum members who do not agree with me.
|
|
|
Oud Freak
Oud Junkie
Posts: 291
Registered: 11-23-2007
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud Jerk 
|
|
Quote: Originally posted by Omar Al-Mufti  | For me, an action of 2.5-2.7 mm is the optimum in terms of playability and sound. I literally HATE buzzing. Believe me, I have bought and played many
ouds over the past 30 years, close to 100 ouds or more. No oud with action less than 2.5 is buzzing-free, and if, it is just a fortunate set of
circumstances.
The low action issue has been exaggerated lately. I am really against putting playability superior to sound.
I need to draw the attention that, with great respect to oud modern schools, oud is not violin. Oud in my opinion is designed to be played in the
range of the neck, in some case when needed then beyond that towards the soundboard. Oud needs more development in terms of design and technique to
reach violin playability. I have never seen an oud player who can get correct notes beyond the neck joint. For those few notes beyond the joint, I
wouldn't sacrifice the sound just to have a lower action close to the soundboard.
Check please the new ouds made by Nazih Ghadban. They buzz like hell, although they guy is really good, just to satisfy the newly-introduced criteria
of very low action.
With all respect to the forum members who do not agree with me.
|
Indeed, oud is not violin and therefore a slight buzzing in the low positions is absolutely charming and pleasant to hear. No buzzing at all means no
soul... in my humble opinion.
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbprobrown/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
