Habibi
Oud Lover
Posts: 14
Registered: 3-11-2017
Member Is Offline
|
|
C F A D G C Tuning
When listening to some players online namely this being one example
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o0AsR7JpwuI
According to Nazih Ghadban's site he states that this tuning is C to C on this particular Oud but when checking it on a standard 440 pitch tuner is C#
to C#
I'm installing pyramid Oud 665/11 http://www.oudstrings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=...
I understand the tension is slightly higher on these so I don't want to over tension.
My question is do most people tune to CtoC or is it supposed to be C#toC# or does Arabic tuning operate on a different pitch?
Thanks
|
|
|
SamirCanada
Moderator
Posts: 3404
Registered: 6-4-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
That oud sounds tuned lower, I don't use a tuner mind you. As you said it can damage the oud to tune higher but it also isnt comfortable to play on
strings that taught. What's more common in Arabic oud is tuning lower like half a step or even a full step lower. I generally tune B to b unless I
have to play in a band.
@samiroud Instagram
samiroudmaker@gmail.com
|
|
|
Jody Stecher
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1353
Registered: 11-5-2011
Location: California
Member Is Offline
|
|
Arabic music nomenclature is relative not absolute so it it not unusual for C etc to not match a tuner. But it would be odd to tune sharp. However,
Once again: this oud is not tuned a half step high. It is tuned a half step low. This is not Buselik or Nawawand from C. It is being played from D,
the third string, from the string called Dugah. Not from Rast on the fourth course. To put in another way: this is not C minor tuned sharp. It is D
minor tuned low.
In relative terms the tuning is as follows low to high:
D G (or F) A d g c
but it is tuned a half step flat from A 440.
in absolute terms, this time from high to low: The first string is b not c.. The second string is f sharp or g flat, a half step below g natural. the
third string (the "key note" here) is D flat or C sharp, not D natural. The fourth string is A flat or G sharp. The fifth string is either E instead
of F or F#/Gb instead of G natural, and the bass or sixth course is tuned an octave below the third course. Its pitch is D flat or C sharp. Note that
the bass string is not tuned two octaves below the highest course in this particular instance. If it were, its pitch would be B natural.
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbprobrown/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
