Eric
Oud Lover
Posts: 18
Registered: 7-2-2005
Location: Skokie, IL
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Mood: Eager to learn!
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Tuning my new oud from Haluk
Hi, everyone! My learner oud from Haluk has arrived, and it's just beautiful. The crate was solid and undamaged, and the oud was packed in its case,
in a layer of bubble-wrap, with packaging to cushion it and a brace across the box to keep the box firm and the oud steady.
So--now that I have the oud, I have my first question! I've seen a variety of Turkish tunings listed in posts here, and I know that Greg tuned his
oud from Haluk to Arabic tuning. I suppose I'm just wondering what anyone would recommend by way of an initial turning, since I'm just starting
out.
Also, one of the tuning pegs seems just slightly slippery as I start to tune the oud. It wants to stay at the note it arrived on! Advice on how to
fix or work with that?
Best,
Eric
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Jonathan
Oud Junkie
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It's a Turkish oud. I would use Turkish tuning. The most common would be:
EABead (from low to high). That is a really good place to start.
Is there a white, soapy material on the pegs? If so, that has to go, or the pegs are going to slip.
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syrianoud
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 7-22-2005
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Eric
Hi, everyone! My learner oud from Haluk has arrived, and it's just beautiful. The crate was solid and undamaged, and the oud was packed in its case,
in a layer of bubble-wrap, with packaging to cushion it and a brace across the box to keep the box firm and the oud steady.
So--now that I have the oud, I have my first question! I've seen a variety of Turkish tunings listed in posts here, and I know that Greg tuned his
oud from Haluk to Arabic tuning. I suppose I'm just wondering what anyone would recommend by way of an initial turning, since I'm just starting
out.
Also, one of the tuning pegs seems just slightly slippery as I start to tune the oud. It wants to stay at the note it arrived on! Advice on how to
fix or work with that?
Best,
Eric
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Congratulaions Eric I am waiting for mine ,I am glad that it turned to be a nice oud,Enjoy Ouding .Samir ,California
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Eric
Oud Lover
Posts: 18
Registered: 7-2-2005
Location: Skokie, IL
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Mood: Eager to learn!
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Thanks, everyone! I've got it tuned now, more or less, to the tuning you suggested, Jonathan. I gave the slippery peg a little push deeper in--just
the smallest, as you can imagine, since I'm new at all this--and now it's holding the tuning just fine.
I'm going to give the strings a day or two to settle into their notes, and just start getting to know the instrument, before I start thinking about
Greg's move to different strings.
I couldn't be happier with the instrument--it's beautiful to look at, and the bass notes are rich and deep. I especially love how I can feel them
deep in my chest as I play! 
Thanks to everyone--especially Jonathan & of course Haluk!
Eric
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Haluk
Oud Junkie
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Location: Aydin-Turkey
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Enjoy your oud Eric.That Balsam pegs are very good for lasting tune.We were applying very few talc powder for wet climate conditions,without powder to
turn the peg was impossible.Now we don't apply powder anymore.If you have any problem please inform.
Regards all.
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kasos
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 4-21-2005
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Hi - glad to hear your peg slipping problems are basically solved. If the problem recurs, though, one thing which you may want to consider is
sidewalk chalk - not blackboard chalk, which seems to have some sort of wax in it, but the stuff kids use on the walk outside. It's usually
available for next to nothing at dollar or novelty stores. I've used it on several of my wooden pegged instruments (including my oud and lavta),
when slipping is a problem, with good results.
Good luck, Mark
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SamirCanada
Moderator
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Registered: 6-4-2004
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I have similar recomendation but I find it works miracles. when I had slipage problems I resorted to bodybuilder chalk. Its the type of chalk you can
get at suplement stores and gyms. Its made to get a strong grip on the bar. and its about the same price as sidewalk chalk.
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Eric
Oud Lover
Posts: 18
Registered: 7-2-2005
Location: Skokie, IL
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Mood: Eager to learn!
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Thanks, everyone! I had to hit the road early this morning, so I didn't have a chance to check how the tuning held overnight, but I'm glad to have
all this advice.
So what you're all saying is, if I need to, I can take out the peg, put on a little of one of those chalks, and put it back in. Got it!
But, as I say, the problem may already be solved--I'll find out when I can get home and get playing!
Eric
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syrianoud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 631
Registered: 7-22-2005
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Well Eric I bought a PEG DOPE online , i have to try it and I got Peg Drops Liquid Peg Compound where it says The answer to a string player prayer.
The first simple cure for slipping & vreaking pegs. They are not expensive at all. here is there web site http://www.donleyviolins.com
good luck and hope that it will help you some how .Best Regards ... samir California
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Eric
Oud Lover
Posts: 18
Registered: 7-2-2005
Location: Skokie, IL
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Mood: Eager to learn!
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Hi, everyone--thanks for all your suggestions. The tuning seems to be holding just fine overnight, but I'm glad to have all the tips in case I need
them.
I do have one last tuning question. I tuned the oud to the standard tuning Jonathan suggested (EABead), but I have also seen a number of posts and
other things on line suggesting a slightly different, also standard tuning, all in fourths: C#F#Bead. I shifted to that this morning, just to check
how it would feel under my fingers and how it would sound.
Is there any reason to prefer one to the other? Haluk, if you're out there, would you recommend one or the other for this particular oud or set of
strings?
Best,
Eric
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Jonathan
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 7-27-2004
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It extends the range to do it that way, of course.
What kind of music are you listening to--anybody, or any type of music in particular?
I like the EABead because of the whole octave thing--you can just get a really nice, full sound that way, often letting one of the bass strings just
keep resonating a bit while you play over it, as well. I am really pretty much just playing some relatively simple, folk melodies.
If I am playing something in D or D minor, or a Nihavent in D, I will sometimes go with DABead, but it is not necessary.
And, the musicians that I am listening to, mostly Armenians and Turks, seem to be using this tuning, so it is easy for me to stay with it so that I
can copy (or, more honestly, rip off) their playing as much as possible.
I am a newbie at this, too, though, and I would be interested in hearing others opinions.
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Eric
Oud Lover
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Registered: 7-2-2005
Location: Skokie, IL
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Hey, thanks for all your help, Jonathan. After shifting back and forth too many times to count, from Arabic to Turkish and back, I find that I'm
enjoying that DABead tuning the most, probably because I have been practicing the Nihavent in D most often, and I like to have the low octave around.
(There's a pretty piece in 3/4 time in the Nihavent section of the DVD that came with the oud, and it suits me for noodling around, too.)
Like Jason, I may order up some Aquila strings for this oud, although I think I'll order an EABead set and tune the low string down.
The biggest problem I'm having these days is putting down the oud and getting back to work!
Eric 
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Jonathan
Oud Junkie
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I like that, too, Eric. I usually keep mine EABead, and then, if I want to play some Nihavent, I just drop that bottom E down to D.
John Vartan also puts out an instructional tape on the oud, too. Pretty basic, but helpful. I think Lark in the Morning stocks it. And, it is also
geared toward Turkish oud.
I like Aquilas, but on Turkish ouds I guess I lean more toward LaBellas. They may not do the job for Arabic ouds, but I think that they really do
sound good on Turkish ouds. Just personal preference.
There's a ton of material in the makam Nihavent. Not just middle eastern music, but, since it is pretty much D minor (I know, I know, not really),
there's a ton of Western music that works out on it, too. So you can go from Nihavent Longa, to Besame Mucho, and you're still in Nihavent.
Good luck
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