palestine48 - 1-1-2007 at 11:17 AM
Hi I was wondering if there is a standard measurement to the width of a fingerboaard. My samir Azar oud has a rather wider one than my egyptiin.
Both have pros and cons. A wider board allows me to enunciate the notes more clearly where as a thinner one allows me to reach the low strings with
more comfort and less stretch. What do the experts and players think?
P.S. Happy New Year
al-Halabi - 1-1-2007 at 12:07 PM
A width of 35 mm at the nut is fairly standard, but many of the professional ouds (especially the Turkish) are made with a 40 mm wide fingerboard at
the nut. I find the wider fingerboard to be superior - it allows for clearer articulation of the notes, and the extra stretch is a good exercise for
the fingers without being an unnatural strain. It makes it easier to finger chords without the fingers touching more than one course, which happens
when the courses are closer to each other. If your Samir Azar oud has a wider fingerboard of around 40 mm I would consider that an advantage.
Hosam - 1-1-2007 at 12:17 PM
I took measurements for different ouds. Width of the neck varied from 34mm to 39 mm at the nut to 49 mm to 55 mm at the neck. These were all 11/12
strings ouds. What is your Azar width? Does the neck have same thickness as your Egyptian oud or it is a little thinner? I think players with larger
hands will be more comfortable with wider neck.
palestine48 - 1-1-2007 at 04:41 PM
Hi Guy's thanks for responding, Happy New Year
I measured both necks of ouds and they are as follows
1. Azar
width at the nut 40 mm
width at the base where it joins the face 60 mm
2. Egyptian
width at the nut 35 mm
width at the base 55mm
The azar has a thicker neck than the egyptian
I think the wider neck is better for articulation especially for producing chords.
I would not say my hands are big and my fingers are not long ( I cant say they are unusally short either since I do not know what to compare too but
on that note my teacher said farid el atrache had shorting fingers than i did) so I can see how the thinner neck will easier streatches especially
with the pinky but a wider neck allows clearer sounding of the notes.