mahaprana - 4-20-2004 at 06:21 AM
Hi Everyone.
My name is Josh Michaell. I've been reading this forum with great delight for the past week and decided to join a couple of days ago so I wanted
to say hi and to tell you a bit about myself. I live in Marin County in Northern California. I play several instruments - fretless banjo, slide guitar
and guqin (a 7 string classical chinese zither) I have always been drawn to fretless instruments, the lovely haunting quality, the way they can
emulate the human voices and the subtle nature of the microtones that you can play. Mainly the style of music that I play is traditional American
music of the Southern Appalachian mountains...essentially American world music! For 6 years I worked for Appleseed Records producing CDs of American
traditional music. Now I still do recording projects on a case by case basis. I am currently producing a CD of Chinese improvisational music with my
friend, East Bay guitarist Henry Kaiser. Otherwise, I work as a psychotherapist. Being a psychotherapist is a good thing, especially when working with
musicians! (s)
I have found myself being drawn more into exploring the world of ouds and oud playing lately. It started a couple of years ago when I went to a small
bookstore in Marin and just by chance Hamza el Din was getting ready to perform. The only spot left was on the floor right in front of him. Anyway,
the PA sounded terrible so Hamza decided to shut it off and play completely unamplified. I sat there transfixed as he played and sang less than five
feet in front of me. It was a sublime experience. Also, I helped produce a CD of appalachian ballads several years before by Jody Stecher and on the
title track of his CD he played the oud as a sort of "alap" to the tune. It was very lovely and stayed in my head and also planted a seed
about the possibilities of using the oud in a traditional American music context.
Last week I was in a record store in Berkeley and picked up a used French compilation called Le Luth Des Virtuoses. I had not heard of any of the
players besides Munir Bashir. I got to track #4 which was an excerpt of Farid el Atrache playing Takassim Oud from his King of the Oud CD. Yikes! That
completely blew my head off. I have read comments that some people find the audience participation distracting but I felt just the opposite. It
really captured the power of live performance. Also, I know that if I were there I'd be clapping my ass of as well! (s)
I did a search on him and came up with this website and forum. In addition to him there were gorgeous tracks by Fawzy Al-Aiedy, Alla, Naseer Shamma
and Thierry Robin. So many styles and ways of playing.
So now I'm hooked and looking forward to getting myself an oud. One issue that I face is that I am hopelessly left-handed. As such, all of my
instruments are lefty and the oud would need to be as well. I have contacted Dr. Oud and am talking with him about building me a lefty oud. I feel
more drawn to the Arabic ouds and very much like the aesthetics of the photos of the Nahat ouds that I have seen. Simple and refined speaks to my
tastes.
I know that I have several questions but I will not lump then into this post. Please excuse any of them that may have been answered before.
It is exciting to be entering a world of music with which I am not familiar. In my other musical worlds, years of experience has brought a sense of
familiarity and comfort. It feels good to be a beginner again.
Sincerely,
-Josh
nadir - 4-20-2004 at 06:38 AM
Welcome to the forum Josh! I'm glad your so enthusiastic with starting a new instrument! 
spyros mesogeia - 4-20-2004 at 07:03 AM
welcome above us my friend.
This is the best family in the world.......the oudfamily
Regards
Spyros
TruePharaoh21 - 4-20-2004 at 07:33 AM
Hey Josh. Welcome to the forum, man. I'm sure we can all learn from each other, and it sounds like you have a lot to contribute musically, which
I definitely look forward to.
Feel free to ask as many questions as you want. The rest of us do. 
TP21
Zulkarnain - 4-20-2004 at 07:36 AM
WELCOME!
Mike - 4-20-2004 at 04:08 PM
Hey Josh,
First of all, welcome to the forums. And thanks for sharing your background with us. Welcome to the world of oud addiction. It's an amazing
instrument, isn't it?
Take care,
Mike
mahaprana - 4-20-2004 at 04:18 PM
Quite an amazing instrument indeed! Thanks for the warm welcome!
-Josh
sydney - 4-20-2004 at 04:29 PM
Josh
Welcome mate, I believe you got your self into a real fun. I am sure you won't regret it.
As you see, we all waiting for a new oud star to be born every day. (s)
Good to have you here mate.
Emad from sydney
welcome
Haluk - 4-21-2004 at 02:23 AM
Hello,
Welcome to forum.
Regards.
Haluk Eraydin
hi josh
ghassan bashir - 4-23-2004 at 05:46 AM
hi josh..
first i would like to welcome you to our world of the oud..
second ,i think that we could do some thing together ????
humbly ,i think that am one of the very best oud players ...and i will be in LA on the 25th /april...
i would be more than glad to get in touch and discuss few things with you....
please e-mail me your contact number if you dont mind...looking forward.....
Zulkarnain - 4-23-2004 at 06:09 AM
zulka man
ghassan bashir - 4-23-2004 at 06:57 AM
hi guy ..how r you ..whats does this smily mean..
best regards
ghassan bashir
Zulkarnain - 4-23-2004 at 07:08 AM
Hi Ghassan
Mean I am in my most happy mood!!
Any news from Basrah?
Salam
Zul