Mike's Oud Forums

Electric/Amplified Oud

Brian Prunka - 10-18-2008 at 03:16 PM

I'm wondering if anyone has tried Fishman's new "acoustic imaging" pedals with an oud . . . they have a model for nylon string guitar that I imagine may work.
Here's the decsription from Fishman's website:
Quote:

Aura uses digital algorithms, developed in Fishman’s audio labs, to create an Image of the natural sound that microphones capture in a professional studio. This Image, when played through an amp, mixer, or PA, blends with your instrument’s pickup to produce an immediate and dramatic improvement in your amplified sound.


Here's the interesting thing: they will make a custom pedal using the microphones of your choice if you ship the instrument to them. I doubt they have someone available to play an oud though, so they may not be willing to do it for oud. They're based in Massachusetts, so there are definitely oud players nearby, though. Right now the introductory price on a custom pedal is the same as for a standard pedal.

Anyway, I just thought I'd put this out there, see if anyone has tried these for guitar or oud and what they thought.

journeyman - 10-19-2008 at 06:41 AM

Hi Brian,
I have the Fishman Aura and use it for my nylon string guitar. (I have the original floor model, not the small pedal that they also make now) It has good feedback control and there are enough "images" available to find something close to any guitar. I also use it with my Yamaha silent guitar and it works great for that. I have B-Band pickups in both instruments. (much better sounding that peizos (sp?) in my opinion) I have never used an oud with it but I can't see why it wouldn't work great. The EQ adjustments on the Aura work well but they are much more subtle than a normal preamp. It took me a while to appreciate this but they do work well if you give the unit a chance. There are also a bunch of "images" on their website that you can download into the unit, and yes, if you send them the oud they will try to "image" it and e mail it to you. A friend played cello through it and it also sounded great for that. If you can borrow one first that would be great as they are a bit expensive now.

Cheers,
Roy

Lazzaro - 10-20-2008 at 01:22 AM

Ciao Brian I used the new aura pedal for nylon strings in my last concert in Cairo with the classic guitar. You can listen in this video (the microphones are off whit the guitar)
http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=A7s4uqtV3uQ
I used the aura also in this other video
http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=-IXOkdQZFPw
I never tried on the oud but now I have a bridge for undersaddle pickup and I hope to use with my floating bridge
Best regards Maurizio

Lazzaro - 10-21-2008 at 12:00 PM

I recorded a little example. The first part is dry piezo, the second part with the aura.
I like the result but for the oud I need a pickup longer than normal one for guitar.
Same makers made one for ten strings guitar.
ciao Maurizio:)

Laith - 10-21-2008 at 04:24 PM

I use the fishman nylon aura pedal on my najarrian electric and it really helps it to sound more "natural". I tried the pedal on my other ouds (they all have K&K pick-ups) and the pedal didn't really seem to add a whole lot. For the acoustic ouds with the K&Ks I use LR Baggs paracoustic D.I. and the Fishman pedal for the electric oud.

Brian Prunka - 10-21-2008 at 07:36 PM

Hey Lazzaro, thanks for that. I have to say that the aura is a huge improvement. It sounds a lot more natural. I'm thinking I'm going to get one of these for my nylon guitar anyway, so I'll just end up trying it on one of my ouds and seeing how it works. From reading a little bit more about it, it really is designed to work with an undersaddle piezo pickup. Since I'm not using one on my ouds, I would not expect it to work that well.

SamirCanada - 10-21-2008 at 07:58 PM

that was great Maurizio

Lazzaro - 10-22-2008 at 12:14 AM

Yes the aura pedal needs an undersaddle pickup
ciao Maurizio

MatthewW - 10-25-2008 at 11:57 AM

Ciao Maurizio. I share Brians and your interest on applying the Fishman Aura/undersaddle piezo pickup for use on the oud. Please keep us posted on your progress and if you decide to go ahead and have a luthier install this onto your oud with success. For picking up the oud, is it anything along the lines of what the JT special made by Faruk Turunz uses, 13 strings with classical guitar type saddle with a Fishman under saddle acoustic pick-up and pre-amp equalizer? cheers, MW

Lazzaro - 10-25-2008 at 03:27 PM

Hi Matthew, with the floating bridge I don't need to change the structure of the bridge. The aura is more than an equalizer or something different.
In this period I am using a copy of a Torres classic guitar with the bridge like oud and I love the sound.
Therefore, I dont like to add a saddle to a traditional oud bridge
best regards Maurizio