Mike's Oud Forums

Advice on new strings for my Oud.

ASAL - 1-31-2009 at 07:52 PM

Hey everyone.
I recently got myself an Ibrahim al Sukar Oud.
I wanted to change the strings and i bought myself a D'Addario Oud Strings. http://store.daddario.com/category/144871/J95_Oud_Silver_Wound_on_N...

My concern now is that, did i buy the right set of strings for my Oud?
If i use the strings and tune my Oud to the FADGCF tuning, will it damage my Oud?

I look forward to your expert advice.
Thanks.

katakofka - 1-31-2009 at 10:05 PM

Asal
the set you ordered is going to give you high tension (I am assume that the sukkar oud is more than 60cm string length). la Bella from this site http://www.khalafoud.com/labellastrings.htm might be what ur looking for or http://www.khalafoud.com/aquilastrings.htm

Matthias - 2-1-2009 at 03:54 AM

Hello Asal,

as you may have seen the set by D'Addario's website will give the following tensions:

note------string--------Diam in inch / mm-----Newton-----lbs

gg-------J9501/2------------0.022 / 0.56---------53,1------11,7
dd-------J9501/4------------0.028 / 0.71 ---------48,5------10,7
aa-------J9501/6------------0.025 / 0.64 ---------86,2-------19
ee-------J9501/8------------0.029 / 0.74----------80,3------17,7
BB-------J9501/10-----------0.033 / 0.84----------69,4------15,3
F#-------J9501/11-----------0.041 / 1.04---------------------13,6

This is really a extrem high tension. I have prepared a PDF file summarizing a lot of string sets for the oud. Actually this canot be downloaded, but to all who are interested I can send the file by mail. There you can see, that I work with tension between 35 - 45 Newton in most cases.

If you now use this set for your tuning - FADGCF - you will approximately get the following tensions ( no guaranty! )
if you reduce the tension with 3 Newton per half tone.

I would never apply such tensions of the J95 set on a oud.

Hope that helps you a bit. If you visit my shop at
http://www.music-strings.de/index.php?k=278
you will find some sets with lot of tension informations.

regards

Matthias

ASAL - 2-1-2009 at 04:17 AM

Hello Matthias.
I am a beginner with the Oud and i do not understand the terms used such as 'high tension' and how the whole diagram thing works.
You mention that if i use the D'addario set for my oud using the tuning FADGCF i will have high tension?
Can you please explain it to me in simpler form?
Sorry but im a real beginner.

Matthias - 2-1-2009 at 04:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by ASAL
Hello Matthias.
I am a beginner with the Oud and i do not understand the terms used such as 'high tension' and how the whole diagram thing works.
You mention that if i use the D'addario set for my oud using the tuning FADGCF i will have high tension?
Can you please explain it to me in simpler form?
Sorry but im a real beginner.


hello Asal,

as I mentioned a good tension range for a aoud stringing is between 35 - 45 Newton. The J95 set gives you 48 - 86 Newton for the turkish tuning and for your arabic tuning you will have 48 - 80 Newton. That's the difference.

Vist my shop and check some aoud sets there. Then you will see clearer.

Regards Matthias

Melbourne - 2-2-2009 at 03:22 AM

The J95 set will not work for FADGCF tuning - it is a set designed for turkish tuning but it will work as LOWER arabic tuning DGADGC or CFADGC on a 60+ string length oud, as most sukars are. Check out the link below

http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=8032

ASAL - 2-3-2009 at 06:07 AM

Thank you Melbourne.
You are saying that as long as i use the string set for the tuning DGADGC or CFADGC, my oud should be fine?
Just double confirming.

katakofka - 2-3-2009 at 06:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by ASAL
Thank you Melbourne.
You are saying that as long as i use the string set for the tuning DGADGC or CFADGC, my oud should be fine?
Just double confirming.


Yep

Melbourne - 2-4-2009 at 02:35 AM

Thats correct ASAL

Although as you would expect the C and F will be looser than in the D & G tuning, but that usually doesn't bother many people, goes back to taste I guess, some people like their low C firm and loud, others may prefer slighly mellower and slappy effect.

ASAL - 2-4-2009 at 05:09 AM

Ahh alright.
Thanks guys for all the advice and helpful comments.
Being a beginner, i really appreciate it a lot.