What is oud in music?

ʿūd, also spelled Oud, stringed musical instrument prominent in medieval and modern Islāmic music. It was the parent of the European lute. The ʿūd has a deep, pear-shaped body; a fretless fingerboard; and a relatively shorter neck and somewhat less acutely bent-back pegbox than the European lute.

What type of music is oud?

While Europe developed the lute, the oud remained a central part of Arab music, and broader Ottoman music as well, undergoing a range of transformations.

What is the sound of the oud?

The beautiful sound of the oud is produced by its hollow body vibrating as the strings are strummed. It is a sound that is bound up with much canonical music throughout the ages, and is still an important part of many people's musical lives today.

What is the purpose of the oud instrument?

Oud is a stringed instrument mainly used to accompany East African music and Middle Eastern music. This pear shaped musical instrument is very similar to a lute.

Is oud the first guitar?

The Oud is the predecessor of the Lute and Guitar.

Introducing: The Arabic Oud

Who is the best oud player?

Egyptian-Syrian composer, singer, oud player and actor Farid El Atrache is often times referred to as the “King of the Oud.” This master's career spanned over 40 years and recorded over 500 songs.

How is an oud played?

Oud is played with a plectrum. Its fretless neck allows the instrument to generate any intervals or microtones particular to the Middle Eastern music. Oud instrument is suitable for you to enjoy Turkish, Iran or Arab music by playing makams/maqamat. Oud is played according to two schools of performance.

Is the oud still used today?

It has been considered one of the most important instruments within Arabic music for centuries and still is considered a holy grail today. The Oud has evolved over the years, in size, sound, and tuning. It is widely played across the Middle East in a variety of styles and genres.

How many octaves are in oud?

The oud has a warm timbre and a wide tonal range (about 3 octaves), and can convey the melody and rhythm equally well because it is percussive. This makes is perfectly suited to accompany a singer. It is also the composers' favorite instrument for writing a new melody.

How do I tune my oud?

It is vital to understand that in order to tune the oud, you have to simultaneously turn the peg and push it inside. In that way, you are stretching the strings while making sure that the peg will be pressed inside, therefore staying inside without moving.

What is oud called in English?

Oud (agarwood, aloe wood, eagle wood, gaharu) is formed in a tropical evergreen tree called Agar tree (Aquilaria species) which is believed to have originated from Assam, India.

What is the difference between an oud and a lute?

The main difference between the Oud and Lute instruments is that a Lute has a fretted neck and can have more strings or be a larger size than the Oud instrument. The Lute is associated with Western Shakespearean culture while the Oud is the main instrument of Middle Eastern and Arab culture.

Is it hard to play oud?

The Oud is definitely a challenging instrument, but it isn't as difficult as the Piano. You will learn how to play notes that are not found in Western Music which will broaden your ears once you learn to differentiate between different scales and modes. This is truly a new frontier that can be very exciting.

How much does oud cost?

Experts claim that the very best oud comes from the oldest trees, which are even more scarce. It can sell for $5,000 a pound – or more. According to the International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences, oud oil can cost as much as £20,000 per kilogram (more than $30,000) depending on its purity.

How old is an oud?

The first appearance of the Oud was 3000 BC. The desecrated skeleton suggested the form of the Oud. Oud is known as the first stringed instrument in history. The oldest pictorial record of the Oud dates back to the Uruk period in Southern Mesopotamia (Iraq), over 5000 years ago on a cylinder seal acquired by Dr.

Is oud like guitar?

The main difference between an Oud instrument and a guitar is that the neck of an Oud is fretless. The frets of a guitar allow the guitarist to play chords but they cannot play quarter tones. An Oud has limited chords but the fretless neck allows for a monochromatic range of sound that has no limitations.

Can I play oud If I play guitar?

Making command over vital oud techniques provide the ability to play oud style easily on guitar. Whether you are a seasoned guitar player or a beginner, you can start learning and playing Oud instrument from today.

Is the oud the king of instruments?

In the Arab origin, Oud is considered to be “the king of instruments”. It is assumed that the name al-oud is derived from the Arabic for “the wood” and came to Europe through North Africa. There will be nothing wrong to say that in Arab, the oud is considered to be the oldest musical instruments.

Who invented the oud instrument?

Instrument said to have been invented by Noah's grandfather.

Abu Nasr Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Farabi, the Muslim scholar known to many as Alpharabius and born about 872, said the oud was invented by Noah's grandfather, Lamech - the sixth grandson of Adam and Eve.

What smell is oud?

The Oud qualities

The olfactory profile of the Oud seduces immediately. Its woody smell is rich in nuances, ranging from sweet to earthy, with some notes of leather and spices. It depends on the species of the tree that produces the resin and on the technique used for extraction.