Some of you said in our survey that you would like to know “what combination of technique, knowledge and execution it takes to emulate the great masters.” Well, let’s get familiar with some big names. In the next few months, I will write a series of articles discussing “celebrity Oud styles” and reviewing albums. Today, I want to discuss one of my favorite albums, Said Chraibi’s Oud. After reading this…
Read MoreGodin MultiOud Review – by The Oud Geek
The Godin MultiOud is a modern semi-acoustic electric Oud. I have been excited to experiment with one for a long time, so I borrowed my friend’s MultiOud. I’ve been playing with it for about two weeks now and I’ve learned a fair bit about it. After reading this article you will know whether or not the MultiOud is the right instrument for you! In the video below you will…
Read MoreElectric Oud – Godin MultiOud
Have you ever imagined a world where there exists heavy metal middle eastern music? Well, I have been entertaining the idea for a while and thought I would try it out. So I borrowed my friend’s Godin MultiOud last week and hooked it up with Ibanez Tube Screamer to see what would happen. I wrote a few licks of what I imagine heavy metal middle eastern music would sound like…
Read MoreOud Risha Mizrab Comparison Part 2: Cow Horn Risha
This is a follow up to another article about making your own Oud Mizrab or Risha. I recently got a new corn horn Risha and I just have to describe my experience with it for everybody because it is really special, and I would recommend it for anyone at any learning level. Below is a short video about it. My cow horn Risha is relatively narrow, and not too thick,…
Read MoreThe Best 50 Middle Eastern Songs You Have to Hear!
Here is a brief education in Middle Eastern music listening. If you want to become more familiar with Arabic music and don’t know where to begin, I have 50 suggestions for you. This is just a mere, humble list, and really does not do justice to the rich musical traditions of each area I mention, but it is a strong start. I made three categories: Arabic, Turkish, Persian. The list…
Read MoreOud Chords – How to Play Some Basic Chords on the Oud
I don’t play chords on the Oud much or emphasize learning them. I prefer a more traditional approach, but I thought this would be a fun post and I was requested to provide some material for this purpose. Important notes: 1. It is not necessary to learn chords on the Oud. 2. This is not a traditional way of playing. 3. Oud chords can sometimes be used to…
Read MorePianos Are Out of Tune – A Discussion on Equal Temperament and Oud Music
Did you know Pianos are intentionally tuned “out of tune”? Yes it’s true. Modern Pianos are all tuned using a system called “Equal Temperament”. In fact, you can’t use your ear to tune a Piano in equal temperament because our ears don’t hear notes in this manner. Piano tuners use a device and they need to know how much each note needs to be “out of tune” in order to…
Read MoreArabic and Persian Music – Arabic Maqam and Persian Dastgah Comparison
Arabic and Persian Music – Arabic Maqam and Persian Dastgah Equivalents I thought it would be interesting and essential to write a post for those who want to get their bearings on Arabic and Persian scale systems. This post compares the Arabic Maqam to Persian Dastgah to show where and how they overlap. I have never seen a comparison of this kind before. It is relatively a superficial comparison…
Read MoreThe Art of Oud Taqsim – 6 Secrets that will make you sound like Farid Al-Attrash
An Oud Taqsim is probably one of the most well-known musical forms in the Middle East. If you want to play the Oud, you must learn how to play a Taqsim, an Oud solo. Without going into too many details about maqams and theory, here are 6 essential things to think about when you are practicing your taqsim. 1. Opening Your Oud Taqsim The opening first notes that you play…
Read MorePersian Rhythms
Traditional Persian Rhythms Traditional Persian rhythms are not particularly profuse as one might expect. If you compare the number of common rhythms we have in Persian music to the Arabic ones described on maqamworld you will see that there are not so many traditional Persian rhythms. The rhythms that are discussed here are not comprehensive, but they are a purview of the rhythms you will hear in Persian music…
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