We are following up last week’s drone technique video with a technique that will help you embellish your melody and help you sound like a pro, I call it…
Bass Note Jumping.
This technique is widely used by professional Oud players and in theory is very easy, it just takes some practice to get the right intonation. I was actually specifically asked by someone to discuss this technique a long time ago, so I’m happy that we started this technique series because I can finally get to it.
Watch the video below to learn how to do it!
Bass Note Jumping – Melody Embellishment Oud Technique
Difficulty: Moderate
Why?
Middle Eastern music is all about taking a simple melody, embellishing it and interpreting as you hear it and understand it. So this is one technique you can use to give short simple passages some artistic emphasis.
How?
The whole idea of Bass Note Jumping is simply jumping from the same note in the low register to the same note in a higher register. Or jumping from a bass note, to the same note one octave higher. The melody or passage should be simple and preferably short because Bass Note Jumping is used to highlight a few notes at a time, filling in the space to make the melody more interesting.
Tips For Success:
1. Make sure you use down strokes in order to make each note nice and strong.
2. Practice this technique very slowly and focus on getting the right intonation. That means getting each note you play in tune, because often you are going to need to stretch your fingers to do this technique.
3. Be flexible. You will sometimes need to keep your hand in one position or change it and use fingers for notes that you may not be used to. For example, in the video, jumping from bass Bb to high Bb you have to use your first finger for the bass Bb and then your third finger for the high Bb.
What’s Next?
Now apply this technique to simple tunes and melodies you already know. Make sure the passage or phrase you are applying it to is simple and preferably a series of several notes up or down like a scale.
