Who doesn’t know this song?
This is a classic!
And now you can learn how to play it on the Oud!
I didn’t start listening to the classic Arabic artists like Farid Al Attrash or Oum Kulthum… in fact I didn’t really get it or like it…
This is one of the first Arabic songs that I heard which got me more interested in learning Arabic music. At the time, I was playing traditional Iranian music because that’s my background and I learned the Iranian way of playing Oud too. There were a few important pieces of Arabic music that made me fall in love with the Oud to begin with, but I didn’t start listening to the classic guys like Farid Al Attrash or Oum Kulthum… in fact I didn’t really get it or like it. I am still by far most deeply rooted in Iranian music…
But Sidi Mansour got me to really start listening to Arabic music…
For those who like notation:
Sidi Mansour
Sidi Mansour is a well known folkloric Tunisian song of which there are many, many versions.
The versions I recommend the most are found on the album Folklore Tunisien, you can find it on the Oud for Guitarists playlist here:
Oud for Guitarists Spotify Playlist
I highly recommend listening to these versions in order to gain a feel for the way it is really supposed to groove. The version I play is a very straight version.
What’s Next?
Next week I’ll show you some variations on the theme of Sidi Mansour so you can learn how to change it up. The song is very repetitive, so knowing some different ways to play it can go a long way. Then we’ll learn Baba Bahri, a song that goes a long with Sidi Mansour.
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Cool little song! I may have to come back around and play this one!
HELLO NAVID…IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE POSTING A COMMENT. I ENJOYED SIDI MANSOUR,,,YES I’VE HEARD THIS ON A NUMBER OF TIMES. YOU HAVE PRESENTED AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION, WHICH WAS EASY TO FOLLOW. I DON’T HAVE THE FULL 2/4 DOWN YET, BUT CONCENTRATING ON THE FINGERING AND TIMING….ALSO, THE NOTATION IS IMPORTANT….WONDERFUL…CONTINUE THE GREAT WORK..
MIKE B..
That’s great to hear Mike.
Thank you so much for this song Navid! I am just a very beginner and still learning scales and notes with my teacher but you have me a great chance to feel myself that I can do a bit more than that 🙂 Your instructions are so easy to follow and now at least I can show to my friends that yes, I’m playing oud!