Regional Oud Playing Styles

As a beginner it is helpful to see all the different possibilities that playing the Oud has to offer. The reach of the Oud encompasses as far west as Morocco, all the way east to the Persian gulf and even the shores of Malaysia. Try to hear the subtle differences in the way they get the sound out of the instrument, their phrases, and their sound.

North Africa

Let’s begin west then and start in North Africa which includes Morocco Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia. North Africa has a strong traditional Arabic presence in their music. But there is also some African overtones here and there that come out once in a while. Particularly in Said Chraibi’s Nouzha on his album “The Oud”. This is Said Chraibi playing something in traditional style.

An Tunisian Oud player Anuoar Brahem known for his Jazz fusion as well:

Nubian

Next is the Nubian style, which is most apparently African. Nubian music has heavy influences from both Arabic and African traditions. You can hear very African folkloric pieces and their own rhythms in their music. In some you can hear trace the beginnings of the modern blues music in their use of major pentatonic scale.

Hamza Al Din

Abdullahi Qarshe

Random Nubian

Mostafa Al-Haj

Egypt

Geographically near Nubia is Egypt which has been central to the development of traditional Arabic music over the last century. Egypt gave birth to many great composers, Oud players, and singers like Oum Kulthum. Here are a couple famous Oud players.

Riad As-Sumbaty (spelling varies)

Farid Al-Attrach

Mohammad Al Qassabji

The Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan)

The Levant is home of some great Oud players. Each one is very unique in style and spirit. I particularly love this region for their Oud playing style. Their music has some Turkish influences in rhythm and forms as their was some cultural exchange when this area had been under Ottoman administration. Nevertheless, each region within the Levant kept its own spirit and style.

Marcel Khalife (Lebanon)

Issa Boulos (Palestine)

Simon Shaheen (Palestine)

Adnaan Baraky (Syria)

Sakher Hattar (Jordan)

Iraq

Iraqi Oud has produced some very highly skilled Oud players. You will hear very traditional Arabic style played very clean. There is some Persian influence in their tradition as well. Jameel Bashir is known to play a Persian mode called Dashti. There is also the Kurdish tradition in Iraq that may have some influence on this as well. Check out a few of the greats of Iraqi Oud.

Jameel Bashir

Munir Bashir

Naseer Shamma

Arabian Peninsula

Music in the Arabian Peninsula has everything of the Arabic tradition, but the average Oud player may be more interested in singing and playing songs with the Oud than playing those fast tempo Turkish songs. You may hear something different here and there in this region. 2/4 rhythms are very common and popular, khaliji, and maybe some 6/8 as well.

Abady Al-Johar

Mohammed Abdo

I hope you have some music to listen to for the time being. Next week I will continue this topic by dealing with some more NON-Arabic Oud Styles… So that means Greece, Turkey, Armenia, Malaysia, and IRAN. If I have left out YOUR favorite Oud player, please write a comment below.