Today you’re going to learn about a really important genre of Arabic music. This music is timeless and ancient. It is very different in tone and feeling than Arabic music in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Egypt. You can call it Sawt Al-Khaleej, or Sawt for short. Sawt music is the Arabic music I find very intriguing. The rhythms are very unique, and the Oud playing is absolutely furious.…
Read MoreThe Difference Between Persian, Arabic and Turkish Quartertones
If you don’t know anything about me, the first thing you should know is that I only started listening to Arabic and Turkish music about 8 or 9 years ago. I’m Persian, I grew up listening to traditional Persian music, and the bulk of my musical education is in Persian music. So when I started to listen to Arabic and Turkish music I noticed that the quartertones (or…
Read More10 Ways to Hold An Oud Risha
There are many ways to hold an Oud risha, believe it or not… I learned how to hold it one way, and I eventually decided that it wasn’t for me and I changed my style and found what suited me better. In this video, you’ll see different styles of risha shape, material, and different ways to hold it. You’ll learn how Simon Shaheen holds his risha, and you’ll even…
Read MoreFarid Al Atrash Taqsim Al Rabeea Part 4 – Finale!
I was listening to this Album by the Classical Arabic Orchestra of Aleppo, Ottoman Arabic Classical Music. The first track is Samai Bayati starting with a Oud taqsim. At about 0:53 seconds, the Oud player plays the exact same riff that Farid Al Atrash played from his taqsim Al Rabeea… it’s not exactly the same, but it’s quite obvious where the inspiration for this comes from. In…
Read MoreFarid Al Atrash Taqsim Al Rabeea Part 2
Improvisation is a hot topic in Middle Eastern Music… Improvisation is a very interesting topic in Middle Eastern music that demands a lot of study. Farid Al Atrash was one particular master of improvisation and known for a very distinct, flashy style. A lot of Oud learners struggle with this because often the concept of improvisation is very different in Western music. There is Jazz improvisation……
Read MoreFarid Al Atrash – Taqsim Al Rabeea
As you may know, I’m from Iranian background and I grew up in that culture in Canada. It wasn’t until about 8 years ago I started to really listen to Arabic music. Over that time period, I’ve really seen some interesting cultural differences through both music cultures. Iranians are expected to stay dead quiet until the end of a performance… Iranian musicians and performers expect their…
Read MoreBaba Bahri with Advanced Oud Techniques
Folk songs are often the most simple and beloved songs in the Middle East. They are easy to learn often because they are repetitive. Folk tunes are often very happy and soul-full. They are timeless, and then never get old or out of style. They also teach you the most about musicality, in my opinion. And when I say “Folk”, I’m not talking about Bob Dylan or Billie…
Read MoreBaba Bahri
Want to learn a song on the Oud in under 5 minutes? Baba Bahri is the way to go. Not only can you learn a new song quickly, but you’ll also learn another rhythm. Not a bad deal if you ask me… Oh yeah… and if you like notation… Baba Bahri Baba Bahri is often found played as a medley with Sidi Mansour. Listen to the recording below and…
Read MoreSamai Bayati Al Aryan Part 4
This article is going to finish up our Samai Bayati Al Aryan free oud lessons. After watching this week’s video you’ve learned quite a bit of this piece. Watch out for the teslim… the teslim is played twice. The first time you play the teslim through the last three beats will join it up to the beginning of the teslim because it’s repeated. The second time you play the teslim…
Read MoreSamai Bayati Al Ayran with Advanced Oud Techniques
I’ve had a nice break during the holidays here, but I’ve taken to another task which I’m sure many people are going to benefit from. I’ve had many people suggest that I teach how to play actual pieces in these free Oud lessons, and I’ve decided to finally begin that. I’m now satisfied that I’ve covered sufficient Oud techniques so that anyone who is new to the series can jump…
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