Mike's Oud Forums

orientalinstruments.com

Mortys - 6-3-2010 at 09:57 PM

Dear Friends,

Finally is sofar, and site is online. I'm curious what you think of it. Any comment is welcome.

THX
http://www.orientalinstruments.com

orientalinstruments.com

Mortys - 6-3-2010 at 09:59 PM

Dear friends,

Finally is sofar, and the site in online. I'm curious what you think of it. Any comment is welcome.

THX
http://www.orientalinstruments.com

Sazi - 6-3-2010 at 11:29 PM

Very nice looking site you have there!

Just one thing I noticed, being interested in the Afghani plucked Rabab, you have a picture of a nice one there but the commentary is all about the bowed spike fiddle type rebab. (of which there are no pictures).

Otherwise, great job, well done!:applause:

Mortys - 6-4-2010 at 12:15 AM

Thanx friend.

That is the pic of mohammadi bro made Rabab, i got no other. sorry

Sazi - 6-4-2010 at 12:28 AM

Perhaps you could get some information from the Mohammadi brothers about their Rabab to go with the picture?

Mortys - 6-4-2010 at 01:22 AM

I'll do that certainly.

Sazi - 6-4-2010 at 01:34 AM

Thank you, :)

That really is a very professional looking site, you must do that for a living? It's wonderful that you are helping bring such talent to the world.

Best wishes, S

Aymara - 6-4-2010 at 02:19 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Sazi  

That really is a very professional looking site, ...


Yes, it is. I especially found that guitar article about tone wood selection very interesting :applause:

Mortys - 6-4-2010 at 03:28 AM

I got already my own business in dutch cheese and organic products.


check it out. Music is my love


http://www.mortys.nl

corridoio - 6-4-2010 at 03:54 AM

Hi Mortys

mine rubabs here with some detailed photo:
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPictu...
and the last arrived, an afghan tambur I just finished to restore:
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPictu...

Alessandro

Mortys - 6-4-2010 at 04:05 AM

Looks great. who is the builder?

corridoio - 6-4-2010 at 04:27 AM

if you mean the tambur, I have no idea.
I bought it some week ago on ebay, there was no bridge, some pegs were missing, some were broken, some cracks, the nylon-frets were all in wrong position and so on..
I made new pegs, bridge, I had to change also the position of the first hole in the sympatethic strings because the original was exactly in the middle were should be the first fret, so I decided to make a new one some cm under and cover the old hole with the usual "inlay-collar" made of mother of pearl. After this I added inlay on pegs and the star on the top of neck.

Aymara - 6-4-2010 at 09:24 AM

Mortys,

a tip: In the shop the loading of the images takes ages. You should create small thumbnail images instead of resizing original biiig photos to thumbnail size ;)

Plum_Pasha - 6-4-2010 at 01:15 PM

Maşaallah! Beautiful instruments - good recordings and photographs - a very good start for the website. I will start saving up for one of those gorgeous barbat-s (but it may take a while)! Best of luck with this endeavor, health to your hands!

Sazi - 6-4-2010 at 02:32 PM

I have to disagree with you there Chris...

There are already the thumbnails, so you don't have to click on them unless you are really interested, and if you are really interested it is good to be able to see such detailed images in order to better assess the quality of the timbers and workmanship on the instruments.

Too many websites have poor quality images that are both frustrating and useless if you wish to consider purchasing on-line.

I think that is one of the things that set's this site a notch or two above many other musical instrument sites, and would be more confident to purchase from these makers as a direct result of that.

Consequently I believe they do not take too long to load even on my old single-core museum-piece, as I would rather spend a few moments waiting than considerably longer regretting a purchase.

Aymara - 6-4-2010 at 02:48 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Sazi  

There are already the thumbnails, ...


That are no real thumbnails, but the original huge photos resized to thumbs by the HTML code. If it would be real thumbnails, they would load much faster.

BTW ... it are only this shop thumbnails ... the main instrument section e.g. loads fast.
Quote:
so you don't have to click on them unless you are really interested, ...


Shure ... I'm not a PC novice ;)
Quote:
and if you are really interested it is good to be able to see such detailed images


Yes, but the thumbnails have to be resized (not the big photos they represent), the preview images are too big.
Quote:
They do not take too long to load even on my old single-core museum-piece.


That's not a matter of processor power, but bandwidth. I have DSL 2000 and the shop instrument pages load horribly slow. All others are fast.

To make shure I'm not misunderstood:

The huge photos are fine, but the small preview images have to be images for itself in a small size. It's a design fault to just use the big photos and resize them by the HTML code, because the result is a huge performance loss. For good performance, you need two versions of each photo, the original and a much smaller preview image. The later has to be generated by a photo editing software like Photoshop and NOT by the HTML code.

Sazi - 6-4-2010 at 02:55 PM

You are right of course.

But I have the same DSL2, (which in reality here, runs a LOT slower than that!) yet I have no problem with loading times.

G'day from Australia.

Aymara - 6-4-2010 at 03:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Sazi  
yet I have no problem with loading times.


I tested the shop pages with Mozilla 3.0 and Internet Explorer 7 and with both browsers (only) the shop pages are very slow.
Quote:
G'day from Australia.


Good night from Europe ;)

Mortys - 6-4-2010 at 08:29 PM

Thank you very much for your compliment, gives me power to move on.
:bowdown:

Mortys - 6-4-2010 at 08:44 PM

Thanx friends,


I'm gonna resize the thumbnails so the upload gonna be fast.:)

Sazi - 6-4-2010 at 09:17 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Aymara  

I tested the shop pages with Mozilla 3.0 and Internet Explorer 7 and with both browsers (only) the shop pages are very slow.


Try Google Chrome, it's what I use, and seems to be faster and very stable.

Aymara - 6-4-2010 at 11:14 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Sazi  

Try Google Chrome, ...


No, thanks. For security reasons, I will never use a Google product. Do a bit of research and you'll no longer use it ;)

Believe me, the described problem above is a bandwidth problem, not a matter of browser choice.

eliot - 6-5-2010 at 09:15 AM

The Arafati oud in particular is awesome in sound quality. I would buy it in a heartbeat if I didn't already own 4 ouds I am happy with.

Marina - 6-5-2010 at 10:11 AM

Beautiful instruments!
:applause:

bibo10 - 6-6-2010 at 08:02 AM

The mohammadi oud sounds amazing, even though i am not a big fan of the transparent pick guard but that's a minor detail. However the sounds is amazing arabic sound

Mortys - 6-6-2010 at 11:06 PM

Mohammadi bros believe that wooden pick guards effect the sound of the instrument, so that is the reason why they donot use wooden pick guards on their instruments.

orientalinstruments.com

michoud - 6-7-2010 at 03:28 AM

Hi folks
I saw the Mohammadi rebabs...so so so beautiful, I would like to buy one, but I dont know if I can play with this kind of rebab afghan music, and also arabic music... are the distance between musical notes, the same in irani music than in arabic music??
Can I play this instrument with my bands, playing some western music and some eastern music???
I dont know anything about persian music...I would like to learn it...
thanks in advance

sabbassi - 6-7-2010 at 04:48 AM

Wonderful instruments, made by highly skilled masters.
does this instruments not belong in a museum? :)
super.


Peyman - 6-7-2010 at 06:05 AM

Those rababs are different from the Afghan version. The metalic frets can be moved up and down. They have a hook on them that allows them to ride the fingerboard. It's really neat.

Mortys - 6-7-2010 at 06:29 AM

Exactly peyman. thanx for explanation. i wonder that you do know that.

The instruments are in the museum of Morty:)

Thank you for your compliments sabassi

Peyman - 6-7-2010 at 09:30 AM

I am not sure but I think I read about the Mohammadi's version of the robab in a music magazine. They show it on their website too.
Mortys, you should take out the instruments from the museum and make videos :D

Ararat66 - 6-7-2010 at 11:19 AM

I think these instruments are absolutely amazing, particularly the Mohammadi Barbat which has to my ears an extraordinary sound quality, very 'noble', refined and beautiful balanced tone. Love the sound of the Arafati oud also and the playing is beautiful, really beautiful, particularly liked the playing on the Arafati oud - who are the musicians?

I find the ornamentation on the Mohammadi Barbat stunning, there is something about the Persian/Iranian sense of poetry and design that I find very moving and serene. I used to go to Iran as a child, my mother was born there (Armenian) and I have a soft spot for the country and its people and culture dispite difficult politics.

The larger images take a while to upload ... but imho completely worth the wait. If I could (without risking divorce etc!!!) I'd buy the Mohammadi Barbat tomorrow - it's sublime.

Leon

Ararat66 - 6-7-2010 at 11:24 AM

btw are you any relation of Hussein Alizadeh ???

Leon

Mortys - 6-7-2010 at 11:33 PM

Our grand pa's had some kind of relation, but now we're not close family.

Ararat66 - 6-7-2010 at 11:52 PM

Hi Mortys

Ah I know how that is. Who is playing on these clips btw ... is it you?

Leon

Aymara - 6-7-2010 at 11:56 PM

Quote: Originally posted by sabbassi  
does this instruments not belong in a museum? :)


Though this was ment as a funny compliment, it's more real as you think.

I read in a documentation article, that Mohammadi brothers learned instrument building from the iranian master Ebrahim Ghanbari Mehr and guess what ... the instruments of this master are considered Iranian cultural treasures, so that it is forbidden to export them.

Mortys - 6-8-2010 at 12:53 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Ararat66  
Hi Mortys

Ah I know how that is. Who is playing on these clips btw ... is it you?

Leon



The player is a good friend of mine, he doen't want to be mentioned, sorry. I do respect his privacy by not mentioning his name.

Mortys - 6-8-2010 at 12:56 AM

Dear Chris,

Ja they are the best students of Ustad Ganbari and yes the instruments made by Ustad are indeed national/cultural treasures and are not subjects to export from Iran!!
I mentioned this also on my website under the article about Mohammadi Bros!

michoud - 6-8-2010 at 08:46 AM

Hi folks
anybody knows where can I found some music with irani rebab players????
some cds, music store, website...

Aymara - 6-8-2010 at 01:09 PM

Quote: Originally posted by michoud  
... some music with irani rebab players????


You can find several Rubab videos at Youtube, but most seem to be of Afghan origin.

michoud - 6-8-2010 at 01:22 PM

Thanks Aymara
I cant find any video in youtube with iranian rubab...all are afghanistan rebab...but what I need is some music or video with iranian rebab...it´s very difficult, but if mohammadi brothers made this kind of rebab, I think someone play it...;)

Ararat66 - 6-8-2010 at 03:12 PM

Hi Mortys

Completely understand and respect your friend's wishes but could you pass on my appreciation of his playing to him, it's really very nice!

thanks

Leon

Peyman - 6-8-2010 at 04:58 PM

Quote: Originally posted by michoud  
Thanks Aymara
I cant find any video in youtube with iranian rubab...all are afghanistan rebab...but what I need is some music or video with iranian rebab...it´s very difficult, but if mohammadi brothers made this kind of rebab, I think someone play it...;)


michoud,
They use Persian robabs in ensembles, as a kind of a bass instrument. I haven't seen anyone make a solo porject. Nima Alizadeh is the robab player in his father's Hamavayan ensemble. He plays solo in a few of those albums. You can listen to a sample here:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/hamavayan
It's the 4th song called Instrumental in Esfahanak (it's a duet with kamancheh).

This video from Mastan group also show-cases some Persian style robab playing but it's not the Mohammadi style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K--z5Hd9M8o
Starts about 45 seconds in. You can search for Hamavayan on youtube and you'll see some videos of Nima.

Historically, plucked robabs were important instruments in Persian music. Showqname ensemble uses them too:
http://www.showqname.com/intro.htm
Hope you find what you're looking for.

RubabPlayer - 7-13-2010 at 10:36 PM

About Persian Rubab. Peyman is correct, they usually turn up in ensemble music, often in a bass like capacity along side Tar. We have seen three or four configurations so far.

I have a Jafrudi instrument that is strung quite heavily with a wider neck that has a distinctive bass like sound. It has tied frets in Persian scale and a tone that is much lower and more mellow than even the classical Afghan Rubab. This one has seven side strings and three long drones. I love it as it sounds like nothing else I have heard. But sadly even my contacts in Iran have been unable to find any music recordings that feature this instrument.

We just placed a custom order for a second Jafrudi instrument that will be very much like the on in the photos on the site from this thread. But it is not quite the same master level despite being very wonderful quality.

This one has smaller strings much like the standard size Afghan instrument. It has 11 side strings and three long drones. It is set up for Persian music, again as an ensemble instrument. But a local player in Japan Madoka from the band Makyo plays this same type as a solo instrument. It is wonderfully moody and gentle and I would not compare it at all to any of the Afghan instruments. Instead it is much more Barbat or Oud like in mood.

Finally the maker who produces Afghan instruments for us has made a Herati Type Rubab that is quite similar to Baluchistani instruments. It is set up like a Tar in many ways but with a much shorter neck that is only a bit longer than that on standard Afghan instruments. But the six tied frets make the scale Persian and the tone is somewhere between the Afghan instrument and the Persian instrument.

The Rubab is truly a Lion of instruments. The Afghans have several configurations. I play a large classical instrument as well as a standard size instrument which is my main instrument in our band RainInEden. If you want to hear more of the Afghan instrument, let me know and I can recommend some wonderful recordings.

RubabPlayer - 7-13-2010 at 10:37 PM

Peyman. I love Mastan!!!! Brilliant musicians and performers. Would be a dream to see them live some day.

I noticed that the instrument he is playing on the 13 part series on Youtube looks like a classical Afghan instrument with some modifications.

Reda Aouad - 7-14-2010 at 02:56 AM

Nice work :) It always feels good whenever more and more people try to promote this community.

I included a reference to your website on mine, http://www.redaaouad.com, in the Interesting Links section.

Mortys - 8-8-2010 at 12:41 AM

Hi Reda,
Thanx for your generosity, like your playing style great work:bowdown:

Peyman - 8-8-2010 at 09:41 AM

Quote: Originally posted by RubabPlayer  
Peyman. I love Mastan!!!! Brilliant musicians and performers. Would be a dream to see them live some day.


They're always touring. It won't be that long before they show up around you. They're coming around the east coast soon.

Mortys - 8-8-2010 at 10:37 PM

Dear friends,

I thought you all gonna like this!!!
If you want to experience how Mohammadi bros instruments sound together, watch this video, played by professional group Rastak.
http://www.rastak.ir/videos






http://www.orientalinstruments.com

Aymara - 8-9-2010 at 09:51 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Mortys  
I thought you all gonna like this!!!


You can count on it ... this ensemble really rocks :applause: