Bernie Stocks - 10-2-2010 at 10:20 PM
Hi,
I'm using the oud to play old English folksongs etc.
Owing to the nature of my singing voice I find I have to either arrange songs very low on the oud, or very high, fingering up near the neck join,
which is tricky when singing at the same time.
If I tune down a minor third (i.e. DGADgc to BEF#Bea) things are much better.
However this does leave the strings on the slack side. Any suggestions how I could get a slightly heavier string setup?
Thanks,
Bernie
oudtab - 10-3-2010 at 03:57 AM
Bonjour Bernie,
You can try Aquila strings : http://www.khalafoud.com/aquilastrings.htm
You can also try to adjust the nut and the strings height.
SamirCanada - 10-3-2010 at 05:18 AM
You cant adjust the scale length on a oud. which is what you would need to do if you intended on keeping the same strings are raise the tension.
custom strings is the way to go in your situation.
Ask Jameel of Khalafoud.com to see what would work for you scale lenght etc...
welcome to the Mikeouds.
ameer - 10-3-2010 at 07:19 AM
In particular, go here:
http://khalafoud.com/daddario.htm
Jameel has individual strings of all dimensions plus a table indicating the tensions of the strings at different notes.
fernandraynaud - 10-3-2010 at 08:40 AM
Exactly. Welcome and you need to get into the whole topic of string tensions. Where info on specific scale and tuning of given strings is missing,
look at Arto's String Calculator. It allows you to calculate for new strings and to interpolate from the data you DO have. This is not very
comnplicated. Look up Arto's in our Forum and you can find a lot of info. Surprisingly classical guitar strings of the right gauge can be used on oud,
as long as you keep the tensions below 5 kg or so.
Bernie Stocks - 10-3-2010 at 11:01 AM
Hi everyone,
I didn't know that you could get a range of 'nylon' strings (cf. metal ones). So I'll work away at that. I've also a spare set of 'normal' tension
Aquilas I might try. But I'll get get my head around the whole string tension thing first.
Thanks,
Bernie
Bernie Stocks - 10-4-2010 at 07:24 AM
I think I've got the hang of this - I've never really considered tensions before.
For the record:
For Kg 3.5 (khalafoud 'standard'), and 60.5cm string:
a=NYL031
e=NYL041
B=NYL026W
F#=NYL033W
E=NYL034W
B=NYL042W
For Kg 3.7 (=Nylgut light), and 60.5cm string:
a=NYL031 or NYL032
e=NYL041 or NYL020W
B=NYL026W
F#=NYL033W
E=NYL035W
B=NYL043W
For Kg 4.2 (=Nylgut standard), and 60.5cm string:
a=NYL033
e=NYL041 or NYL022W
B=NYL028W
F#=NYL033W
E=NYL036W
B=NYL043W
Arto's String Calulator
mm=inches= /25.4
For 3.7kg
a=.792mm=.031"
e=1.057=.041"
Happy days!
Thanks again,
Bernie