Mike's Oud Forums

How does he do it?

fernandraynaud - 12-9-2011 at 02:49 PM

Does anyone understand how Naseer Shamma is able to play so loud with his left hand alone, how does he get that percussion effect?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yynUVzgwWc&feature=youtube_gdat...

Jody Stecher - 12-9-2011 at 03:44 PM

A sensitive microphone helps with the volume. Muscle and focussed intention also play a role.
He is doing 2 kinds of percussion that I can see and hear. One is with the straight fingers of the left hand which are not occupied in producing a pitch on the on fingerboard. Most of the sound is fingers on strings. The other involves pitches and is incorporated into the melody. It's a thump of the index finger on the fingerboard, and includes the string ..... as if *through* the string to the fingerboard. I do this with the flat first joint pad of my index finger but NS seems to be flinging down his finger *tip*.

spyblaster - 12-9-2011 at 11:06 PM

A master-class instrument also helps him a lot! in sure he can't do it as well as that with beginner oud. extremely low action helps with the percussion effect.

David.B - 12-10-2011 at 05:48 AM

It is not only percussion, one must also play notes by pulling on the string. This video should clarify my words -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp8zNyxGnY4
Look at the middle finger, right at the beginning.

fernandraynaud - 12-10-2011 at 05:50 PM

Thanks for the tips. I still can't do it ... yet. I think he has a lot of strength in those fingers.

David.B - 12-11-2011 at 08:08 AM

I've given it a try. For me, the most difficult is to coordinate my 3 fingers (little finger, ring, middle) in a sort of rolling, and when I am able to coordinate, I lose accuracy and I hit anywhere on the strings ... If I were you, I would work on the rhythm first, without the percussion of the index finger. Then try the first phrase at the beginning, with the index on the E-b-.

What I described above can be heard at 00:36, before it's percussion only (strings are not plucked).

charlie oud - 12-11-2011 at 08:17 AM

:xtreme: with respect, I find this guy very difficult to enjoy, its like he's full of tension, plays without breathing or something strange in his head. He also makes a nicer sound without using his right hand which does'nt say much for his oud and the tone he gets. Clever technique but odly unmusical in many ways. Yet he seems to be a superstar in the oud world so maybe its my taste which is wildly different to all his followers. :xtreme:

Ararat66 - 12-11-2011 at 09:12 AM

If you are interested, there are loads of guitar tappers around, check out youtube for the likes of Andy Mckee, Erik Mongrain, Michael Hedges etc ... some more musical than others ...

No tapping but I like this though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7ZVV5lKvcA&feature=g-all

Ross Daly on oud and others.

Leon

abc123xyz - 12-11-2011 at 02:54 PM

Not an oud, but still an impressive display of one-handed technique for comparison:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9esY7cfAmw

David

Microber - 12-12-2011 at 06:26 AM

Quote: Originally posted by charlie oud  
:xtreme: with respect, I find this guy very difficult to enjoy, its like he's full of tension, plays without breathing or something strange in his head. He also makes a nicer sound without using his right hand which does'nt say much for his oud and the tone he gets. Clever technique but odly unmusical in many ways. Yet he seems to be a superstar in the oud world so maybe its my taste which is wildly different to all his followers. :xtreme:


I think Driss Elmaloumi always has "something strange on the face" when he is playing. But I don't agree with you about his playing. I find he has a very warm and smooth sound.
http://www.immoweb.be/fr/myselect.estate.cfm?idbien=3456629&ong...

Robert

David.B - 12-12-2011 at 09:30 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Microber  
I find he has a very warm and smooth sound.
http://www.immoweb.be/fr/myselect.estate.cfm?idbien=3456629&ong...

Robert


Nothing better to warm up a stone house in the heart of winter! :D