Mike's Oud Forums

Eight weeks to record a decent taksim!

Lysander - 12-19-2013 at 04:52 AM

Now, I have been trying to get into a London uni to study oud at masters level. I contacted them yesterday. They said that I should apply by late February. Now, because I have no formal qualifications in music I would have to provide a] pieces of music journalism for entry [which is easy, I have written over a hundred articles on music] and/or b] a recording of my playing.

Now ideally I should do both. However, I am understandably nervous about the recording.

I have been learning oud for about five months, which is not long, though I have been playing pretty religiously. How to go about doing this? Should I just carry on practising the maqams I already know or focus on specialising on one family for the next few weeks [or even one maqam]?

FilipHolm - 12-19-2013 at 05:20 AM

If you have an idea of what maqam(s) you want to use for the Taqsim, try practicing those in particular until you feel comfortable enough with it.

Maybe upload some clips of you playing so the people on this forum can give some feedback. I'm no expert myself, but I know there are alot of great players here

Lysander - 12-19-2013 at 11:06 AM

Thanks Filip, I'll most probably stick with Hijaz and the odd modulation into Kurd/Shehnaz. I'll upload some stuff very soon to see what there is to improve.

Lysander - 12-19-2013 at 01:54 PM

Quote: Originally posted by oudistcamp  
You might want to try to modulate from a maqam with microtones to one without, and then back again - for eg bayati to bayati shuri to bayati......or rast to suznak etc etc.
Does not have to be complex.
More contrasting, more impressive, and shows that you are on the way to developing a microtonal ear....


This is very good advice. Bayati to shuri is an excellent idea.

Lysander - 1-14-2014 at 01:52 PM

Finally I have settled on the maqam I want to use. After originally thinking of kurd or hijaz, I have settled on nahawand, it just works better. I also want to do some modulations to nahawand kabir, nikriz, nawa athur or nerz rast, to exploit the bayati tetra three-quartertone.

I have three weeks till the submission! I've also been practising Tanburi Cemil Bey's Nikriz Longa like crazy for it.

Lysander - 2-24-2014 at 05:57 AM

Just bumping this to say I submitted my pieces and got accepted! In the end I submitted recordings in three makamlar - hicaz, nikriz and bayati.

Thank you to Oudistcamp for the bayati idea, that was very useful indeed.

Jaffa Road - 2-26-2014 at 03:17 PM

please post the recording of the taksim you sent them, we would love to hear it.

congradulations

Lysander - 2-27-2014 at 01:45 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Jaffa Road  
please post the recording of the taksim you sent them, we would love to hear it.

congradulations


Thank you! Here is the Bayati one. It is very basic but it seems to have done the job.

https://soundcloud.com/lysander-1/bay-t-improvisation-2/s-McqIe

suz_i_dil - 2-27-2014 at 09:33 AM

have a look on this great pedagogic ressource:

http://www.musiqana.net/category.aspx?catid=26

regards

Lysander - 3-2-2014 at 01:44 PM

Quote: Originally posted by suz_i_dil  
have a look on this great pedagogic ressource:

http://www.musiqana.net/category.aspx?catid=26

regards



This looks very useful but my knowledge of Arabic is non-existent. Are they running through different tasqim ideas for each maqam?

Eric Stern Music - 3-2-2014 at 08:19 PM

They are. If you look to the right on the page you'll see a list. Each link is a maqam starting with Rast and ending with Saba. Even if you don't speak arabic it's useful.

Eric Stern Music - 3-2-2014 at 08:27 PM

From top to bottom the maqams are: Rast, Nikriz, Beyati, Nahawand, Ajam, Kurd, hihaz, sikah and saba

Lysander - 3-3-2014 at 02:04 AM

Thank you. I have been looking for ways to improve my taqsims rather than just running up and down the scales. I had no idea how to go about it, and this is a very useful way.