Mike's Oud Forums

Floating bridge oud

slev - 4-23-2024 at 07:46 AM

Hello everybody glad to see the websites back up and running.

I recently acquired this oud Locally.
It is very nice one of the nicest ouds I have played.
Feels SOLID and it’s measurements are 71cm long by 36cm wide

I installed new strings for it: LaBella OU80-A
Have it tuned DGAdgc. As I don’t know if FADgcf is ok for this type of Oud. I was told that I could tune it EABEAD so I did with the strings and it works, but within a couple hours of streams Dune and half a step so that tells me that’s too much “tension!”

I know, given the versatility of this instrument that I could tune the instrument using EAbead.

I want to know if this is true and if I can, if I could be directed to the correct strings for the Turkish tuning. And you may ask yourself well, why do you want to use that tuning well because I found it easier for me to build to play music up and down the neck because I can’t find a use for the A string in DGAdgc ????????

I am a amateur and just like to have fun but want to be safe and not damage oud.

https://imgur.com/gallery/rXFcQWp

slev - 4-29-2024 at 08:34 AM

Comments, suggestions are welcome.

hamed - 6-2-2024 at 08:48 AM

Hey there - try searching the forum for threads on string selection / tension etc. there are a ton of conversations on this topic. I actually had that very same oud, ordered it from ebay for $300 or so in 2006, it was my first oud upgrade / all i could afford at the time - i remember i had an aquila arabic string set tuned to CFADGC and it sounded great. You should not try tuning to F using that labella set as i think it is designed for lower tuning.

Bottom line here is you can technically tune this to anything, BUT you need the right strings.

Jody Stecher - 6-2-2024 at 03:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by slev  
Comments, suggestions are welcome.


All newly attached oud strings will sink in pitch at first.

Strings designed for F tuning may be used on any oud within a certain range of scale length. On fixed bridge instruments the important measurement is nut to bridge. On a floating bridge oud the strings continue all the way to the tailpiece and to some extent this enters the calculation.

It is likely that the scale of your floating bridge oud is too long for Aquila Arabic strings to be tuned to Turkish tuning.

i don't understand what you mean about no use for the A string in Arabic tuning. How do you play the pitch *rast* (D in Turkish tuning) without that string? That pitch is C is Arabic tuning. ALL oud tunings have the four highest tuned courses in fourths. In turkish tuning the fourth course is B instead of A. Same relative fingerings between the pitches, just different absolute pitch.

Use the search function here and all questions will be answered.

Jody Stecher - 6-3-2024 at 12:51 PM

Quote: Originally posted by slev  
I can’t find a use for the A string in DGAdgc ????????


Do you play guitar? Strings 5, 4 and 3 are A D G on guitar and the same pitches (A, D G ) are strings 4, 3, 2 on oud (Arabic tuning). The use of the A string is the same as on guitar.

slev - 6-18-2024 at 07:01 AM

Thanks for your kind information.
Are you saying that I don’t have to just use FADGCF strings for my floating bridge? I’d prefer CFADGC DGADGC over FADGCF.

If I could order strings for a different tuning for my floating bridge oud please tell me which is best? Yes played guitar for many years and didn’t think of implementing what I know from guitar to oud. I have no issues with my long and short neck baglama:-)

slev - 6-18-2024 at 07:05 AM

That hi f string is like using the hi keys on the piano lol I don’t like iit

Brian Prunka - 6-18-2024 at 10:16 AM

Quote: Originally posted by slev  
Thanks for your kind information.
Are you saying that I don’t have to just use FADGCF strings for my floating bridge? I’d prefer CFADGC DGADGC over FADGCF.

If I could order strings for a different tuning for my floating bridge oud please tell me which is best? Yes played guitar for many years and didn’t think of implementing what I know from guitar to oud. I have no issues with my long and short neck baglama:-)


Yes, you can use a different tuning - there's no rule that says you need high f' with a floating bridge.

Pyramid "oud" sets are too short for most floating bridge ouds.

D'addario or Labella work. D'addario EJ95A or The LaBella Vivace (like this https://www.stringsbymail.com/la-bella-ouviv-ac-oud-arabic-c-c-tunin... ) should work reasonably well. As you get more experience you may want to tweak the set and get custom strings to your preferences.

Aquila might be a bit too low in tension, depends on your specific oud.