Mike's Oud Forums

Dr. Oud makes a house call

Jameel - 8-17-2005 at 07:16 PM

A few weeks ago I was paid a visit by none other than Dr. Oud himself, Richard Hankey. It was great to finally meet the man who has revealed so much info about oud construction, and especially Nahat ouds. Richard is a soft-spoken kind man that has a great passion for ouds, and middle-eastern music in general. He and his wife honored my house with their prescence, especially since Richard was kind of to give a short private concert for me and my family (follow the link below for a video of a small portion of the concert). He also brought one of his greatest ouds, a replica of a 1958 Georges Nahat he built. The detail and inlay work on this oud is simply spectacular (see photo below). It's now around 30 years old, but looks like an antique instrument from the "old country". Richard also plays the Persian Santur. The piece on the video is simply beautiful, and was a real pleasure to listen to. I thought that I would share this little story on the forum since I know there are those here who would be interested. The Doctor is in the house!

Dr. Oud concert link

SamirCanada - 8-17-2005 at 07:24 PM

WOW.. Thank you soo much Jameel for that.
Its really apreciated
Respect.
Samir

Dr.oud your playing is great as usual. I like the Arabic singing too! I didnt know you could sing and especialy in arabic.. but I figure since you were with howayda you had to speak to her some how!!:shrug:

PS; I love how the camera slowly starts drifting away towards the oud when he's playing the santur. It shows your passion for the oud hehehe. It's nice with the santur in the background. I would be guilty of the same thing my friend. Thanks again for this Jameel.:buttrock:

palestine48 - 8-17-2005 at 07:57 PM

Thanks Jameel, I am currently downloading. By the way do you still have that video where you repaird the jubran for issa boulous and issa played it in the following segment. I would like to have that one again if possible. Thank you, Rami

Awesome!

LeeVaris - 8-17-2005 at 08:56 PM

Doc you are great!

What a fantastic oud... and that santur isn't too shabby either! Hey Doc, did you make that santur as well? I play an American hammer dulcimer which is very similar. Your instrument has a great sound.

I really love your oud though, hmm... (dreaming about my next oud...)
:bowdown:

Jay - 8-18-2005 at 06:47 AM

Wow! Thanks for sharing that video, Jameel. It was really inspiring to see Dr. Oud in action.

Doc, that is such a beautiful oud, and it sounds as good as it looks. You are truly an artist. I enjoyed your singing, and the santur was a treat too. Guys, that really made my day.

Jay

Dr. Oud - 8-18-2005 at 07:47 AM

Well you guys are too kind. I guess you didn't notice me mumbling my way through the words I couldn't remember, or fumbling my way past my santur mistakes. I did enjoy myself immensely with Jameel, and really enjoyed meeting his family. If you think he's a good woodworker, you should see his paintings! He's got talent bursting out in many directions. Visiting his shop was a real pleasure, seeing someone with so much intensity and obsession made me feel at home.

The santur is from Dairoush Saleri, the great master santur builder in Tehran. It was selected for me with the assistance of Pashang Kamkar at the Kamkar school of Music in Tehran. The music (Darya or The Sea) is a composition by Ardavan Kamkar, the younger santur player in the Kamkar family.
http://www.kamkars.net/

Howaida spoke more English than I could Arabic, but she did sing Sawwah and I joined in the chorus. It was like I was in heaven. My Arabic is very limited, consisting of a few songs, some essential things ("where's the bathroom? - I'm hungry/thirsty - how much? - too much! - help! - police!" and the usual polite phrases, insults and replies. )

Peyman - 8-18-2005 at 09:06 AM

Daryoosh Salari is one of the greatest instrument makers in Iran. He is famous for his innovative santoor making and he also builds Indian instruments. That santoor looks like a pleasure to play, let alone the fact that Pashang Kamkar selected it! The oud is very beautiful as well. is the finger board ivory?

Dr. Oud - 8-18-2005 at 11:25 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Peyman
Daryoosh Salari is one of the greatest instrument makers in Iran. He is famous for his innovative santoor making and he also builds Indian instruments. That santoor looks like a pleasure to play, let alone the fact that Pashang Kamkar selected it! The oud is very beautiful as well. is the finger board ivory?

Saleri is the best, I agree. He uses some construction features I haven't seen in any other santurs. The sound from this instrument is so inspiring, it has that suptle fuzzy edge tone that I have only heard from Nazami's instruments. The construction is also so precise that my technique gets a boost only on this santur.

Yes, all the white stuff on the oud is pre-ban ivory except the eyun which are bone.

Mike - 8-18-2005 at 03:56 PM

What an awesome experience this must have been for both of you guys. I bet the question and answer session lasted for a little while. Doc...I've always loved that oud. It is my favorite one that I have seen of yours. Thanks for the pics and the video was great!
Take care,
Mike

Mike - 8-18-2005 at 04:11 PM

I just finished watching the video now after I first posted a response in this thread. Doc!!! I used to love you before my man...now my respect for you is a thousand times greater!!! Singing in Arabic, and singing one my guy's songs! You are the best Doc. The santur was beautiful as well...but I was blown away when I heard you singing Ya Gamil. :bowdown: The video was great...thanks Jameel for sharing this killer experience with us all.

Jonathan - 8-18-2005 at 08:33 PM

Anybody have the sheet music for Ya Gamil, with the lyrics in English letters?

Alan - 8-18-2005 at 08:41 PM

:applause:Very well done doc. Good medicine for the soul.

oudplayer - 8-21-2005 at 04:54 AM

hi jameel
i finnaly got the privlige to watch this amzing video and all i have to say is doc yr amzing at the oud and the santur great keep it up
anyway
can someone tell me what is the differnt between the santur and the kanoon
thx sammy

Dr. Oud - 8-22-2005 at 09:22 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by oudplayer... what is the differnt between the santur and the kanoon
thx sammy

Aw shucks, you guys are too much.

The kanun is a double nylon string harp with a skin face under the fixed bridge. The tuning is adjustable with levers that shorten the string length to change the maqam. It is played with short plectrums held with rings under the first finger of each hand. The kanun is square on the bridge side and the opposite side with the tuning pegs angled to provide the variable string length.

The santur is a symmetrical trapezoid box, made all of walnut (Persian and Iraqi styles). The strings are steel on one side and brass on the other, 4 strings per course. The brass side on the right is tuned an octave below the center side of the steel strings, with the steel bridges usually placed to provide a third octave on the far left side. Sometimes the steel course is split for different intervals on each side. The individual bridges (harak) can be moved to provide tuning variations within one dastgah (Persian) or maqam but they are fixed for the duration of a musical piece as the adjustment takes a bit of "tinkering". The mizrab are a pair of very thin slightly flexible wooden hammers also made from walnut or other flexible woods. The santur can be found in variations in many cultures all around the world, from Ireland, Hungary, Romania, India, China, etc, etc.

oudplayer - 8-22-2005 at 10:11 AM

hey doc
thx nbow i know the differants
thx and keep up the good work and btw how dio u play ya gamil on the oud i would love to learn what makem ect
thx sammy

Dr. Oud - 8-29-2005 at 12:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by oudplayer... btw how dio u play ya gamil on the oud i would love to learn what makem ect
thx sammy

I learned Ya Gamil Ya Gamil from a 33 1/3 lp recording by Fareed. It is in Hijaz and I play it from the 3rd string. No one noticed or commented, but this oud is tuned very low, due to it's fragil structure. If I try to tune it up to "standard C", the body warps and I have to reset the neck again (I've reset it already about 5 times!) So the top string is actually at A, making it a bass oud, I guess.

Dr. Oud - 8-29-2005 at 12:14 PM

and the lyrics...

oudplayer - 8-29-2005 at 02:53 PM

hey doc
doc yr the man
thx sammy

paulO - 8-29-2005 at 04:08 PM

Hi Richard,

Tuned very low indeed !! Man the thing positively growls. I remember this oud from the Boulder Creek Days...it sounds so cool tuned that low, fabulous pitch definition, super ultra woody tones, and that bottom string-- Wow !! Hey and all that from listening to a low res recording over a PC speaker !! Thanks to Jameel for posting the clip.

Regards....Paul