excentrik - 1-3-2007 at 05:13 PM
A good friend of mine was telling me about this issue he has with his technique that cracked me up, I thought you guys would enjoy it-
So his first lesson with his new teacher was going pretty well- but his teacher stopped him and said "habibi, you have to breath when you play!" The
second he started to breath while playing he messed up notes, and lost his concentration... The first lesson became "How to Breath".
Second Lesson, he's trying his best to concentrate and play- All while breathing (can you believe that...
) and his teacher stops him again and says- "OK, This lesson- go to Yoga!"
HAHA This is true, I laughed my ass off! He went to Yoga, and told me "man, they really kicked my ass in that class..."
Tell me you didn't have to be there... I thought it was hilarious- good teacher huh?
tarik
P.S. 
oudplayer - 1-3-2007 at 05:26 PM
hey tarik
very funny story btw did the oud teacher still get paid or did he have to pay for both lol
t hx sammy
zalzal - 1-4-2007 at 04:30 AM
I may not have understood quite well the joke.
I think breathing is extremely important when you play oud. A good physical own respiration while playing oud can only improve your playing.
I do not know how to do it and have never tried; but reading this post i think i will try to do it in the future.
When you play oud, the bowl is near yr liver and it is sending sounds to yr liver, to yr organs. When you play it, oud become part of yourself.
Oud is an organic instrument, made of wood, an organic material which respires as well.
BTW, oud reminds me of a pregnant woman. The player of an oud give birth to a taqsim
Phrases and sentences improvised with oud will sound nicer when they have a proper "respiration". And a proper respiration of musical sentences can
only be given when you have control of yr own breathing.
oudplayer - 1-4-2007 at 07:23 AM
hey zalzal
btw did i make up the whole pregnet thing its awesome and makes 100% sence i like it.
thx sammy
Ararat66 - 1-4-2007 at 11:09 AM
Well I teach yoga and play the oud - the breath is the mother of invention. If you breath poorly you don't think well or play well - it's all linked
together.
Om
Leon
John Erlich - 1-4-2007 at 05:14 PM
Hi Folks,
My wife is a certified yoga instructor and is always on my case to improve my posture. I know I tend to slouch when I play, and I am sure that good
posture when playing is essential to good body mechanics and therefore to avoid repetitive stress injuries.
I would definately do yoga with my wife if I could find the time between my day job, performing, and parenting.
Nemaste,
Udi John
eliot - 1-4-2007 at 05:32 PM
Yoga, done properly, is a great antidote to carpal tunnel, repetitive stress, and other hand/wrist injuries that can arise from oud playing. I've
known a lot of oud players who had to quit oud because of hand/wrist problems - it would seem that yoga, breathing, and the like is sort of like an
insurance policy for continued oud playing.
palestine48 - 1-4-2007 at 08:24 PM
Alright guys I think I feel confident to say that I am the guy excentrik was referring too.
But please laugh a little guys, excentrik was trying to bring some light hearted fun to the board.
After I read that I texted him that I was gonna bring my oud and show him, lol.
Now that we got the humor out of the way.
I have allergy problems and am constantly congested so I inadvertantly got adjusted to taking shallow breaths through my mouth rather than long deep
breaths through my nose. I always sensed it was a problem but never had the urgency to cure it( Ive tried everything possible nothing ever worked)
until it affected my oud playing.
Now I practice everyday on how to breath properly to build back my lung capacity, and I take a clariten a day. I dont know how thats gonna last me
though. I think those pills are bs but so far claratin works.
I think I got the laust laugh though on excentrik lol. We met up at a show in berkely and he invited two really good lookin girlfriends to hang out
too. He tried to bust me out on the yoga issue in front of them, but they actually were impressed that I did it.
anyways good luck guys and remember , dont forget to breath lol.
YOGAYOGAYOGAYOGAYOGA
Ararat66 - 1-5-2007 at 01:53 AM
Hello Mr 48
Definately have a laugh - this is good for any sort of 'stuck' breathing as it gets the diaphragm jumping. One of the best things you can do for
yourself is start yoga - it will help to calm your allergic response.
Don't think too much how and why, just do it (too much thinking makes the breath shallow also!!), the reasons for how yoga works take quite a bit of
explaining but I would recommend you find a teacher that talks about how yoga connects to lifestyle - how it all fits together.
You say you've tried everything? I can more or less guarantee that yoga will help (from my own experience as a yogi and a yoga teacher). It also
doesn't use drugs, just retunes your body, breath and mind. One thing though, don't start by going to an advanced class, you will get disheartened,
think it is a keep fit class for acrobats and also miss the heart of the core teachings - yoga isn't acrobatics but a spiritual practice (like
music!!). I wish I could teach you myself but I am too many miles from you.
Two other things - if people tease you that you are doing yoga then have a laugh ... but carry on. Secondly you will find women love you for it!! It
shows you want to take care of yourself (and others).
I know that all of this started out as a laugh but you can still laugh and start yoga - it can change your life!! no kidding.
I will now get off my soap box and return you to the fine world of oudism.
Take it easy
Leon
Brian Prunka - 1-5-2007 at 07:03 AM
Yoga is great, I'm glad to hear you're starting it. Leon is right about women loving you for doing yoga, but there are other reasons women will love
you for doing yoga too . . . and why you'll be glad if your girlfriend/wife does yoga.
For your allergies, try acupuncture as well. A handful of acupuncture treatments really improved my allergies (even though I was very skeptical at
first).
excentrik - 1-9-2007 at 06:13 PM
I wasn't dissing yoga guys- I was just messin around... My Lady goes to Yoga every week- and she bothers me about breathing, posture, etc. maybe thats
why she's a lot prettier than I am? yoga....
Tarik
Ararat66 - 1-10-2007 at 03:04 AM
Hello Tarik
No offence taken at al - the thing about yoga is like music, if you practice from the heart it doesn't matter what anyone says. As far as looks go I
have the same problem as you - and I have two beautiful blonde little daughters which makes me look like a bag of spanners.
Best wishes to all the spanners on the forum
billinpitt - 1-10-2007 at 12:08 PM
I have been playing oud and cumbus for just a few months now after playing guitar for about 20 years. I have never had any repetive movement injury
playing guitar , however I have been having numbness and tingling in my picking hand for the last week. I have not really played at all hoping it
would heal.
I assume it is from the bent wrist while picking the oud so I need to rethink my playing posture. I love the oud and dont want to quit playing
it.
I now see the importance of correct breathing and proper technique.
Anyone else have similar injuries and advice on how to avoid this in the future?
The oud forum is great and I wish everyone peace and happiness.
Ararat66 - 1-10-2007 at 02:38 PM
Hello
I had the same after a few months of playing but it eventually stopped and have no problem now. I too am a guitarist so maybe the change in action
takes a while to adjust to, it would be different if you hadn't played any instrument first but we all develop conditioned patterns and reactions with
all our physical movements.
Try to concentrate on not gripping the risha (pick) too tightly, only enough to not drop it. This will develop your ease in wrist action without
strain which a tight grip will cause. Then you may find it eases off and you can experiment with different strengths of grip which alter the tone a
great deal and is very expressive.
All the best Leon
paulO - 1-11-2007 at 08:56 AM
Hi billinpit,
In addition to Leon's excellent suggestions, just the difference in arm and shoulder position vs. the guitar might have some bearing on the problem.
Also, you might want to look at your total practice time on all 3: Oud, cumubs and guitar, if you're total time has like tripled, back off a bit on
one or the other, or just take the oud and cumbus in small bites -- like 10 mins max, until things improve. Take care.
Regards..PaulO
palestine48 - 1-11-2007 at 09:05 AM
As I learned from my two teachers that I have had, playing the oud should be a relaxing process. there literally should be no tention involved. my
current teacher tells me to find the position where my hands fingers etc are totally relaxed then play in that manner.
as far as the right wrist goes, the angle in wrist should be as if it is totally limp and there is no exertion to hold it up. my tacher last week
gave me an insight, the risha shoul be held with enough force to keep it in place but yet so lightly that a person can pull it from your hand at any
time. if the person pulling it experiences ristance in pulling the risha from you then you are holding it with too much tension.
also on the left hand, he told me about the ruler method where u tape a ruller to the back of your left wrist in order to keep it nuetral and only
relly on your fingers. I didnt wanna look weird walking around with a ruller every where i go so i went and bought one of the carpel tunnel syndrome
wrist braces to train my left wrist to be neutral and that seems to dod the trick as well.
He also said the tension begins in the thumbs of eah finger so it seams that if u try to reduce all the tension you can play oud tiill you are a 100.