Jack_Campin - 5-9-2007 at 08:58 AM
I have a Syrian ud - fairly cheap but it works, made by Mahmoud Safi of Damascus, 1971. I would rather play it in straight-fourths Turkish tuning.
Anyone know where to get a set of strings the right weight for that? I suspect it will explode if I just use the normal strings.
Picture of part of the ud on my cats page, http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/Cats/
Dr. Oud - 5-9-2007 at 09:50 AM
even if you use light strings the extra tension at the higher pitch with that longer string length can rip the bridge off the face. Sometimes it'll
take some of the face with it. If you want to play Turkish music, buy a Turkish oud.
Jason - 5-9-2007 at 11:14 AM
Splodge is wild looking, nice cats!
Here's a thought... buy these strings for F A D G C F tuning
http://www.khalafoud.com/labellastrings.htm
Tune the top string down to E and the other 4 to B E A D. The tensions may be a little wonky tuning down a minor third like that but I think it would
technically work without endangering your oud.
Jameel - 5-9-2007 at 11:19 AM
What's the scale length?
Jack_Campin - 5-11-2007 at 03:50 AM
61.5cm.
I'm thinking I might just sell it and put the money towards a Cankaya electric (probably more useful given the sort of things I'm doing at present).
Lintfree - 5-14-2007 at 12:21 AM
I have a Syrian oud that I tune to fourths. Starting with the lowest string;
B/E/A/D/G/C, the top nylon string being C and the lowest wound string being B. I use the Turkish Tuning set of MusiCarivan Strings. The lowest string
is a .043 not the usual .041. The instrument sounds great at these pitches and the tension is moderate. It's an old oud made in the thirties and I am
very careful about tension. It's great to play along with violin that is tuned normally (G/D/A/E) or in other tunings. Works for me. D.L.
Jack_Campin - 5-14-2007 at 04:28 AM
That's the tuning I'm using at present, but it's a tone lower than the Turkish standard. I have some Turkish tutorials on VCD that use the standard
tuning and I'd like to use them directly.
Jameel - 5-14-2007 at 07:46 AM
You can do it of you use light enough strings. It would have to be a custom set. I can set you up if you like.