Alessandro - 8-14-2007 at 02:40 AM
Hello everyone,
I wonder if anyone out there can help. I have been playing the oud for about 2 months now (a kamil mwes) and i cannot practice as much as i would
like as my neck and shoulders hurt so much. I am sure it comes from the oud. Does anyone have any ideas?????? I am so in love with the instrument
that it would drive me mad to have to stop playing.
Many thanks in advance
Alex Migliore
Strasbourg
France
MatthewW - 8-14-2007 at 04:28 AM
Alessandro- it may help to have your right foot elevated a bit ( if you are playing right handed) in the way that classical guitar players do. You can
purchase an adjustable foot rest at any good guitar store that sells classical guitars, or use a block of wood or something. This seems to help raise
the oud and position it better on your right leg which many players find feels more comfortable all round for the whole upper body. Check that you are
not tensing your neck and shoulder muscles when you are playing, try and be relaxed! It's the right hand wrist moving the risha up and down on the
strings that does a good deal of the work, and be sure not to tense up your wrist or have it in any awkward positions as well. Also the left shoulder
area needs to be relaxed; check that you are not tensing up your arm when playing on the fingerboard. 
John Erlich - 8-14-2007 at 06:32 PM
Hi Alex,
Dumb question: Are you playing on your own or do you have a teacher? I was a guitar player who picked up the oud about 10 years ago. I played on my
own for about 1 1/2 years before I got proper instructions. I had started to develop RSI (repetitive stress injury) in my right wrist. Luckily, I
got some good advice and instruction from accomplished oud players soon after.
I think the most important element of the body mechanics of oud playing, especially for us converted guitarists, is learning to relax the right hand
and wrist. Next would be proper right arm position. The best way to get these things right is a good, experienced oud teacher.
Strasbourg is in Alsace, if I'm not mistaken, and probably hundreds of miles/km from Paris. However, I think it's worth a trip or two to Paris, if
that is the closest place to find a good oud teacher, to get you started.
Good luck,
John