Mike's Oud Forums

tone enhancment

billkilpatrick - 3-14-2008 at 04:21 AM

a simple way to improve the tone of your instrument:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KB29agLAQg

Interesting

dss - 3-14-2008 at 07:11 AM

When he put the cloth over his mandolin I was half expecting a magic trick where all the sudden it would disappear.

Any experience that anything like this actually works in terms of creating a perceptible difference in tone? Would putting one of those magnetic wrist bands around the peg box work as well? "Oud-strong" ;-)

carpenter - 3-14-2008 at 08:50 AM

There were some old-time fiddlers who would drop a rattlesnake rattle down the soundhole for tone improvement. Whatever lets you sleep nights, I guess ...

Here's my theory in action. An old geezer told me a long time ago to keep instruments on the wall, and the sympathetic vibrations from the radio, other instruments, even talking would keep the vibrations going 24/7 and exercise the tops, like playing. I don't know for sure, but I've been hanging mine up for 20 years or so; I like to think it works. When they're all nicely tuned and the dog barks, the ringing is kind of impressive - not like noon in a clock shop, but cool.

I've noticed if I keep my violin in the case for a long time, it takes longer to "wake up" when I start playing.

No control group, of course. As an Authentic Old Geezer, I freely pass along the half-baked opinion, however.

gregorypause - 3-14-2008 at 10:36 AM

You have an impressive collection carpenter! Nice hurdy-gurdy.

carpenter - 3-14-2008 at 11:05 AM

Thanks - now if I had time to keep 'em all played in ...

<< Nice hurdy-gurdy >>

Thanx again. With sympathetic strings, even! Armed with my oud-bowl-making experience (small as it is), I think a bowl-back 'gurdy is in the near future.

But I'm wandering off-topic again Our local music store keeps their instruments hanging out in the open, claiming the same supposed intangible tonal benefits. Who knows for sure? Maybe I could strap my orbital sander on the old oud and let it run overnight ...

Nothing beats regular playing in tune.

Dr. Oud - 3-14-2008 at 12:31 PM

This reminded me of a summer camp when I hung a bunch of instruments in a tree for about 2 weeks. They made the best wind chimers I've ever heard, nd I think they sounded better than ever before or since too.

Jameel - 3-14-2008 at 03:23 PM

Afif and Peter played my #2 for like 3 hours straight during one of Mike's oud summits, and it sounded incredible for literally 2-3 weeks afterwards. It was incredible.

billkilpatrick - 3-15-2008 at 12:40 AM

tone quality can't help but be a subjective consideration. i hear a difference but i don't think a "before/after" sound sample via my cam/corder would detect a change. but it makes sense to think that constant vibration will cause an improvement. the question is: how long will it last and is it accumulative?

Sasha - 3-15-2008 at 05:57 PM

There was a discussopn on this subject at mimf.com about a decade or so ago.

rebetostar - 3-17-2008 at 02:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Jameel
Afif and Peter played my #2 for like 3 hours straight during one of Mike's oud summits, and it sounded incredible for literally 2-3 weeks afterwards. It was incredible.


Sounds like they imbued the instrument with a much subtler vibration (yet more powerful?) than what a vibrator could accomplish.
Still, this is an interesting idea! Must experiment.

billkilpatrick - 3-18-2008 at 05:52 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by carpenter
There were some old-time fiddlers who would drop a rattlesnake rattle down the soundhole for tone improvement. Whatever lets you sleep nights, I guess ...

Here's my theory in action. An old geezer told me a long time ago to keep instruments on the wall, and the sympathetic vibrations from the radio, other instruments, even talking would keep the vibrations going 24/7 and exercise the tops, like playing. I don't know for sure, but I've been hanging mine up for 20 years or so; I like to think it works. When they're all nicely tuned and the dog barks, the ringing is kind of impressive - not like noon in a clock shop, but cool.

I've noticed if I keep my violin in the case for a long time, it takes longer to "wake up" when I start playing.

No control group, of course. As an Authentic Old Geezer, I freely pass along the half-baked opinion, however.


complimenti - looks like very inviting part of the house.

carpenter - 3-18-2008 at 10:48 AM

Thanks; I think so - next to the kitchen, that is ...

<< a much subtler vibration (yet more powerful?) than what a vibrator could accomplish.
Still, this is an interesting idea! Must experiment. >>

Get your oud tuned up, prop it up in front of the speaker, feed it some good CDs for a couple of hours at a decent volume, and see. (Mine likes Rahim Alhaj, but who doesn't?) Maybe there's an improvement, maybe not, but at least I get to hear some good music while I ponder the imponderables.

<< a discussopn on this subject at mimf.com about a decade or so ago >>

I wasn't paying attention to them a decade ago - it's a mark against me, and I know it - but was there a determination made?

Melbourne - 3-19-2008 at 02:34 AM

Interesting....

What if you rest your oud right against a floorstanding speaker (so it is in contact), and play a loud solo oud cd? I'm going to give that a go now ;)

OudandTabla - 3-19-2008 at 07:48 AM

When I first started learning Oud, I practiced for 2 hours a day, and by the end of the first year I started getting picky about tuning. I used a combination of just intonation and equal temperament to try to get it to ring on all the perfect fourths, fifths and octaves. As you know, just intonation and equal temperament are very different beasts, and I was never satisfied with my combination.:shrug:

So one day I grabbed a cheap guitar tuner and spent 20 minutes tuning exactly to the device. For some reason, everything I played that day sounded 10 times better! It rang more, sounded more in tune, and the Oud sounded "alive" like never before.

I have no explanation (I thought equal temperament would sound less in tune, not more) and never got it to sound quite like that again, but believe me I try!!!

OudandTabla - 3-19-2008 at 07:49 AM

Addendum: my theory is that when all the strings are perfectly in tune with itself, the instrument will ring with a much more full voice.