cjmichael - 4-18-2008 at 07:00 PM
Hello everybody,
I haven't posted here in a while. School is crazy...
Anyway, I thought it was about time that I posted a clip of my playing. The matter of the fact is that there really aren't many oud players in
Louisiana, and it would be really hard for me to get lessons. 
So how
about if I posted a video of myself playing and let you guys comment on my technique!? Hopefully I won't look back at it as masochistic.
I've been playing this Haidar Najm Abood made oud for about 9 months now. I try to play a few minutes a day, but haven't been able to keep up lately
(school 
). This is the first instrument I've ever really played, so my ear is
developing for tones. Finally, I have bad performance anxiety. It's not as bad as when I first started, but my playing is certainly affected by it
-- mostly my timing. I really need to get over that.
So here it is. Of course, any constructive criticism is welcome.
Fog Il Nakhal
DaveH - 4-19-2008 at 01:19 AM
Hey CJ. As a fellow noob I don't have so much in the way of criticism but just wanted to encourage you to keep gong because it really does sound
great. You have a fantastic oud and you obviously really enjoy playing it. As I said while posting a sample of my own a little while ago, it's good
for us noobs to get stuff up on the forums and not just leave it to the really good people.
That said I'd have two tentative comments - consider them as a peer review, rather than from anyone with any authority.
You could try mixing it up a little more with the risha strokes. I think most or all of the melody notes were on downstrokes and you were only really
using upstrokes for ornamentation, doubling up the notes.
The other thing I'd say from my limited experience is that you have quite a strong bend in your wrist. This caused me a lot of problems if I played
for long periods until I really straightened it out, stretching the wrist a little so the risha was contacting a little further up the strings. I do
see a lot of pros playing with bent wrists but it caused me problems with the tendons in my arms and I feel now I'm able to control the sound more,
rather than always playing very hard and near the bridge. But then I'm told I have long arms for the instrument and everyone's different.
Keep it up and keep enjoying it!
cjmichael - 4-19-2008 at 07:33 PM
DaveH, I've heard you play. I wouldn't think for one minute I was anywhere near the level you're at yet, so I feel a little awkward categorizing you
as a noob... But I do highly agree that us novices should post our stuff here more often.
What you say is right, I really don't emphasize risha upstrokes when I play. I've already started taking your advice and have started playing maqamat
alternating risha stroke on each note. Sometimes it seems really odd to me. For example, when stroking down on a lower string, then up on the one
above it. Nonetheless, I'm still practicing this way.
And yeah, the wrist bent like that does bother me over time. If I elevate my right leg and set the oud up higher and more to my left, my wrist
straightens a little more. That's the way I usually play. I actually shot this video in my brother's room (that explains the fish tank noises) and
was really in a hurry. I have started paying more attention to my wrists. I want to eventually minimize my fatigue and that's certainly a big
part.
Thanks for the great advice!
Ararat66 - 4-20-2008 at 03:25 AM
Hi fellow noob
you're doing great - the main thing is your risha technique looks pretty relaxed which can take sometime. Your playing is coherent and your timing
fluent. In terms of advice I would say try to be a little more 'expressive' with your left fingers, try sliding into and out of notes, explore the
tonal range that is unique to oud (very different to guitar for example), and really draw out the possibilities of vibrato which brings a wonderful
full rich tone and sustain but alsois very emotionally expressive ... you can do worse than listening to Udi Hrant cds whose tone is phenomenal.
One last thing (Columbo!!) your steady methodical approach is admirable but also practice really letting go .. make some mistakes, your fingers will
begin to move in a non thinking way if that makes any sense.
I congratulate you on your progress so far.
Take it easy
Leon
cjmichael - 4-28-2008 at 07:50 PM
Hey Leon, thanks for all your kind words and good advice. I've already taken heed of it, especially what you said about exploiting the tonal range of
the oud. Honestly that's something I haven't quite practiced until now. The expressiveness of this technique is powerful.