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Tuning

ifred2000 - 5-6-2004 at 03:29 AM

Hi,

I'm using a digital tuner (the one used for tuning a guitar) to tune my oud. But the range is from 430MHz to 449 MHz, does anybody have a recommendaion of which frequency to use? Or if there's a better way to tune the oud?

thanks

david - 5-6-2004 at 10:13 AM

I belive most people use 440

Actual frequency

Elie Riachi - 5-6-2004 at 11:26 AM

Hello,

I have done some studying on this since it can be confusing due to the difference of an octave between the music written for piano and music written for guitar or oud. The oud seems to be played an octave lower than written.

The tuning I use for 6-course Arabic tuning (from low pitch to high with the actual octaves and actual frequencies) is:

C2(65.406 Hz), F2(87.307 Hz), A2(110 Hz), D3(146.83 Hz), G3(196 Hz), C4(261.63 Hz).

Standard guitar tuning (actual octaves) is:
E2A2D3G3B3E4.

The A2D3G3 are the open strings common to both oud and guitar. Note: this doesn't mean that they are the same gauge and tension.

I plan to string my oud with two sets of classical guitar strings and tune to CFADGC. According to my calculations, each string will have about half of the tension in the oud compared to the guitar which I expect will be just fine. The total tension on the oud will be about the same as the total tension on the guitar since it doubles in the oud because we are using 12 strings instead of 6.

I can post specific data if someone requests it.

If you would like some reference notes to tune to, check out this site:

http://www.musikit.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_...

Hope this helps,

Tuning

Fahad - 5-8-2004 at 03:57 AM

Hi, i have been using Boos H-12 Chromatic tuner. the normal tuning is 440 with the following data:

string 5=F, string 4=A, string=3=C, string 2=G, and string 1=D.

this setting will make you able to play the oud with most songs on cassettes. However, some people prefer low tuning. so, you can actually tune on any range. please note that usually good oud players tune according to how they hear. and the only time the use the tuning instrument is when they want to play with other people on different instruments.

Zulkarnain - 5-8-2004 at 09:52 AM

Hi Fahad

I just tune my Oud to what ever oud songs that I like playing on what ever player (ie cassette or CD player) really not a matter-low or high but when I get together with other musicians we use the standard 440 tuning!

Salam
**Hate complication

Good ears

Elie Riachi - 5-8-2004 at 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zulkarnain
Hi Fahad

I just tune my Oud to what ever oud songs that I like playing on what ever player (ie cassette or CD player).....

Hi Zulkarnain,

Could you elaborate more on how you tune to oud songs? Like do you tune your oud to the same open tuning on tape or CD? and how can you tell?

I use the digital chromatic tunner set to standard 440Hz. I guess one could use a guitar tuner or a tuning fork to tune one string and then use that string to tune the rest by ear.