Ive recently been working from a Yair Dalal cd called "Live in the desert". I had to tune down to study, approximately 1 semi-tone. I have just tuned
back up to concert pitch but kind of miss the lower tuning, the maqamat sounded sweet at this slightly lower pitch.
We know from surviving woodwind instruments that this lower pitch (A=415) was standard through out Europe up until the mid to late 18th century and
many of todays "early musicians" still play at this pitch.
Im curious to know if any of you use and prefer this lower pitch?
Also any views on the use of this pitch on the oud and in Arabic music generally?.
Thankyou.Reda Aouad - 4-11-2009 at 10:30 AM
Well I've tried to tune few times half a step lower and half a step higher. I didn't like the higher tuning.. it was a bit percussive and the note's
attack was slightly more sudden. I don't recall what I exactly felt when I tuned lower.. but it was a minute effect.
What if your oud sounds better on that lower pitch? It may resonate better due to how it responds to the different frequencies.. what if you get
more/less harmonics from your oud when tuning lower and you like that effect? I cannot think of any logic that explains why all instruments should
sound better on lower pitches.. maybe some ouds sound better tuned up..Reda Aouad - 4-11-2009 at 10:32 AM
And one more thing.. I hated the fact to tune differently every time. What I often do is play some music/song on my speakers and play my oud with it
to practice it or just to enjoy it. So changing my tuning will give me a headache.rojaros - 4-11-2009 at 01:04 PM
Using lower pitch with the same set of strings gives you a lower tension and so a richer and more formable tone (as long the tension doesn't get to
low)
So a similar effect can be achieved with a string set of lower tension without tuning down. But actually of course every pitch has its own mood,
independently of the properties of the instrument. And last not least of course every instrument has its sweet spot in terms of optimum sound and
pitch, and that is not necessarily the official pitch of any kind (415 or 440).
As long as you play for yourself or solo, you can choose whatever suits you, but as soon as other instruments or recordings come into play you have to
deal with their pitch anyway.
best wishes
RobertLuttgutt - 4-11-2009 at 01:27 PM
Every time I by a new oud I tune it 415 for a month or so, simple to INJOY it :d (I just love the tone at that pich, on ALL ouds!)
But then I tune up to 440 or 442 and keep it there since I "modern" music with "modern" instruments, so there is no point in having 415.
P.S. 442 is becoming more usual, espesialy amongst classical musicians.
P.S. 2- I keep the 415 on one of my Nahat ouds (1929), for the moments when I just want to play for myself and get "high" :-)
P.S. 3. Next time I am changing strings on Nahat, it would be
a Daniel Mari charlie oud - 4-11-2009 at 01:30 PM
Quote:
every pitch has its own mood, independently of the properties of the instrument. And last not least of course every instrument has its sweet spot
in terms of optimum sound and pitch, and that is not necessarily the official pitch of any kind
Nicely put Robert, I've been experiencing this. Sounds like Luttgutt does also.Luttgutt - 4-11-2009 at 01:58 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by charlie oud
Nicely put Robert, I've been experiencing this. Sounds like Luttgutt does also.
Absolutly!jdowning - 4-12-2009 at 05:30 AM
As rojaros suggests, go with whatever pitch sounds the best - pitch standards are only necessary if you have to play along with other instruments
otherwise if you are playing solo it doesn't matter.
The use of A415 as a pitch standard has no historical foundation - it is a pseudo baroque pitch invented in recent years (1960's) by the 'early music'
fraternity - a convenient semitone below international concert pitch A440 (another recent standard introduced in 1939). A more 'authentic' choice
might be A392 a full tone below A440 - preferred by some baroque lute players today because their lutes sound better at a lower pitch. The same might
also apply to some ouds?
Historically instrument pitches ranged from a low of A373.1 to an extreme high of A567.3 dependent upon instrument, period in history and regional
preferences.
