Mike's Oud Forums

More New Vids

davidg - 10-18-2009 at 12:25 PM

Please tell me what u think, no matter how bad the opinion, it means a lot. It is a mixture of vids from Hicaz Mandira to a rock song that i like called Boulevard of Broken Dreams...Enjoy and please criticize. Thank you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvNDUEdNYLA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVpcdu2ePvI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Z5AbRS8cM

Ararat66 - 10-18-2009 at 01:26 PM

Hi David

Firstly I did enjoy your playing and thanks for posting. I liked Laz Bar, it has a good Armenian feel to it - good timing and 'spirit' but a lot of echo (in the recording, not a fault of your playing) which made me want to hear this better recorded (take that as a complement ... I'd like to hear more!!).

The second piece I imagine had a truer sound closer to how you play - not so much echo, and I really liked parts of this. You are developing a good strong and crisply defined risha action. My only critisism is that you tended to be a little harsh on the trebles at times. I only say this because it is something I am working on myself and there is a very particular way to get good volume out of the high top two strings (E & D??) without it sounding harsh or brittle.

I think you may find it can really help by playing in front of a mirror, plus you are already recording yourself which is great ... but being able to watch and hear yourself is extremely valuable.

I find now when I am too harsh on the higher notes I sense it more in the feel of the risha on the strings ... it is as if the strings feel hard and unyielding. I have found this to be because I am holding tension in my arm or (usually my elbow) or hand and this transmits to the strings through the risha so it is like I am stressing the string out also :)) they can get a bit strung out.

The last piece I liked because you are exploring just playing ... but I have to say I preferred the first two ... but don't stop exploring.

Good luck

Leon

Ararat66 - 10-20-2009 at 12:09 AM

Not quite sure why you're not getting so much feedback here, there's some good playing happening n some of these clips.

:airguitar:

Leon

davidg - 10-20-2009 at 12:49 PM

Lol thanks Leon, it really means a lot, and ya i know about the second and first strings and im working on it, it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, u gotta play more gently i think, which i sometimes do not do...Anyways, i agree i want more feedback...PLEASE!

abusin - 10-20-2009 at 02:01 PM


:applause:
:applause:

Well done my friend, great risha work there :applause:
keep them coming,

paulO - 10-21-2009 at 09:19 AM

Dude...

Hicaz Mandira -- good job, the time kind of drifted in the second part a little, otherwise really clean sounding (despite the reverb), and a good feeling for the 7 -- this tune is so dense with notes that it's a bear -- but your right hand, is pretty strong and you've got no big problems with your fingering either.

Taksim -- try not to hit the face when you're trying for "that sound" on the top 2 strings, see if that helps. Otherwise, you've got a good grasp of improvising, and plenty of flavor. Sounds like a mixture of Arab and Turkish approaches on the taksim, you going for one over the other -- how long have you been playing ??

Boulevard of Broken Dreams - your chords are in tune -- which is paramount when translating any guitar tuneto the oud. I checked out a Green Day Live take of the tune on youtube just to get an idea what you were going for.Once you get the whole tune down, you might want to integrate some of their rhythm guitar figures into your strumming....ah...just a thought.

Take care man, you're sounding good !

Regards...PaulO

Christian1095 - 10-28-2009 at 12:20 PM

Hey, I really like the phrasing in your taqsim... Mabarook!

Aymara - 10-29-2009 at 12:37 AM

Hi,

I really like the first one ... it makes my foot stomp ;)

Regarding the second ... I also noticed the sometimes too "aggressiv" picking on the highest strings.

And the third ... nice to find the next player trying western music on oud, because the more players do that, the more well-known the oud will become in Europe and the US. Currently the oud is nearly unknown in Germany ... I always have to tell people, that it's the "father of the lute".

BTW ... the Boulevard of Broken Dreams inspired me, that Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven would sound great on oud.

Marcus - 10-29-2009 at 05:19 AM

Hi davidg :wavey:

well done:applause: let us hear more please:airguitar:


Aymara:Take a look at this clip:rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjN652y6TUI&feature=PlayList&...

BTW : Did you finally found YOUR oud?

Aymara - 10-29-2009 at 05:43 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Marcus  
Aymara:Take a look at this clip:rolleyes:


Haha, can't believe it ... I knew it would sound great on oud.
Quote:
Did you finally found YOUR oud?


Not finally, but nearly ;) I might have a chance next month ... I'll report, as soon as I get one.

Luttgutt - 10-29-2009 at 07:40 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Marcus  
Hi davidg :wavey:

well done:applause: let us hear more please:airguitar:


Aymara:Take a look at this clip:rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjN652y6TUI&feature=PlayList&...

BTW : Did you finally found YOUR oud?


Well, she is NOT playing really! there is a guitar player right beside her doing that job :)

Davidg! I love your 7-rythem! You really made it swing man!
And Boulevar is a lovely tune (yours?).
But if I may, I think your pick is too hard! I would try defferent types, softer types. Experiment, just for the fun of it. Espesially on Boulevar! Feels like a soft melody that needs soft pick and technique. I also suggest that you hold your pick such that it is less visible (too much pointing out). Just a thought. But I love your playing.

Aymara - 10-29-2009 at 02:22 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Luttgutt  

there is a guitar player right beside her doing that job :)


Really? I thought, that only video and audio are out of sync.

davidg - 10-29-2009 at 10:10 PM

Well, finally some feedback, I should say that my oud is the cheapest of the cheap, it is a 180$ Turkish tourist oud that my aunt brought from Turkey about 6 years ago and so it is a very low quality oud that in my opinion sounds pretty good considering it has a crack through the middle of the face, if the weather is poor, the strings tend not to sound so good...Anyways, we were doing construction in our house and so this room was completely empty so i used it to my advantage since the echo was so amazing, but i guess in the vids its a little bit too much. Boulevard of Broken Dreams is a song by a band called Green Day. As for the picks, i really like the feel of these picks its mainly my problem sometimes i like to emphasize something by playing it harder and it ends up being ugly like that, we still have a long way to go. Thank you very much, again, everyone. More feedback is welcome and i will try and get more vids.

Aymara - 10-29-2009 at 11:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by davidg  
... sometimes i like to emphasize something by playing it harder ...


The question is, what is the main reason for this? Is it a kind of euphoria while playing or maybe subconciously a try to override some sound flaws of this "broken" oud? I expect the later, because usually euphoria doesn't let us play soft passages hard, but the more rhythmically ones.

Maybe a better oud will help you ... your talent is definitly worth it.

darbuka - 11-4-2009 at 08:01 PM

Cok Guzel! As a percussionist Laz Par is such a great tune to play. Nice playing and feel also.

Fingers of Fury
Darbuka Player Blog
:bowdown: