Mike's Oud Forums

Oud project help

ch4455 - 11-3-2009 at 08:11 PM

Hey, I am doing a project for my music class at school where I have to analyze the piece "Bird's Happiness" by Naseer Shamma (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y5wskcHwF8&feature=related). As a person who does not play the oud, can someone answer a few questions for me? Anything else interesting that you notice would be valued information too.

1) How common is it for chords to be strummed on the oud?
2) How effectively can dynamics be used be used on the oud to create emotion?
3) Is there always a constant awareness of tempo in solo oud pieces?
4) Is the oud always played with a plectrum? Is it ever played in any other way to alter the mood of the piece?
5) What kinds of chords are used in oud music? Are they the usual Major, minor, diminished, etc.?
6) Are oud melodies always relatively angular?
7) Are there any typical rhythms used in this piece?

Thanks!

Danielo - 11-4-2009 at 01:21 PM

Hello and welcome to this forum!

I don't really know Nasser Shamma's music but let me try to answer:

1)in the traditional way of playing chords at not used at all because:
-chords do not fit within the maqam system that underlies all arabic/turkish music
(it is hard to define in a few words, basically it contains a set of modes and the rules associated to them)
-they are quite unpratical on a frettless instrument.
This said, it is very common to use a bass note as a drone (usually the tonic)

2)at least from my point of view this is why the sound of the oud is so emotional
(being both quite punchy and intimate, abrupt and warm). Listen to Anouar Brahem for instance, for use of dynamics

3)usually (but not always) yes there is locally a sense of tempo and rhythm but the instrumental improvisations, called takasim, do not have globally neither a rhythm nor a fixed structure.

4)You need a plectrum (called risha) in order to get the 'real' sound of the oud but it is common to play the bass drone strings with the thumb. Finger picking on the higher strings is not traditional

5)again, the harmonic system is proper to european music and has no analogue in eastern music, which is (almost strictly) monodic. Some Nasser Shama followers do use some chords (usual minor/major)

6) what do you mean by angular? It is true that there is always some kind of percussive feeling in oud music if this is what you mean

7) I have to listen to it :)

Dan
Quote: Originally posted by ch4455  
Hey, I am doing a project for my music class at school where I have to analyze the piece "Bird's Happiness" by Naseer Shamma (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y5wskcHwF8&feature=related). As a person who does not play the oud, can someone answer a few questions for me? Anything else interesting that you notice would be valued information too.

1) How common is it for chords to be strummed on the oud?
2) How effectively can dynamics be used be used on the oud to create emotion?
3) Is there always a constant awareness of tempo in solo oud pieces?
4) Is the oud always played with a plectrum? Is it ever played in any other way to alter the mood of the piece?
5) What kinds of chords are used in oud music? Are they the usual Major, minor, diminished, etc.?
6) Are oud melodies always relatively angular?
7) Are there any typical rhythms used in this piece?

Thanks!

Sazi - 11-4-2009 at 05:44 PM

1) Chords are quite common in the Iraqi style of playing.
4) Playing with the fingers is also an often used technique in the Iraqi style.

Note: The famous composer Mohammad Abdal Wahab once said that "All the Arab world's music revolves around Egypt, except for Iraq, they have their own musical way".

ch4455 - 11-9-2009 at 03:54 PM

Thanks for your help! It means a lot to me.

Aymara - 11-10-2009 at 02:01 PM

Quote: Originally posted by ch4455  
It means a lot to me.


Also go to Youtube and search for oud and famous players like the Trio Joubran for example ... that's a good impression of the instrument beyond pure theory. I did that a lot to find out, which oud design I like most.

Interesting might also be searching for DuOud ... a duo from Paris, which combine traditional styles with Rock, which shows a new trend besides Jazz.