Benjamin
Oud Junkie
Posts: 225
Registered: 7-23-2006
Location: Paris, France
Member Is Offline
Mood: sababa baba
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Oud and neighbors...
Hi I just moved to Paris area and it's just impossible to play oud without disturbing people here. Moreover my problem is that oftentimes the only
time I could play oud would be at night after the legal 22:00 o'clock silence time.. I guess we are many to have this problem..
Do you know if an electric oud could solve this problem? If I plug it to earphones, do you think people can hear the sound of the strings or it is low
enough (like a bass without electricity)?
Do you know where I can find good quality electric oud in Paris?
Thanks!
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Danielo
Oud Junkie
Posts: 365
Registered: 7-17-2008
Location: Paris
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Mood: No Mood
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Bonjour Benjamin,
your neighbors are tasteless 
Did you try playing with a very soft risha (together with low tension strings) ? This is what I do in order not to awake the kids..
Otherwise it's not easy to find good midrange ouds in Paris at reasonable prices.. you can get a Sukar electric oud here, for 590 euros :
http://www.chamusic.com
Usually in France it's better to buy ouds second-hand, you can often find good deals. Check regularly e.g.
http://www.leboncoin.fr/annonces/offres/ile_de_france/occasions/?f=...
Dan
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dimitrisd
Oud Addict
Posts: 47
Registered: 1-23-2009
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Mood: No Mood
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Hello Benjamin,
A possible solution might be for you to close the holes of the instrument with a piece of cloth! Just put a thin piece under the strings without
touching them and cover the holes of the oud! This will cut the sound to almost 50%.
Now, if you want some more then put a clothe under the strings, to the soundboard bridge and try to touch them all! This one, will silence the
instrument, but you will also loose the sence of the instrument! It is only good for practising with the richa or with the left hand!
I hope you will find a solution!
Dimitris
http://www.myspace.com/dimitrisdourtmes
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David.B
Oud Junkie
Posts: 640
Registered: 9-5-2009
Location: France
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Mood: Renaissance
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It's a pity, the video is not available anymore 
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=9802#pid652...
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John Erlich
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1470
Registered: 8-26-2004
Location: California, USA
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Mood: Oud-Obsessed
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Hi Benjamin,
I'm sorry to hear about your problem! I have never been to Paris, but I assume, like any very big city, the apartments are small, and you have
neighors above, below and beside. Maybe part of the answer would be to pick your practice room (assuming you have more than 1 room!) and try to
soundproof it. You could dampen the sound a great deal by softening the surfaces; use rugs or and install carpeting, and post something made of cloth
on the walls and ceiling.
Good luck,
John
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Benjamin
Oud Junkie
Posts: 225
Registered: 7-23-2006
Location: Paris, France
Member Is Offline
Mood: sababa baba
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Hi all!
Thanks for your answers, and sorry for replying late...
Dear Danielo, I decided to fly to Turkey soon and there I'll just get a good electric oud I think, or if not a small oud without this so strong sound
that I have now -which is great only when you play acoustic, if plugged then it's a festival of feedbacking...
Dimitris i tried the stuff with the cloth but it is still very strong, my Abu Ala oud has a very very strong sound!
It just suck to live in a big overcrowded city, so I assume that rather trying to isolate my one-room studio (which is not mine anyway), i should move
in another place, far from Paris!
If somebody can advise me on a good electric turkish oud in Istanbul, you are welcomed!
Cheers,
Benjamin
http://www.myspace.com/weilbenjamin
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Aymara
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1162
Registered: 10-14-2009
Location: Germany / Ruhr Region
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Mood: No Mood
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Hi Benjamin,
I'm able to play oud and acoustic bass very silent by plucking the strings softly only with my fingers. But I also play electric guitar with a little
heaphone amp. So I bet playing an electric oud over such a mini amp with headphones will make you happy ... it shouldn't be louder than an unplugged
electric guitar.
THIS discussion from last year might help to find luthiers in Istanbul.
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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Microber
Oud Junkie
Posts: 853
Registered: 1-20-2006
Location: Belgium - Liège
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Mood: No Mood
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Quote: Originally posted by Aymara  | Hi Benjamin,
I'm able to play oud and acoustic bass very silent by plucking the strings softly only with my fingers.
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Hey Aymara,
That's what I used to do.
The problem is that you have to practice the right hand too.
But now I have found a solution.
I have bought a big house. So I don't disturb the family.
And my neighbours are Moroccan. 
They like my oud. 
Robert
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Benjamin
Oud Junkie
Posts: 225
Registered: 7-23-2006
Location: Paris, France
Member Is Offline
Mood: sababa baba
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Hey Chris thanks for the link, that's what I was looking for. The problem with playing softly is that it's not the proper way of playing and you can't
really practice -at least the right hand- like that.
Robert I think the only solution is to live in isolated places, so that you can play at night or when you want, so I have to buy a house :-). But
first I should manage to pay my monthly rent hihi
Cheers,
Benjamin
http://www.myspace.com/weilbenjamin
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Aymara
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1162
Registered: 10-14-2009
Location: Germany / Ruhr Region
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Mood: No Mood
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Hi again!
Shure ... no problem in my case in the early evening.
So, I bet Benjamin will be happy with an electric oud, a nice headphone amp and a good headphone.
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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udmaker
Oud Maniac
Posts: 61
Registered: 3-27-2009
Location: Istanbul - UNKAPANI, Turkey
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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good luck
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Benjamin
Oud Junkie
Posts: 225
Registered: 7-23-2006
Location: Paris, France
Member Is Offline
Mood: sababa baba
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Thanks guys!
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Benjamin
Oud Junkie
Posts: 225
Registered: 7-23-2006
Location: Paris, France
Member Is Offline
Mood: sababa baba
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Dear Chris and all,
Could you advise me concerning headphone amps and good headphones? I'm just freaking beginner in that kind of stuff, I always played with traditionnal
ouds...
Concerning the electric ouds: I guess the fishman mounted pickups and microphone are good aren't they? What about other brands?
Oudistly yours
Benjamin
http://www.myspace.com/weilbenjamin
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Aymara
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1162
Registered: 10-14-2009
Location: Germany / Ruhr Region
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Mood: No Mood
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Hi again Benjamin,
the headphone question is the easiest ... just get a nice HiFi headphone, which is comfortable and sounds nice.
If you want a cheap one that sounds really good and can be used for MP3 players too ... I have an AKG K319, which is really great. But I prefer my big Beyerdynamic DT-990, but that is pretty expensive. An Alternative might be the more linear DT-880, which is a bit cheaper, but also expensive like
all high end HiFi headphones. If you want a good one below 100$ get the AKG ... I got luck ... payed 25 Euros  But even the regular price around 60 Euros is worth it. Don't get fooled by the looks of it ... it comes with grey
foamies, you can put over the speakers. Then it's very comfortable. Though they are very small they are real HiFi headphones with a great sound after
a burn in of around 50 hours.
Regarding the amp ... I play my oud only acoustically, but electric guitar with headphones over a Line 6 Pocket Pod. I also use it as a headphone amp without effects to play my Godin A5 fretless bass, which has a piezo pickup like most electric
ouds.
But you could also buy a regular HiFi headphone amp, but a good one is muuuch more expensive. And using effects like echo with the oud might be
interesting, so why not use a Pocket Pod?
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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Benjamin
Oud Junkie
Posts: 225
Registered: 7-23-2006
Location: Paris, France
Member Is Offline
Mood: sababa baba
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Thank you a lot for these informations Chris.
I'm a bit puzzled by the prices of these stuffs, but anyway If I can't play oud all night every day it worth it!
Now I understand what I'll need: a headphone amp. A question: can you plug it then to speaker (if you go to a friend house for instance and you wanna
play for all)?
So I guess I should by something like a Line 6 Pocket Pod and headphones for it (I already have PL and XLR cables and a reverb effect pedal which I
guess I could plug to it).
Thanks!
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Aymara
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1162
Registered: 10-14-2009
Location: Germany / Ruhr Region
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Mood: No Mood
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| Quote: Originally posted by Benjamin | | A question: can you plug it then to speaker (if you go to a friend house for instance and you wanna play for all)? |
The Pocket Pod has a headphone out and a line out to connect it to a guitar amp or a HiFi amp. This line out can be configurred depending on which
kind of amp you attach it to.
It might sound strange to recommend a guitar multi-effect pedal for an electric oud, but I think it's the cheapest allround solution, which has a good
sound. And BTW ... an electric oud with chorus effect and/or a bit echo sounds even better
And a Pocket Pod together with the AKG K319 will cost you around 150 Euro ... not bad, hmm?
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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Benjamin
Oud Junkie
Posts: 225
Registered: 7-23-2006
Location: Paris, France
Member Is Offline
Mood: sababa baba
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Indeed, looks good, I need something like that to be able to practice without disturbing neighbors!
Thanks!
Benjamin
http://www.myspace.com/weilbenjamin
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Aymara
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1162
Registered: 10-14-2009
Location: Germany / Ruhr Region
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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No problem ... with a bit of echo on the headphone you feel like being on stage ... but nobody hears it except you
And if you visit friends, just plug the Pod into an amp and give a little concert.
PS: And if you like to try something more modern, try the Pod's effects like distortion or delay and follow Mehdi Haddab.
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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Benjamin
Oud Junkie
Posts: 225
Registered: 7-23-2006
Location: Paris, France
Member Is Offline
Mood: sababa baba
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I'll do! Thank you my friend!
Benjamin
http://www.myspace.com/weilbenjamin
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Aymara
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1162
Registered: 10-14-2009
Location: Germany / Ruhr Region
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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No problem ... I love the Pod and I bet you'll too.
Greetings from Germany
Chris
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John Erlich
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1470
Registered: 8-26-2004
Location: California, USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud-Obsessed
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Hi Benjamim,
Checked out your Myspace page...very nice!
You sing a song, "El Me'od Na'ala," that my band used to perform. Did you know that the (Hebrew "Pizmon") lyrics were written by a Syrian Rabbi in
New York City?
Peace out,
John
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bulerias1981
Oud Junkie
Posts: 770
Registered: 4-26-2009
Location: Beacon, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: John Vergara Luthier Lord of the Strings instrument making and repair
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I also use crappy soft rishas for this. they have no projection, and are very quiet. They have no other purpose
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Benjamin
Oud Junkie
Posts: 225
Registered: 7-23-2006
Location: Paris, France
Member Is Offline
Mood: sababa baba
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Dear John,
Thanks for your feedback (and sorry to answer you so late)
Concerning El Meod Na'alah, I know the lyric is considered to be part of the Jerusalem piyut tradition (it is sung in Jerusalem sepharadic
synagogues), though it has been indeed put into music by an Aleppo rabbi, and the music remind an old ottoman melody...
I didn't know it was in NYC lol... If you can tell me more about that I would be glad, didn't know I was singing NY style ;-)
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