ishkandar
Oud Lover
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Registered: 12-12-2005
Location: Eastern Pennsylvania / Washington, D.C.
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Is there a left-handed oud for beginning lefty?
Where or who do you recommend in obtaining a left-handed oud for a beginner? What would be a good range for $$$ to spend on one? Should I buy a more
advanced model or stick to the beginners?
Any instructors/teachers around the Philadelphia / New York area available? -Alex
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revaldo29
Oud Junkie
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Cheapest thing would be to learn to play with your right hand  But honestly,
most left handed ouds I've seen are custom so they will cost a little more.
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SamirCanada
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The only difference is the way that first peg is placed... the rest is pretty much the same especialy with a beginer oud where the sound board will
not exactly be tuned to the strings location so it doesnt mather really if you invert the strings to play left handed. The only thing is your going to
have to be carefull around that first peg wich will be in your way. When you learn and want to invest in a good oud... you should get a custom made
left handed oud.
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Dr. Oud
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| Quote: | Originally posted by SamirCanada
The only difference is the way that first peg is placed... the rest is pretty much the same especialy with a beginer oud where the sound board will
not exactly be tuned to the strings location so it doesnt mather really if you invert the strings to play left handed. The only thing is your going to
have to be carefull around that first peg wich will be in your way. When you learn and want to invest in a good oud... you should get a custom made
left handed oud. |
If the oud has 12 pegs (most do) you could skip the first peg and use the last one for the single bass to get the clearance to play first position
left handed. Although they look to be symmetrical, better ouds are made purposefully to accomodate the string loading the bridge in the conventional
sequence. The tone of almost any oud will be compromised by reversing the strings. - not a problem for a beginner, but noticeable to the experienced
oudist.
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SamirCanada
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Thats a verry good trick Doc.
Although I knew that better quality ouds are made to accomodate the strings to produce the right sound. I figured that in the case of beginer ouds
from Khalifa or other inexpensive ouds then that aspect of sound wasnt exactly covered... do you think thats the case? or do most ouds regardless of
there price have these calculations in order accomodate the tension and produce the right sound? from what you have seen?
Thanks in advance.
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Dr. Oud
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Yes, I would expect the cheap factory made ouds (most of the cheap ouds sold on Ebay are made in Pakistan) not to be built with the sophistication of
fine ouds made by master luthiers. The assymetrical design is subtle in some ouds, (notably Nahats) and very obvious in Turkish ouds. I know that if
an oud sounds good strung conventionally, it won't sound as good if the strings are reversed. If a cheap oud sounds good (some do) it is by accident,
not design.
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Monty88
Oud Junkie
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Hi everyone,
this is interesting, i know someone who has turkish ouds for sale in MElbourne, and i'm going there to pick one up from him. He has one for four
hundred dollars that is excellent for the money, and i'm gonna pick it up. It's a one-off, all the others by the same maker are crap.
I'm a lefty too, and my name is getting around as an oud player when i don't actually own an oud. I'm always using someone elses'. After year 12 (next
year) I'm going to go back to Greece and turkey for a couple of months and get a custom built oud left-handed for me. Will stringing this oud do for
the meantime? Will the sound seriously change by reversing the strings? heres a pic of the oud i'm talkign about, i just need one that will last two
years or so!
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Monty88
Oud Junkie
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here it is
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oudmaker
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Iskandar
I hope I am not too late to advise you.
If you are beginer beginer and do not play any other instrument I strongly suggest to forget about being left handed and go for a regular oud and
learn on it using your left hand on the fingerboard. You are lucky, your left hand must have more capability then your right. Both of your hands are
learning a function they never subject to before. Your left hand may learn fingering and your left arm may learn moving much quicker then your other
hand which will be learning strumming and that is much easier.
If you already are playing any instrument such as guitar just forget what I said.
Good luck
Dincer
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ishkandar
Oud Lover
Posts: 15
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Location: Eastern Pennsylvania / Washington, D.C.
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Dincer, I kind of get what you are saying, but not really. I can use both hands fine. I can shave with a straight razor with both hands quite fine. I
can shave myself or another person with the razor. But my left hand is dominate. I tend to go after things with my left hand. I can hit the heavy bag
(and this is a no-no for a oudist) with both hands just as quick; even though there is more power with my right hand.
I am a beginner-beginner. Although the oud is unique, I aspire to be an unique oudist. So do I want to use my left hand for the finger board or to
strum? Which is better - a left handed oudist or a right handed oudist that can place his fingers on the finger board faster?
Any good teachers/instructors down in Philly?
Thanks everyone! --Alex
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oudmaker
Oud Junkie
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Alex
I whould say use your left hand on the fingerboard. Your left hand is dominant. Again you are not clear wether you already are playing a stringed
instrument or not. If you have already trained right hand for fingering just keep doing that way. But if you are beginer beginer just forget that you
are lefty and start train your hands as any regular right handed oud player does. One more advantage is that expensive or cheap all the ouds have
been made initially for the righties.
Regards
Dincer
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Monty88
Oud Junkie
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dincer,
so if i buy this inexpensive oud to make do for one year, will the sound change if i string left-handed? I'm a strictly left-handed baglama, cumbus
and laouto player, and this oud sounds very nice as it currently is. What do you reccomend?
I will have an oud custom made lefty for me in about two years when i go to greece and turkey again, but i just need something to fill in for the mean
time.
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oudmaker
Oud Junkie
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Monty88
Buy it.
Dincer
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Monty88
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Thankyou Dincer,
I like that!
I know the sound of a good turkish oud, because I have played Mavrothis's oud that you built for him. After playing your ouds, Faruks ouds and Mustafa
ouds, I know the sound I need. I will contact you in the future. This oud is not concert quality, but it will do for the next year.
Regards,
Monty
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ishkandar
Oud Lover
Posts: 15
Registered: 12-12-2005
Location: Eastern Pennsylvania / Washington, D.C.
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Mood: happy being miserable
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Dincer,
Thanks for the advice. I will use it wisely.
And, thanks to the rest of the fellows for their patience and quality advice.
I am going to take all of your inputs/advice and learn how to play as a right hander. I am a beginner-beginner with no prior music/guitar experience,
with the exception of playing the trumpet from kindergarten to the third grade. So I will have to learn how to read music all over again. And that is
hopefully wishing for the music to be on the same scale structures?
"E. very G. ood B. oy D. oes F. ine!" or something like that.
Best of luck to everyone and their families for the upcoming holidays.
P.S. - if anyone can recommend a good route on an inexpensive or not to overly - costly used or new right handed oud with an Arabic sound to it; I
would greatly appreciate it. Thus, I will be searching for a beginner right handed oud with this quality of possessing an Arabic sound. I hope to be
playing the likes of Wadi Al Safi and Farid el Attrache one day. I can only dream for the stars and the heavens! Hey guys, thanks again!
--Alex
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