Jameel
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 12-5-2002
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Aquila Arabic Light tension---new info
For those who would like to try a lighter tension than the Light Tension sets (3.7kg/37Newton) for CFAdgc' tuning, try using the Turkish Light
C#F#Bead' set.
I recently strung one of my ouds (61.5cm) with this set and it yielded excellent results. There are a few people who feel the 3.7kg set is a bit tight
for their taste, and indeed 3.7kg is generally on the high end of "medium" tension. Lately I find myself preferring a lighter tension. I have also
been tuning my ouds in B as well. Maybe it's just a phase, but I find most of my ouds sound better at this tuning. To do this easily, just set your
tuner to 415khz and tune as normal. This is basically 1/2 step lower (C -> B)
I'm not sure exactly what tension the Turkish set yields at Arabic tuning at 61.5cm, but as I often say, the numbers only get one "in the ballpark".
So far, this set is very nice at this length and tuning.
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mourad_X
Oud Junkie
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Location: Almanistan;-)
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dear jameel
first of all thank you for the very fast shippment to germany.
i have bought 3 sets of aquila-string in light tension 2 arabic CFAdgc and 1 turkish
with the C#F#. I usualy tune all my ouds CEAdgc. I put the C#F# on my turkish
Sandi (Cankaya) GK 15 now it sounds like a very expensive instrument
i accree with you this set is realy very nice
and i know normaly on turkish ouds, when we tune arabic, we should use arabic tension
regards
mourad
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Elias
Oud Junkie
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Dear JAmeel
you're right about the turkish set on 61.5...it gives nice results and it's not a secret that ouds sounds better in B...i find expecially the old
ones.......
by the way i recently tested some VARNISHED Aquila Light Tension sets....and they are great!....help a lot avoiding the pick noises and make the
string life longer...ask Mimmo about them!
salamat
elias
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Jameel
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I'm using this set now on another oud I have (a new Shehata) also at 61.5, at A440 and the results are excellent.
Elias, I assume you mean varnished gut, right? NOT nylgut. I'd like to try these.
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Elias
Oud Junkie
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Hello Jameel,
...not the varnished gut...i mean the wound strings...the varnished wound red copper strings
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Jameel
Oud Junkie
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aha, thanks Elias
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Dr. Oud
Oud Junkie
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Location: Sacramento, CA, USA
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I am using the lightest Turkish set (Rosso Light, DAEBAE) on the 1966 Haddad that I am restoring. When I first string it with Pyramids, the body was
bending and the action rose to unacceptable height. With the light set the strings felt still too tense, the tone sounded tight and the action still
rose a bit, but not as much as w/ Pyramids. So I measured some strings with a micrometer to examine the diameters, which given the same material is
how the strings are guaged. I added a row to calculate the % increse of diameter and found some inconsistent results.
strings 1 2 3w 4w 5w 6w
Pyramid utr oud 0.028 0.0325 0.025 0.0295 0.038 0.044
13.85% -30.00% 15.25% 22.37% 13.64%
Aquila
Arabic CGDCFC 0.025 0.031 0.025 0.029 0.034 0.047
19.35% -24.00% 13.79% 14.71% 27.66%
Arabiccgdagd 0.024 0.028 0.026 0.03 0.032 0.043
14.29% -7.69% 13.33% 6.25% 25.58%
TurkDAEBF#C# 0.023 0.029 0.026 0.028 0.035 0.044
20.69% -11.54% 7.14% 20.00% 20.45%
TurkDAEBAE 0.023 0.028 0.026 0.028 0.033 0.039
. 17.86% -7.69% 7.14% 15.15% 15.38%
I then tuned the Haddad down to A and discovered it was in tune with one of my favorite oud taqsims, on a recording called Cairo tradition. At this
tension the oud sounds great except the 6th string is very dull. Looking at the % row, the 6th string in this set has a significantly smaller increase
in diameter, although the pitch increment is the same as all of the other Aquila sets. The string guages should be selected to respond equally for the
pitch differences, doncha think? Ideally the strings should be available in indiviual courses so that the balance can be attained according the the
oud's response, which varies from oud to oud. Predetermined sets of strings may be good marketing, but it compromises many oud's ability to produce a
balanced volume, which is an impediment not only to musical response but also impedes plectrum technique as you try to compensate for louder and/or
softer strings.
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