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SamirCanada
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Mehmet Polat VIDEO PAGE.
Here is a verry tallented turkish oud player.
http://www.mehmetpolat.net/english.html
Look at the speed in the way he plays Sharif Muhittin Haydar Targan’s peices. Its really stunning.
Enjoy.
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LeeVaris
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Yes... I posted a link to his site earlier. I must confess, however, that I couldn't finish watching all the videos as I got tired listening to the
speedy renditions of music that felt kind of rushed.
He has a very intersting technique... left hand position reminiscent of a classical guitarist. He also holds the neck up like a guitarist. He gets a
somewhat brittle tone on the instrument but he does get very clear tones way up the neck -- even past the sound hole.
Interesting... I'd like to see what happens with him once he calms down.
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SamirCanada
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Couldnt agree more Lee.
It gets a little bit too rushed and you feel like there should be a little more feeling. Maybe he will calm down your right...
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mavrothis
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Hi,
I think it's amazing how much he really sounds like Targan in many of his runs and technique.
Very impressive. 
Targan's pieces are played a lot, but his style has never been absolutely copied like this by anyone else that I know of (not that he's an exact copy
of Targan, often his own sound comes through).
Take care,
mavrothis
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adamgood
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cool thing is, if he gets an itch on his nose during the middle of a piece, he can scratch it with the index finger of his left hand, while his other
fingers keep playing. I've never seen anyone be able to do that. actually i've never seen him do that. but i bet he could if he needed to.
if i had an itch on my nose i would have to stop for a moment.
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Jameel
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Is it me, or does Mr. Polat's right hand look unusual? Almost as if there is some extra space between his index and middle fingers.
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SamirCanada
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Do you really think he is from Earth?
lol
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LeeVaris
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He does make an unusual stretch, Jameel... I think its all in the hand position. The neck is way up and his elbow way down bringing his wrist forward
above the fingerboard - his thumb behind the fingerboard and the pad of his palm (just below the fingers) almost touching the edge of the fingerboard
in some passages.
I tried making that stretch... can't quite manage it without turning the hand too much and it hurts to even come close but its possible. He must have
really worked on stretching the fingers to develop that dexterity!
The way he holds the oud is also interesting - right arm kind of coming over the top with the wrist in a fairly severe angle. Somwhat similar to John
Bilezikjian, though John doesn't hold the neck so high. Mehmet cradles the oud fairly tight to his body as well - left leg crossed over the right.
I've never seen anyone sit like that with the oud.
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cihan
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Well, in all honesty and with all due respect, I liked his hicaz taksim, but I could hardly stand the pieces he was playing with speed as he was a few
comas off the correct sound in roughly half of the notes he was playing.
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UrbanTurban
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That's Not Mehmet Polat!!
That's Yngwie Malmsteen on the oud!!  
And yeah, it gets really fast boring to listen to......
Fredrik
The Impossible Just Takes A little Longer
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UrbanTurban
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For you guys that still dosen't think this is Yngwie, here is the proof:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYYOA2PXO2A&search=yngwie
Fredrik
The Impossible Just Takes A little Longer
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Koya
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Yeah,
The proof of exhibitionism...
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adamgood
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| Quote: | Originally posted by cihan
Well, in all honesty and with all due respect, I liked his hicaz taksim, but I could hardly stand the pieces he was playing with speed as he was a few
comas off the correct sound in roughly half of the notes he was playing. |
I totally agree that he's playing taksim really really well. he's showing lots of musicality (if he used a little more space and some sustain then i
would go from liking it to loving it) and he's showing the makam really well. curious to hear more taksims.
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UrbanTurban
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Koya
Yeah,
The proof of exhibitionism...
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You could say that again...............
No of course the man has skills (Mehmet Polat) but in very few cases, on any instrument, to intense playing is going to sound
good.............................
Fredrik
The Impossible Just Takes A little Longer
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mavrothis
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Everyone who cares about something, music or whatever it may be, should have opinions and preferences. Otherwise, you're just sleepwalking.
However, to feel the need to criticize to the point of insult someone who obviously has an incredible amount of talent and who has worked very hard
towards something (and continues to work at it) is pretty pathetic in my opinion.
There's a very simple solution for anyone who doesn't feel attracted to someone else's playing; don't listen to it.
Being negative is too easy. Actually creating something artistic yourself is very difficult. I propose we all work at creating music/art that we
feel is beautiful, and give excessive criticism of others a rest.
Personally, I have so much to work on in my own playing and composing, that the time I need for self-criticism leaves me little to no time to
criticize other people's playing, even if I wanted to.
There is a lot we can all learn from Mehmet's playing, regardless of our musical tastes, and he's only 25. Imagine what he will be playing in 10
years, or 20...
Take care,
mavrothis
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David Parfitt
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I agree wholeheartedly with Mav on this. Mehmet has obviously put a lot of time into his technique and is justifiably proud of what he achieved. While
his style might not be to everyone's particular taste, there is no need for these kind of cheap insults.
David
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UrbanTurban
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Sorry If I'm lost here, but who made a cheap insult?!?
Wasen't the conclusions that his taqsims were wonderful, but his intense playing on the oud could get a bit boring?? I don't see anything insulting in
these conclusions...
And who (in this forum) would be incompetent enought to not understand the amount of time Mehemet Polat put in to his style of playing.....I mean,
anyone that comes to this forum to seek out knowledge about the oud probably also knows that this is one of the most difficult instruments to
master.......
Personally I think it's an art to play a simple piece and make it sound beautiful and advanced than shred the instrument (again, any instrument) into
oblivion. I mean, try to sit down and make beautiful music out of 3 - 4 notes...That's an art!
But once again, Mehemet Polat IS a fantastic oud player.....
Fredrik
The Impossible Just Takes A little Longer
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oudman
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I have to agree with Mav. This guy is 25 and has already accomplished in technique and musicality what some people dont achieve in a lifetime of
playing
Believe me a guy with talent like that will only get better with age
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Jason
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It sounds good to me. The technique doesn't seem that outlandish to me... I've always played with a similar technique.
I think he is stretching a bit too far in the lower register though. Putting that much space between your index and middle finger can lead to a lot
of strain on your hand longterm. Violinists definately do not play like that.
I enjoyed his playing. Would love to hear some stuff with percussion or a group
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David Parfitt
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| Quote: | Originally posted by UrbanTurban
Sorry If I'm lost here, but who made a cheap insult?!? |
You did. What else would you call this:
| Quote: | | This is what we in sweden call guitar masturbation, but in this case I have to say Oud masturbation....... |
You are not going to endear yourself to many people here with these kind of comments. The oud world is a small one and Mehmet is actually a member of
this forum, so perhaps you could show a bit more consideration in future.
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LeeVaris
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Jason
I think he is stretching a bit too far in the lower register though. Putting that much space between your index and middle finger can lead to a lot
of strain on your hand longterm. Violinists definately do not play like that. |
Yes... I thought that myself. Still, his technique is very well suited to the fast runs that he seems to execute effortlessly. I can't quite get my
hand into that stretch between the first and second fingers. Maybe he does have some extra dexterity. The positioning of his hand allows for a lot of
economy of movement so that he can hit a lot of notes without moving his hand up and down the neck as much. You have to have a lot of precision in
placing the fingers in those fast runs -- no time for vibrato to "find" the note so I think this hand position helps to place the fingers more
accurately.
I'm not sure I could tell if he was a few comas off in intonation - it sounds OK for the most part but I'm certainly not an expert with perfect
pitch!
Masturbation? I'd love to be able to masturbate like this! Before we all jump on him for playing too fast just remember that the selections that he's
chosen here, other than the lovely Hijaz taksim, are supposed to be played fast. I'd still like to see the music breath just a little bit more but
man, this guy is already pretty amazing -- just think what he's going to be like in 5 more years!
For myself, I'm experimenting with the up-neck playing position to try to get the left hand into a better playing angle. Naseer Shamma also plays a
bit like this though his left hand is not placed quite as well forward... a little more relaxed and his thumb creaps up behind the neck a bit more --
still there are some similarities.
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Brian Prunka
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Is there some kind of plug-in to watch these videos? I couldn't get them to work . . .
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David Parfitt
Oud Junkie
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Brian,
I checked with Mehmet as I also had problems with the videos (no sound in my case). He said you need to have the divx codecs installed in your
computer, or download the full version of divx player free from http://www.divx.com. Hope this helps.
All the best
David
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adamgood
Oud Junkie
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| Quote: | Originally posted by LeeVaris
For myself, I'm experimenting with the up-neck playing position to try to get the left hand into a better playing angle. |
hmmm interesting, how about this?...holding the ud at that kind of angle could be more healthy for you hand, healthy for your wrist? in the tendonitis
sense. keeps your wrist from being crooked.
now that i think of it, my friend Hoseyn in Paris holds an ud a bit like this as well. His main instrument is violin (really fantastic player!) but
he's also playing very well on ud. his left hand is killer...really beautiful ornaments, seeming to come from his violin playing.
a
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cihan
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Dear friends,
If my remarks were insulting to anybody, including Mehmet himself, I am sorry about that. However, in my view point, given we are all playing a
fretless instrument, a requirement for an acceptable agility is hitting the right sound at all times. What I'm trying to say is that, speed is
meaningless if you cannot play the semais, longas etc written by a great musician correctly at that speed. This is my personal view, which may or may
not be shared by many of you.
I respect Mehmet's research for a better technique and wish him best of the luck with that. Nevertheless, I am not going to say his technique is
fabolous just to cheer him up or to support him. I think the best support comes through criticism.
About Mavrothis's comments, especially this one:
"There's a very simple solution for anyone who doesn't feel attracted to someone else's playing; don't listen to it". This is in itself is a cheap
insult unfortunately. There is no way to know how a player is playing without listening to him/her at least once.
Finally: this is to Mehmet: I am very sorry brother, if I made you sad or upset. Your technique at this young age is probably much better than what I
have being a person ten years older than you. I wish you all the best in your quest towards being a better oud player.
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