maryisk
Oud Admirer
Posts: 5
Registered: 2-18-2011
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breaking strings, help
I have an egyptian oud, 616mm scale length, and I prefer having it tuned FAdgc.
Since I've started learning, I've only had those 5 courses and I wanted to add the 6th course (a high ff).
I purchased the Labella OU80A set from Oudstrings.com and strung according to http://www.oudcafe.com/stringing_and_tuning.htm and I couldnt bring the strings with the smallest gauge anywhere near their proper tuning (high f)
(i believe they were an octave BELOW where i needed to be), without them coming very near to breaking, same with the second smallest gauge (high c)
(but in this case it was on the right octave, and one of them actually broke).
What can I do, what am I doing wrong?
I'm still a bit of a beginner, the oud is my first string instrument and I've only been at it for 6 months now (and this also happens to be my first
time changing my strings on my own, if that isnt already apparent =))
Thank you in advance
God Bless
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Oud Dude
Oud Lover
Posts: 11
Registered: 4-17-2011
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hello, make sure that the oud strings have low tension to avoid any pressure on the instrument. strings like labella, which i prefer and use, or
addario strings, God bless
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maryisk
Oud Admirer
Posts: 5
Registered: 2-18-2011
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thanks for your reply Oud Dude
these are Labella strings, the tension is listed at 3.7, but i dont see why thats the problem, plenty of players use that set, i'm sure they dont have
the same problem i'm having
im pretty sure im doing something wrong =(
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maryisk
Oud Admirer
Posts: 5
Registered: 2-18-2011
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is it because im trying to bring my strings up to the right pitch too quick?
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
Posts: 2939
Registered: 1-30-2004
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Mood: Stringish
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Hi Mary,
I'm sorry you're having trouble.
It shouldn't matter how quickly you are bringing the strings up to pitch.
The tension on the LaBella set is on the high side for the high f string (average tension is about 4kg for the set, but the high f is the highest
tension at about 4.8 on your oud).
The set is not meant to be tuned lower; the high ff course is tuned to the F immediately above middle C on the piano, and the cc course is the same as
middle C (oud music is written an octave higher than the instrument is tuned).
Assuming you're tuning to the right pitch, I'm a little surprised that the strings broke, but your oud is a bit on the long side. It's also possible
that there was some defect with those particular strings.
LaBella doesn't really explain what they are thinking, but from what I can tell, this set is best on a shorter scale floating bridge oud (around
585mm, on which the high f would be about 4.3kg), although it can work on some fixed bridge ouds.
I can send you a complimentary pair of .020" strings, which should have about 4kg tension on your oud; there should be no risk of them breaking.
I also have an extra pair of the LaBella high f (.022") strings that I can send if you want to try again and see if the other strings were merely
defective.
cheers,
Brian
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maryisk
Oud Admirer
Posts: 5
Registered: 2-18-2011
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thanks Brian! I actually figured out what I was doing wrong (I knew it was a dumb mistake, so consider this a warning for what I'm about to write
haha); I wasnt leaving enough string out when I tied the strings to the bridge, so when I came to wind em up at the peg box, the string wasnt
breaking, it was just slipping right out of the knot!
the tension from the ff string wouldnt cause any significant damage would it?
Brian, thanks so much for being so helpful on and off of oudstrings.com =)
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
Posts: 2939
Registered: 1-30-2004
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Stringish
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I'm glad you figured out the problem.
The tension from the ff course shouldn't be dangerous, most of the set is much lower in tension.
You might want to try tuning the whole oud down a 1/2 step (E G# C# F# B E) and see how that feels first.
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