If youโre comfortable playing the guitar, thereโs good news for you!
Many guitar players wonder whether they can play the oud, or similar instruments, as good as the guitar or even play them at all.
If youโre confident in playing the guitar, youโll naturally have an advantage in learning and adjusting to the oud. Within a few weeks of practice and understanding oud, youโll get considerably better at playing the instrument.
This blog post will briefly explain what an oud is, describe the key differences from the guitar, and show how a guitar player can quickly learn and play the oud.
Letโs get started!
An Overview Of Oud
The oud is one of the oldest instruments in the Arab region, with a rich history and a few distinctive qualities.
An oud instrument has a short, fretless neck with a pear-shaped body and generally has 11 strings, usually played by picking or fingerstyle.
The instrument started spreading by the Silk Road, and multiple instruments derived from the oud such as lute, guitar, and banjo. There are numerous instruments similar to the oud In the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia.
However, oud has a special status among these regions and is known as โthe king of instruments.โ
How Does an Oud Differ From a Guitar?
There are a few significant differences between a guitar and an oud. You can learn the oud much quicker once you understand the differences listed below:
- Fretless Short Neck & 11 Strings
The oud has 11 strings on a short fretless neck. These strings are attached in pairs except the highest string, which is by itself.
- A Different Tuning
There are numerous tunings of an oud, and they vary depending on the region and the mood you want to express.
However, the most common tuning is โF A D G C F.โ
- A Different Playing Style and Tone
Strumming and playing chords on the oud isnโt common. Instead, oud players use a pick or their fingers to pluck the strings.
The oud has a unique sound because of its hollow, pear-shaped body that focuses on playing melodies on different scales.
Moreover, the fretless neck allows a wider range and microtonal playing, making a unique sound.
- Mostly Handmade
Every oud is unique and hand-crafted to perfection. As a result, no two ouds sound the same.
Oud players can craft their oud according to their needs and the feel theyโre looking for.
How To Play The Oud If Youโre A Guitarist?
The guitar descends from an oud. Meaning the instruments both have similar playing techniques. And, if you can play one, you can learn the other quickly as well.
You can play the oud as a guitar player by implementing slightly different strategies you use on a guitar. Youโll start to get comfortable with the oud by:
- Watching others play and getting familiar with the oud
- Focusing more on the sound than visuals
- Learning the right scales and playing melodies
- Experimenting and practicing regularly
- Getting a teacher or learning to play the oud online
If you donโt know someone who plays the oud, you can watch multiple videos of oud players to get familiar with how an oud is correctly played and what it sounds like.
If you want to play oud at an advanced level, youโll need to get an instructor thatโll teach you the scales and the cultural elements involved with the oud as well.
How Long Does It Take To Get Comfortable With an Oud for Guitar Players?
Playing oud at an advanced level may take up to 2-3 years, depending on your current guitar skills. However, depending on your guitar skills, you can get comfortable and understand the basics of oud within a few weeks of practicing regularly.
In the start, getting comfortable with the oud will take some time. The hardest part is ear training and understanding the scales and notes.
Once you learn improvising on the oud, youโll gain more control over the instrument and your musical understanding.
Why Guitar Players Learn Playing The Oud Quicker
A guitar player is naturally at an advantage over a complete beginner in learning and playing the oud. There are a few reasons why youโd have a head start in learning the oud as a guitarist.
Your left hand is comfortable moving around the fretboard. Also, Your right hand understands using the plucking and strumming techniques. Your guitar skills include good left-hand and right-hand coordination allowing you to pluck the strings and move around the fretboard in sync.
There are some skills that youโll still need to catch up with. For example, right-hand string plucking techniques, which significantly differ from guitar playing. Take into account that Identifying the right notes on the fretless neck isnโt as straightforward as in guitar, since the oud is fretless. Learning the scales and new quarter-tone notes is also a barrier. In western music, there are 12 tones in an octave, in Middle Eastern music, every tone is divided into 4 quarters.
Final Thoughts – Playing The Oud, For Guitar Players
Oud is a beautiful instrument that gave birth to many modern instruments and scales. As a guitarist, you have an advantage in learning to play the oud quicker.
Advanced level oud playing requires extra effort and training, but with some basic orientation of the instrument, you can get comfortable playing oud within a few weeks of practice and enjoy a new instrument and culture!
Author Bio:-
Daniel Karni -The Owner of Ethnic Musical. An expert for Turkish & Arabic musical instruments since 2008.
A multi instrumentalist, and a fan of the middle eastern musical traditions. Plays the Oud, Saz & Ney.