Oud Instrument

What is the Oud instrument made of?

The oud is made of few parts. The big bowl-like tear shape part is made of curved wood. Oud makers are using heat to bind wood. The bindings are then glued together on a mold, to get the final famous shape of the Oud.
The bowl is connected to the neck, which on it then reaches the fingerboard. Fingerboards are made of walnut or better from ebony. The peg box is the part that hold the strings into the pegs, where you can actually tune the instrument.

What is the origin of oud instrument?

No one really knows where oud came from. However, there are a few common assumptions. One belief, slightly crazy, says people asked the devil to make the perfect instrument, in trade for all other instruments. The result (so they say) was the oud.
However, more realistically the oud was inspired by the Persian instrument, the Barbat. Together with influences from the Greek Barbiton, came the Oud as we know it today.
The earliest instances of the Oud in the history is in the 1st century BC, in Northern Bactria. Sculptures and old scripts show that the Oud was developed and came into life around that time. How exciting!

Different kind of ouds

At Ethnic Musical we offer a variety of Arabic Ouds, Turkish Ouds, Iraqi Ouds and electric ouds. Our ouds are categorized into standard ouds, PRO ouds and concert ouds. We have an Oud for every budget, for a beginner and the advanced player. Be sure you’ll find the one that fits you.

The Arabic Oud is the largest of today's Ouds. Its bowl is a bit deeper, and respectively its sound is deeper. Another important parameter is the scale. What is the scale? It is the distance between the bridge and the nut. To make it simple, it is the actual length of the strings, as they vibrate. The Arabic oud has a scale of 60cm and the Turkish oud is 58.5cm. That means, so in the Arabic Oud, you'd stretch your hands a bit more. Which isn't bad, but still good to know (especially in case your hands are a bit small)

Whether you are a guitar player who wants to experience the Maqam music or an Oud lover, the Oud instrument is a perfect choice for you to start with. Courses, videos, and learning materials are available online, so you can pick an Oud and get started swiftly.