About This Course
Discover the oud and the maqam tradition with a specialist teacher. Lessons cover right-hand risha technique, left-hand accuracy and the modes and rhythms at the heart of Arabic and Turkish music.
What You'll Learn
- Holding the oud and using the risha (plectrum)
- Tuning and left-hand positions
- Core maqamat and their character
- Common rhythms (iqa'at)
- Taqasim (improvisation) basics
- Classic pieces from the oud repertoire
Requirements
- An oud (your teacher can advise on choosing one)
- For online lessons: a laptop or tablet with Zoom
- Regular practice between lessons
Free Trial Lesson
This Course Includes
- 1:1 lessons of 40-50 min, in person or on Zoom
- Personal student account
- Flexible lesson scheduling
- Progress notes from your teacher
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Have Any Question?
Not sure which course or level is right for you? Get in touch and we will help you choose.
- [+90 000 000 00 00]
- [your-email@harvart.com]
Get to know
Meet The Oud
The oud is a short-necked, pear-shaped lute and the heart of Arabic, Turkish and Persian music. Its name comes from the Arabic al-ʿūd, “the wood”, and it is the ancestor of the European lute, whose name comes from the same word. Its family tree reaches back thousands of years in the Middle East.
The oud has no frets, so the player can place a note at any pitch, including the quarter tones of the maqam system that give Middle Eastern music its unique colour. It is played with a long, flexible plectrum, the risha in Arabic and the mızrap in Turkish, and its deep, warm voice shines in a solo taqsim as much as in a full ensemble.
- Family: plucked string instrument, short-necked lute
- Strings: usually 11, in 5 double courses and 1 single bass
- Frets: none, so it can play every maqam interval
- Heard in: Arabic, Turkish, Persian and Andalusian music
Did you know?
The Oud In Numbers
11
Strings on a typical modern oud
0
Frets on the fingerboard
¼
Tone steps of the maqam, played freely
1,000+
Years of recorded oud history
Explore
The World Of The Oud
From Baghdad to Istanbul, the oud speaks many dialects. Here are the ones you will meet in your lessons.
Arabic Oud
A larger body, a deeper tone and a lower tuning. The voice of Arabic tarab, from Cairo to Baghdad.
Turkish Oud
Slightly smaller and tuned higher, with a brighter and crisper sound, central to Turkish classical and Ottoman music.
Maqam & Taqsim
Learn the maqam modes and the art of taqsim, the improvised solo where a player shows their own feeling.