Oud

Many people asked “What is that musical instrument that you are going to be learning in Israel on your sabbatical journey?” So, if you’re wondering what an oud is, you’re not alone. The oud is popular in the middle east, but not so much in the midwestern United States. In fact, my oud teacher was a bit surprised to hear from a woman in Indiana who wanted to learn the oud. I became interested in the oud from hearing middle eastern musicians over the years and Israel is a good place to learn. The oud is a stringed instrument that is one of the most popular instruments in middle eastern music. There are two types of ouds, Arab-style and Turkish-style. The oud is played with a plectrum or risha, and the neck of the instrument is bent back at at 90 degree angle, is much shorter than the body and has no frets. This allows the player to use microtones which are common in Arabic maqams (melodic modes), and to increase musical expression with vibrato and slides. The most common series of strings are a double course of five strongs plus a sixth single course or drone string. The bowl of the instrument is shaped like half of a watermelon and is made up of small staves that are glued together. Structurally this makes it very resonant and also an extremely lightweight instrument and therefore more fragile, much more so than the guitar. The European lute is a descendant of the oud.

Learning to play the oud is in some ways taking me back to my musical roots, and in some ways taking me out of my comfort zone. I have had to try and remember music theory that I learned half a lifetime ago and seems to be back there under a lot of cobwebs. Although I have played guitar for more than 30 years, I am learning how to find the notes on a fretless neck. I am learning to listen closely for the sounds of the Arabic modal system, very different from the Western scales. And, in a summer that is full - full of opportunities for growth and learning, for studying text, and exploring Jerusalem, and spending precious time with my family, all of these new skills require practice time. Thankfully, my oud teacher is very patient with me! I have had several oud lessons now and am slowly learning - I am still a beginning student, but I love it. The music of the oud has so many dimensions to it, such a depth and resonance.