History Of OUD

OUD is Arabic instrument which is as popular as guitar in the western countries. It is an instrument which has played a major role in evolution of the guitar. There are hundreds of musical instruments which are found in various cultures for the past many centuries.

The instrument was developed from kopuz which was used by Turkish people around 6th century. There has been also a picture depicting a women carrying a similar looking instrument upon a boat and playing it with her right hand. It has a special mentioning in the ancient culture.

Kopuz in the past was believed to have magical effects and was used during war time in military bands. It existed throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It was the Arabs that introduced it to Spain when they marched into Iberian Peninsula during 8th century. It is believed that during this time only the instrument gained popularity but the possibility of Greeks and Romans introducing a similar instrument way before cannot be denied.

The cultural shift that took place from transferring it from Muslim to Christian region is believed to have happened in Sicily where it was made popular by the musicians but there are no hard facts that support these findings. By the end of the 14th century it gained popularity throughout Italy and many German s

The OUD is very similar to guitar but there are many variations. The back of the instrument resembles the shape of a half watermelon and due to this heavy sturdy shape it makes it structurally very strong enabling the upper portion to be very thin. It is made of hardwood but is not heavy if the wood is good. It has one to three sound holes which can be either oval or circular in shape. These holes are often decorated with wood carving.

With the modern influence on everything it has also changed the tradition musical instrument. The new one is completely different from its old prototype. Turkish make is different from the Arabic and differ in both playing style and shape.

OUD has long history in Iraq traditions and there it is said that in the music lies the countries soul. As per many believers the instrument has lot of healing power. It keeps the temperament down and calms the heart. After the Islamic militants the music has lost its favour as many players and teachers where exiled for playing it as secular music is considered to be forbidden.

How do you take care of the Turkish OUD? It is not very difficult to take care of the instrument just you need to play it often. Every time you play it the strings and the instrument should be cleaned with a soft cloth. The string replacement should be done in every 6 to 12 month time period. Also applying peg compound around the holes will help in fine tuning as it will become smooth. Avoid using any oil as it might damage and leave stains on it. Extreme heat, humidity and cold will have negative affect so always keep it in a hard case to protect it.

If you want to listen and feel the beat of ethnic musical instruments, you should try bodhran. It has a distinct sound that creates music to hear. Or you may want to try chinese gong.