Ouds
Ouds
At London Guitar Studio we are proud to stock a great range of Arabic and Turkish Ouds to choose from.
About the Oud
An Oud is a stringed instrument that's very similar in construction and style to a modern Lute and boasts a distinctive tear-drop shaped body with either one or three holes together with a headstock that is bent back from the neck. These interesting instruments feature 11 or 13 strings which are grouped in 5 or 6 courses and are used in many regions of the world including Persia, Greece, Turkey, Azerbaijan and North Africa.
The first mention of the construction of an oud appears in manuscripts from the 9th century. However, similar instruments dating back more than 4,000 years have been found by archaeologists. The modern oud and the lute share a common ancestor but have developed independently of each other.
The oud probably originated in Southern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq). Unlike the western lute, the oud has no frets and features a smaller neck. The fretless design enables the musicians to bend and slide notes and to add vibrato. The oldest surviving lute to have been found resides at the Museum of Musical Instruments in Brussels where there are more than 8,000 instruments to discover.
Ouds at London Guitar Studio
At London Guitar Studio, we showcase both the Arabic and Turkish Ouds, each with six courses. A course is a set of strings, two or more, that are spaced closely together and are usually played as one. This is typical of both Lutes and Ouds. We invite you to explore the musical possibilities of this fascinating instrument with a long and unique history.