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Oud is a stringed instrument widely used in Turkey, Turkic Republics, Iran, Arab countries and the Balkans today. The origin of the word Oud comes from El-Oud, which means aloe vera or oxwood in Arabic. In some sources, it is said that Farabi (871-952) invented the Oud, but long before Farabi, there are Oud and similar instruments were illustrated in miniatures and reliefs. Oud, whose history dates back to the 19th and 20th dynasties in ancient Egypt, gained its current structure in the 10th century. Oud entered Europe in two ways, from Spain via Andalusia and then from the Balkans via the Seljuks and Ottoman Empire. Europeans came to know the Oud during the Crusades between the 11th and 13th centuries and during their struggle with Andalusia and named this instrument, which they took to Europe and named as Luth in French, Lute in English, Laute in German, Liuto or Alaut in Italian, Laúd or Luit in Spanish. Lute and Guitar are instruments derived from Oud. The main reason why Farabi is perceived as the inventor of the Oud is that he was a musician who has mastered the Oud and the tuning system he brought to the Oud. Farabi, who was one of those who gave the most comprehensive information about the Oud in his period, added the 5th string to the Oud, which was a 4-string instrument until that time. In this period, there were curtain ties on the handle of the oud and these were abandoned towards the end of the 10th century. 

It is not known when the thickest string, called the Bam string, was added, but it is thought to have been added by the Anatolian Turks. This string was worn under the highest strings until the first quarter of the 20th century. In 1954, this string was placed on top of the lowest strings by Cafer Açın, and all strings were arranged from bottom to top, from treble to low.

There are four types of tuning for oud strings, which are as follows: 1) The traditional five-stringed Oud (from thin to thick); sol-re-la-mi-re; 2) Contemporary six-stringed Oud (in the same order): sol-re-la-mi-re-la (Targan sometimes used this thick la as a deep Sol depending on the piece he is going to play); 3) Bacanos' the change made by Bacanos as; sol-re-la-mi-si-fa; 4) Cinuçen Tanrıkorur's tuning system as; sol-re-la-mi-si-bass mi

 

The production of the Oud, which consists of five basic elements, namely the hull (body), chest (cover), neck, pegs and strings, starts from the hull, as can be seen in the element order.​ Oud's hull; 70 cm long , 2 to 4 cm wide and 3 mm thick slices of leaves or circles on a mold consisting of 4-5 cm thick pieces glued in width and length, resembling a ship's hull, mostly between them - both for aesthetics and durability - with a contrast colored single or by placing double fillets and processing. In its classical construction, the hull is usually made of mahogany, walnut, paduk, vengi,  butterfly, rarely plum or olive wood. 

Today, the Oud hull made of; walnut, mahogany, plum, apricot, maple, cherry, or imported woods such as magase, vengi, rosewood. The most important is the top plate, as in the violin. In order to be successful in sound, the table or also called as the chest, must be made of high quality and very dry spruce wood. However, the plate should not be thick to get a nice and soft sound. Because sound waves reflect on the Oud's hull, reflecting on the table, and vibrate. Soundboard has an importance of 75% in Oud, if this is followed, it will be possible to get a good sound.

 

You can learn how to play Oud or improve your current level by taking One-to-One Private Oud Lessons or One-to-One Group Oud Lessons or Online Private Oud Lessons from our distinguished teachers and masters at Söyler Sanat Academy.

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