Oud
Arabic lute
- Range
- C2–C5
- Sources
- 33 independent: not from a mic maker
What it is
Short-necked, fretless, pear-shaped lute, usually 11 strings in 6 courses, plucked with a risha (plectrum) (Wikipedia).
Range
C2 to about C54,565.4 Hz – 523 Hz
Lowest course C2 or D2 in Arabic tuning (a Mike's Oud Forums player tunes 'C or D - G A D G C'; Wikipedia gives Arabic D2, Turkish C#2). Top: forum players say three octaves from the bass C take you up the top course near the soundhole, so about C5 (my reading, estimate); a fourth octave (to about C6) is 'technically possible' on the top course, but such notes 'do not ring', and traditional taqsim rarely uses more than 2 octaves. (earlier: lowest course in Turkish tuning (Arabic: D2); the top is about two octaves above the top course (estimate))
Where the sound goes
Most sound comes from the large soft top and the rosette sound holes. Brian Prunka: "Don't put it directly pointed at the sound hole, it will be too boomy." A forum answer advises mics toward the main surface of the top, nearer the neck joint or the bridge (search summary of Mike's Oud Forums).
About the range
Arabic tuning D2 G2 A2 D3 G3 C4 (single course shown; pairs are doubled). Turkish tuning is a whole step higher, for example C#2 F#2 B2 E3 A3 D4 in "Bolahenk" (Wikipedia). Scale length is 61 to 62 cm (Arabic) or 58.5 cm (Turkish). Top note: no sourced figure, about two octaves above the top course (estimate).
Names
Ud, ut (Turkish), oúti (Greek); related to the lute.
How loud
Sound pressure level measurements as published. Different kinds of figure (a playing level, a peak, a dose at the player's ear) can't be compared with each other, and neither can figures at different distances.
| Player's exposure (dosimeter) | |
|---|---|
| 77.3 dB(A) | at the player's ear (dosimeter microphone 10 cm from the ear); Iranian professional musician (10+ years' experience) in solitary practice, 20-minute session in an acoustic room at Firoozgar hospital audiology department, Tehran; Extech 407727 meter/dosimeter6 |
| 73.06 dB(A) | at the player's ear (dosimeter microphone 10 cm from the ear); Iranian professional musician (10+ years' experience) in solitary practice, 20-minute session in an acoustic room at Firoozgar hospital audiology department, Tehran; Extech 407727 meter/dosimeter6 |
| 67.28–84.4 dB(A) | at the player's ear (dosimeter microphone 10 cm from the ear); Iranian professional musician (10+ years' experience) in solitary practice, 20-minute session in an acoustic room at Firoozgar hospital audiology department, Tehran; Extech 407727 meter/dosimeter6 |
| 60.38–82.16 dB(A) | at the player's ear (dosimeter microphone 10 cm from the ear); Iranian professional musician (10+ years' experience) in solitary practice, 20-minute session in an acoustic room at Firoozgar hospital audiology department, Tehran; Extech 407727 meter/dosimeter6 |
An Iranian study measured a professional oud player practising alone at about 73-77 dB(A) at the ear in a 20-minute session, with readings up to 84 dB(A). Forum advice: with drums or electric bass on stage, clip-ons or pickups work better than condensers (Mike's Oud Forums).
Recording it
Condensers first. Forum advice: put several likely mics about 8 in from the face, record 30 seconds each, keep the best. Another reply: about 12 to 18 in, aimed between sound hole and neck. A third: 30 to 35 cm opposite the neck join. Two mics (close and far) or a spaced pair gives an area rather than a point. Use a padded stand on a wooden floor to cut thumps.
Mics
- 8 setups from 3 sources, 3 of them independent of any mic maker.
- On top: the mics more than one source names for this instrument, in any role, the most named first. That is a count of sources, not our verdict.
- In the full list, each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those come from a mic maker.
- Neumann KM 184 3 sourcesClose
- Shure SM57 2 sourcesClose
All the mics sources name, by setting and role (15)
Studio
Close
- AEA R841 source
- AKG C 4141 source
- Audio-Technica AT40471 source
- Audio-Technica AT40501 source
- DPA 4011 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)1 source
- Lawson L471 source
- Neumann KM 1842 sources
- Royer R-1211 source
The 4 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close DPA 4011 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A) or Neumann KM 184 or AKG C 414 or Lawson L47close, studio
Oud player/teacher in Turkey: tried Brauner, AKG 414, KM184 and found DPA 4011 best for oud (summary). ... KM100 with cardioid capsule or KM184 also suggested (summary). ... Engineer with 20 years reports good oud recordings with Lawson L47, AKG 414 and a Neumann 149; prefers large over small diaphragm (summary). ... Engineer with 20 years reports good oud recordings with Lawson L47, AKG 414 and a Neumann 149 (summary).
1 - Close Royer R-121 or AEA R84close/room, studio
Ribbons such as AEA R84 and Royer R121 suggested as a good starting point (summary).
1 - Close Neumann KM 184close, front of face, ~8 in to 18 in
Listed among external mics for oud; advice to place several condensers about 8 in from the face and compare.
2 - Close Audio-Technica AT4050 or Audio-Technica AT4047close, front of face
Listed among external mic options for oud (thread summary).
2
On stage
Close
- AKG C451 B1 source
- Neumann KM 1841 source
- Neumann KM 841 source
- Sennheiser MD 4211 source
- Shure SM571 source
- Shure SM811 source
- Telefunken M60 / M2601 source
Clip-on
- DPA 40991 source
The 3 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close Shure SM57close, stage or budget
Brian Prunka: "A regular sm57 is very good usually."
3 - Close Sennheiser MD 421 or Neumann KM 84 or Neumann KM 184 or Shure SM81 or AKG C451 B or Telefunken M60 / M260close, stage
Brian Prunka: MD 421 is "a more hi-fi mic in a similar vein" to the SM57. ... Prunka suggests small-diaphragm condensers such as Telefunken M60/M260, Neumann KM84/KM184, Shure SM81, AKG C451B for stage.
3 - Clip-on DPA 4099clip-on, stage or ensemble
Khalil_Oud has used the DPA 4099 for years; says it gives "simply pure" sound. Mounting on a rosette is a problem.
3
Studio and stage
Close
- Shure SM571 source
The 1 setup behind this: placement and quotes
- Close Shure SM57close
Listed among external mic options for oud (thread summary).
2
On stage
Prunka prefers small-diaphragm condensers on stage and avoids large-diaphragm models. SM57 and MD 421 are "very good usually" and cheap. For loud bands, a clip-on (DPA 4099) or pickup, though mounting on a rosette is awkward.
Sources
- Gearspace: mic'ing an oud
- Mike's Oud Forums: recording the oud (thread 13902)
- Mike's Oud Forums: miking the oud, Brian Prunka and others (thread 19166)
- Wikipedia: Oud
- Mike's Oud Forums: thread on oud range (tid 4982)
- Med J Islam Repub Iran: An Evaluation of Maximum Safe Practice Time of Iranian Musical Instruments to Protect Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Professionals