The Mesmerising sound of the OUD (Ancestor of guitar!)

[@adri7352]

The duet at the end made me so happy! It's such a treat to see people make music together.

[@AlgeriaRiderdz]

Here is a link to the original song kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2SZiYubrdBrhNE

[@hassfass8643]

Wow Paul you've outdone yourself. Having Middle Eastern heritage I was always aware of the role the Oud played in the development of the modern guitar. Very happy you are reintroducing this to a Western audience.

[@Upside_Down_Guitar_Guy]

I’m Lebanese and grew up hearing the Oud all the time, loved this video so much!!!

[@joejustjoe8351]

Palestinian here. I have an oud that I brought home from my last trip there. I learned more in that video than the four previous years of owning the instrument.

[@james5796]

Do a search for this group: 3MA - you will hear such beauty

[@ahmedelkhwaga2751]

West asia

[@Tufeeqas]

The fact that the oud is not tuned right pisses me off

[@Liam.2000]

My Dad passed away yesterday morning, and I just wanted to say that we watched your videos in the hospital every day the last few weeks. Thankyou Paul, you are an amazing content creater and guitarist.

[@burritoburlap]

Sorry for your loss

[@ClickEnglish1]

My condolences, stay strong brother.

[@sinasoltani682]

Sorry for your loss bro ; I had the same situation as you have now , I'm sure everything will get better ; stay strong buddy...

[@raniayoussef5599]

May Allah have mercy on his soul and strengthen your heart to endure the pain and longing of parting and unite you with him in paradise. Remember this life is temporary and short, and I just realised I don't cherish my parents enough and time is fleeting. My heart goes out to you 🙏

[@lindsayuhh9802]

You did wonderfully as a son sharing such beautiful sounds and special moments together with him before his transition.

[@rafaelbrouwer]

This is awesome! I am a guitarist from Holland and I am learning to play the Oud for 6 months now. Unlocking microtonal Maqams is just magical. I am working on Maqam Rast, it's like stepping onto another planet! The eastern musical tradition is just so rich! there is so much to discover for me as a musician from a western country! Thank's for sharing!

[@endubsar7442]

wait until u dive in Maqam SABA u will hear real sadness . Listen to iraqi school of maqam . and Rast is a beautiful and difficult maqam to deal with . setting the mode with this Maqam need a master and hours of hearing .

[@mk_905]

Reach me bro if you need any notes or else.. whatever .. I also play oud and my teacher was the head oud player at Turkish Presidential Classic Music Orchestra. I would be happy to help on your journey.

[@mk_905]

Turkish and Arabic tunings are quite different btw.. we play a little softer and don't use so much tremolo.

[@AbdelJazora.92]

Every time I play Rast I picture a gentleman wearing a suit with a tie, such a powerful and strong Maqam, no wonder most of national songs for Arabic countries is on this beautiful Maqam.

[@hanapatros6996]

@@mk_905 do you have some good references to Ud books? I'd like to play ud aswell.

[@youngwords]

I've never seen such a great description of the unique characteristics of the oud. The contrast with the guitar and Western scales was fascinating.

[@teernomukherjee5145]

Seeing Paul even mildly uncomfortable with an instrument is so alien

[@bicuspidmars]

Wait till he tries a saxaboom 😂

[@M2tias]

@@bicuspidmarsI’ve been waiting for that video. He should try to get Jack Black to collaborate.

[@kurotoruk]

honestly makes me feel a little better about my own not-playing-so-well

[@pandadayi]

i think it's not the instrument. it is more the uncommon inbetween notes, which sound alien to westerners. ;)

[@htmr78]

​@@pandadayi Exactly, when it comes to Arabic music there is so much to digest before you can play it as a westerner musician, it takes a while to develope a taste for quarter tones and Arabic Maqams.

[@kranderson8]

It’s wild how something so simple as a half flat can totally give such a unique identity to the sound.

[@Vivek_Verma_Music_Studio]

😮

[@Upside_Down_Guitar_Guy]

Lebanese-American guitar player here, thanks for this beautiful video on the Oud, Paul. What a phenomenal teacher in Kamal, too!

[@jeanvictorhajjar]

Holy shit 😂 Kamal was my guitar teacher 17 years ago! So happy to see him here on this channel!

[@salut1810]

Is he Syrian? Cause I feel like I know him too!

[@kamalmusallam]

I'm Jordanian by the way! 😊

[@rockstarali99]

@@kamalmusallamHi Kamal!! ❤

[@kamalmusallam]

@@rockstarali99 hey Rock star

[@Unn.amed.]

⁠@@kamalmusallam ayy same! Nice to see some jordanian talents!

[@YoussefElBehi]

I'm tunisian and when I was young I picked a guitar as my instrument. one of my friends has Oud and we used to play duets together. this reminds of that moment. thanks ! Now I'm thinking of getting Oud and finding again that joy of learning a new instrument

[@zinimedamine6503]

sa7a youssef xD

[@andyzar1177]

Nothing more metal than The Oud.

[@ismailb7874]

Heavy metal 🥲

[@Koussay251]

HAHAHA that's so true

[@thatampguy]

The Oud abides.

[@MrCucumber416]

System of a down!

[@ElDami]

Makam, what an amazing concept. It's like a parallel world. So rich.

[@basicthingsbutrareanswered]

fun fact it was used in islamic prayer too to gave the recitation more emotion and meaning, it used the maqam (scale) trough singing like recitation

[@mustfanob90]

The word "Maqam" is truely loaded with meanings, not only in music, but also in spirituality and Sufism, a.k.a Islamic mysticism.

[@WickedIndigo]

@@basicthingsbutrareansweredthat’s super cool, thanks for the info! Love to you my friend🙏

[@IN_FIN1TE]

Hearing the singer with the instrument fit perfectly together at the end was incredible. Absolutely beautiful.

[@erth_mu]

this is probably one of my favourite videos on your channel man, keep on walking your path and sharing everything music related for those of us unable to have access to these pearls of knowledge otherwise.

[@Tango_Mike]

This was incredible! As a metalhead with lots of phrygian in my daily fix, I can't begin to state how much I love this kind of traditional music. Thanks to everyone for keeping it so alive!

[@tomoffinland123]

I'm a very basic guitar playing, metal listening guy from the cold north. Today I ordered an Oud for myself because I've always had an interest in the arabic scales and how the traditional music sounds.

[@davidrenner6112]

What a beautiful episode. A friend of mine is Lebanese. One night, a family friend was playing the Oud. If I remember correctly, as it was a long time ago, he said the Oud, or al Oud, is where Europeans get the word lute. The men playing and the woman singing in this video were truly amazing.

[@davidmcauliffe8692]

When this came across this in my feed, I was so excited. I found an oud several years ago in a western frontier town style market, in a merchant's back room. I paid what he bought it for plus sales tax, 110 USD. I later discovered that it was made. in Basra, Iraq. It must have had an interesting journey to make it to small town Oklahoma, USA from Iraq.

[@jamalalmoussa]

The first song at 2:33 el bent el shalabia it is a classic song for Lebanese artists a singer called fairuz

[@a.ki92]

Thanks for the info, mate! 🫶 Beautiful song. I recognised the song as well but I only knew the Turkish cover version of it which is called "Böyle gelmiş böyle geçer dünya"

[@Krescento]

Thank you for the appreciation and love you're showing towards the instrument and the very different sounds of Mideast! Very informative even for someone who kinda plays the oud.

[@WAJDMusic]

I've tried studying Arabic music for 5 years and haven't been able to understand any Maqam yet, until I saw this video ❤❤❤ Thank you for showing the world about our beautiful music, I'm an arabic guitar player from Syria and we also play Oud alot around here

[@cds5067]

i'll never be as cool as the bros playing these absolutely beautiful works of art, awesome video, enjoyed it.

[@SBtrombone]

Thanks Paul for your open mindset and eagerness to still be a student. (talib طَالِب in Arabic). You've edited the video nicely with the name of the scales written in Arabic. You inspire me a lot in my Middle Eastern journey with playing the Oud and learning Arabic.

[@STERNWAERTS]

love the electric guitar at the end. getting those half-flats and half-sharps with just slight but very precise bends is amazing.

[@Phoboss32]

Also blues music has it

[@louisfifteen]

There's so much magic in the sound of the Oud. It's so easy to drift off into a dream state with this sound.

[@Vivek_Verma_Music_Studio]

Hmm

[@Vivek_Verma_Music_Studio]

Hmm

[@foljs5858]

Nice one. Two small tibdits of information: one is that to middle eastern and balkan ears those don't sound exotic but "home". The second is that they convey a mood, the same way hearing like a blues wailing guitar (think of BB King solo) you get into a certain mood.

[@DavideBaroni]

I just LOVE the Oud... If you haven't, listen to some music by Anouar Brahem. ❤ Travelled to Morocco a few years ago, stayed for almost three months. In one of the cities I went there was a traditional restaurant where almost every night an old musician would come and play on the terrace... I was going there to listen to him more than for the (excellent) food. It was magical. 🙂 Thank you for sharing and introducing the Oud and the arabic music to us.

[@chahinekasmi2980]

was this in Fez ?

[@DavideBaroni]

@@chahinekasmi2980 I think so, yes. 🙂 Not totally sure though. My memory isn't THAT good anymore, and I travelled all around the place all the time. But I'd say yes, Fez. 🙂 The restaurant was upstairs, with a large terrace.

[@shafqataltaf9554]

Anouar Brahem--- my most played artist these days.

[@MartinReiter143]

That was the best seventeen minutes I have spent in a long time. Thanks, Paul

[@victorbrown3570]

I fell in love with the Oud while living in Saudi Arabia for a few years. When you take that sound and add it to the desert geography, date palm trees, camels, wind, oriental carpets, etc it's a perfect match. the oud produces a beautiful, haunting type of music great for deep thinking, dreaming, etc.

[@YousefAHMusic]

I recognize @kamalmusallam from when he worked on a microtonal guitar with Ibanez I think a decade ago. He's an awesome player and teacher.

[@bushyfufu7075]

i am a guitarist from Tunisia and my dad also plays oud and he was so happy by watching this video with me

[@bechirdridi8485]

You know I m tunisian😊

[@Nimositka19987]

i noticed how their facial expression changes immediately when they start to play oud and also it changes from maqam to maqam, as if they were intering an another planet, so amazing and richful experience

[@superwildside4585]

space is fake, there are no other "Plane-ettes."

[@tahaelidrissi9702]

Moroccan guitarist here, thank your for showing world how wonderful is the oud, i invite to check the guembri instrument and gnawa music and it influences with blues, it might interest you ! also i love your content, the way you share your experience makes me feel like im living in it.

[@HM-2011]

Same here. I think both Guembri (or Hajhouj) and Kora would make for great episodes laying down the foundation of blues and jazz.

[@saadmehdibennani9794]

I would love to see that!

[@Hvmzv01]

ha wa7d l guitarist akhur , yallah rd lbal lhad l video lwa3r dyal paul wakha tfrjt l videos dyalo kamlin mry chftu

[@ismailb7874]

Lmgharba hajmin 3la kolchi, tahiyati drari le3ta9

[@zakidine]

Zidni m3ak, paul needs to drop the guembri video soon

[@RJRonquillo]

Wow the maqams on guitar are my new obsession

[@vic1ous511]

How do you do it though, quarter bends? 🤔

[@jackolantern6201]

Ehhhh it's ronquillo

[@NP1066]

​@@vic1ous511 they have to be constructed with quarter tone frets

[@Onelros]

Check out Fernando Perez- world music guitars for that.

[@Izar_Sirius]

Here is the simplest way to think about arabic modal music : Like in western music you have 1- Major tonality 2- minor tonality Then you add a third (special) tonality which is in between: 3- quarter tonality Next, you have all the secondary modes within. In Arabic music there are almost all western modes. Plus : 1st mode Rast, the third and seventh are the quarter notes 2nd mode bayaty, second and sixth quarters 3rd sica, first and fifth quartes.. Ect (almost) Then, inside each of those modes you have the sub-modes which are all the possible alterations used in the genre. To conclude, it is exactly like jazz music, every single scale /mode mentioned has its own vocabulary and phrases, Arabic music is soooo rich. Plus, there is themes, songs, standards and improvisation. There you have it.

[@mj24881]

except its Kurdish music adapted by Arabs so its technically not Arabic. Maqam, Rast, Kurdi ... etc are Kurdish words.

[@bobakbobak2588]

This is a Persian music/instrument. arabs have NEVER had art. Whatever you know as islamic/arabic art, from architecture to music to even script/alphabet all have been invented by the mighty Persians, ALL.

[@mj24881]

@@bobakbobak2588 everything claimed by persians is actually Kurdish.

[@bobakbobak2588]

@@mj24881 literally the other way around and the same thing applies the turks and arabs. The whole world knows how Great the PERSIANS are.

[@HassanRadwan133]

As someone of Arabic heritage I really appreciated this. Thank you!

[@AlonzoRodrigoEzcurraSilva]

I just found this channel and i can say is gold. I didn't know about this instrument, but i feel motivated to learn about Arabic music. Thanks for this!

[@janekmundt579]

The blend of Middle Eastern melodies and classic western styles has also produced some awesome music.

[@OG-zp3on]

Even the name and the meaning of this legendry instrument is beautiful! It's the greatest musical instrument! Oud is our heart! Thanks to Kamal Omar from Saudi Arabia.

[@etiennepolle5646]

Thanks Paul, I've just bought an oud and your video provided the ideal introduction to the instrument.

[@NezarecSh]

Yesss! I've been waiting so long for a video about the oud! І would really love to see more arabic music related videos. Arabic music is so different and special

[@nfa06_]

I watched this video when posted and Im watching this again today. Thanks a lot Paul❤. I found "The last time we will fly birds" by Rahim AlHaj after digging more details about Oud and it's culture.Beautiful instrument and people that media represent in a different way. Thanks once again!!

[@lucasgraeff5391]

What an insane piece of audiovisual production Paul. This is insane.

[@dormantformant]

Amazing mixture of music, travel and culture

[@viviendomisabatico1587]

Thank you to the Rich Arab World and Culture for so many breakthroughs, inventions, influences, gifts passed to other cultures. I am writing now a poem about many of the words from Arabic origin we have in Spanish, which are over 4.000.

[@wesamalkenai]

Thank you from Arabia

[@ea_777]

Beautiful introduction of this amazing instrument, many thanks.

[@Leshka147]

I don't play the guitar (I'm a singer at heart!) but I've been enjoying this channel (breaking down the riffs from classic rock is always amazing). I've always loved the sound of the oud and LOVE this exploration. Thank you!

[@edgarviens]

The thing I find really interesting about the concept of modulation is that it’s really present in turkey and the arabic world. In other places in the middle east like in Iran, the pieces rarelly modulates and like and it’s more common to just stay in one mode and to explore all the possibilities that that one mode can offer. An other thing I want to touch on is that the concept of « quarter tones » (first of all isn’t really an appropriate term because these pitches aren’t exactlly in between two western half steps), is that depending on the region you’re in, the pitch of these notes will change. For instance : in Turkey, these pitches can become pretty sharper than the rest of the middle east. Also, I’ve been told by an oudist friend of mine that generally, these notes played by levantine musicians (the levant consists of countries like Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, etc), will be pretty flatter than the rest of the region (I’ve been told that in Iran, these pitches are pretty flatter as well). But it can also depends on the taste of the player or the context in which thses certain notes are played in : depending on if you’re playing an ascending line of a maqam, or depending on a certain maqam you’re playing, the pitch of thses notes will vary.

[@houssambelhadj]

An amazing video Paul! It was a good idea to broaden your musical background with Arabic maqams that each of them gives a certain mood or feeling. Try to do more videos with Oud players!

[@scottkidwell3601]

Fascinating! Thank you, Paul (and everyone else involved in the making of this video)! 🙏🏻🤍

[@jamesball9623]

Regardless of the topic Paul David’s videos always throw me back into playing guitar. He also taught me almost everything I know. Thank you Paul!

[@Samirnoff25]

You brought tears of joy to my heart, I could feel your respect and appreciation to the music that I grew up listening to, thank you so deeply for this wholesome video!

[@xRedxxWolfx]

I've always loved the harmonic minor sound. The Oud is just able to take that a step farther, to a whole different level of awesome.

[@grene1955]

After been playing guitar for 50 years and still trying to get better, I think I'm finally at a point where I can appreciate this different approach to a stringed instrument. I love the description of "moods" instead of scales. Excellent video!

[@PhoenixSMBBA]

Awesome! Thank you for this short insight into the arabic world of music.🙏 I think they have very interesting concepts and especially the oud has a very mesmerizing sound. It's almost as if I'm in trance whenever I hear one play. Just can't break loose of it. ❤ I'd appreciate more videos about the oud or arabic guitar play in general. Mahmoud's playing style was absolutley inspiring! 🔥

[@yadoud]

Thank you for this beautiful documentary! ❤️

[@Kkvta]

Fantastic to see how music brings people of different cultures together. If just the world could be more like this. Understanding, curiosity and compassion!

[@HumanAK]

Oud is such a big culture instrument in my country (Syria) that I personally have never understood even tho I play classical, acoustic, and electric guitar for over than 14 years. I even sat with friends and they tried to explain what Makam is but I was never able to understand the note between both notes xD. You just made me understand what Oud in such a simple way thanks to your creativity and HUGE thanks to the teacher for his way of explaining the Oud. You are truly amazing Paul, THANK YOU!

[@SJ-cy3hp]

Paul, thank you for bringing us along. That was awesome 🙏🏼

[@gabrielmorton7030]

Have been playing guitar for 26 years and wanting to get into Arabic music for a while, this was a great lesson with lots of well-explained crucial concepts

[@ara_peak]

It was nice seeing you in Dubai, even nicer to know you had this filmed during your visit. Thank you for sharing a bit of our culture ❤

[@joestanley2743]

I once had the chance to play an oud during a school guitar lesson and It has to be one of the coolest instruments I've tried. I found it very difficult to play of course but it had such a particular feel and sound that left a real impression on me

[@johnhill762]

This is awesome. Love learning about these Arabic modes… so cool. - Also, Phrygian Dom is my fav. So glad it’s so popular among Arabian people. Hijaz!

[@gdf_6c]

Having fallen in love with the oud ever since I first heard one in a Loreena McKennitt song, this was a joy to watch

[@mitchellcooke720]

The real star of this video is the Oud player Kamal Musallam who explained this music so clearly and knew how to explain this to western musicians.

[@kamalmusallam]

Thanks! I'm so glad it was useful 🙏

[@trevorcronin9249]

Privileged to mix sound for Kamal Musallam and his huge band at the WOMAD festival some years back. Great that you also got to spend time with him!

[@kamalmusallam]

Trevor...wow, 15 years ago! I’m so glad you caught this video...🙏🏼

[@royghosn18]

IVE WANTED A VID ON OUD FOR SO LONG!! thank Paul

[@giacomorossini8583]

This was awesome…those microtones where out of the world and out of our western sounds, so mesmerizing thank you all’ of the musicians here and the kind arabic lesson.

[@Eugene31382]

This is a completely different universe of music. So much to explore here. Paul, thanks for this video, as well as for every other piece of content that you do

[@denisroghelia]

watching this made me really happy that people still be happy while looking at the precious history and it was very much informative too, thanks Paul.

[@CraftonKevin]

Paul, I’m so happy you did this!!

[@maenbadawee1688]

I was wishing for this video to go on for another 4 hours man 😅 so much beauty in oud once your ear gets used to it, it gives you a feeling that no other instrument ever could ❤

[@kotla671]

One of your best shows. Great guests and appreciate how you told the whole story!

[@mikelistman5263]

Bravo to you, Paul, for bringing this intro to the oud and a whole other concept of musical scales and modes. Lovely and interesting!

[@shoumeekbose4662]

Generaly people think of just one or two scales as teh Arabic scale. Having learnt Indian classical music, I know these scales but i know them with their Indian names and playing styles. Learning the Arabic names and getting a slight view of their playing style, is so cool. Dont know how 17 mins passed. With this vid, you took us to a new maqaam of learning ... Beautiful :) and the Oud is Sultan as well.

[@hara3435]

The oud originates from Pre islanic PERSIA where it was called the Babat. The Arabs adopted it when its name changed to Oud.

[@IbrahimBabiker-f3f]

What you did Mr.Paul showing how much Great musician and teacher you are ... No one had recovered this information abou OUD to western culture. You are a unique musician ❤

[@NickAdelman]

i could watch and rewatch this video... amazing work david!

[@el0blaino]

Sounds wonderful! Such a lot of emotion carried in those sounds.

[@MeantForNothing]

Ive been addicted to the sound of the oud for awhile now, especially the artist Anouar Brahem

[@GeorgeMilkasIgore]

Beautiful instrument. I borrowed once from my teacher in Greece and I was able to play it in an empty basketball stadium!! I highly recommend it to everyone... It's godlike!!!

[@Mike-rw2nh]

Paul Davids Explores Strings & Theory of the World. I do hope this becomes a regular feature.

[@craiglizt8074]

Great video, Paul. Nice to see the Oud getting the respect it deserves.

[@mattster693]

the arabic oud and the greek bozouki are some of the coolest stringed instrument sounds imo, they really sound beautiful and have such rich culture behind them, love it!

[@matteopaolucci6801]

Bozouki probably more complex

[@hara3435]

The site of origin of the oud seems to be Central Asia. The ancestor of the oud, the barbat was in use in PRE ISLAMIC PERSIA. Since the Safavid period, its name shifted from barbat to oud which was taken up by Arab world.

[@nixonprod]

I'm not sure but i don't think the origin of the oud is arabic.

[@AERYS.]

Sad that Islam bans musical instruments

[@nixonprod]

@@AERYS. No actually, Islam doesn't allow certain things about the content of songs that is should not be against the morals and teaching of islam, containing violence, encouraging for doing bad stuff. Cheers

[@3amer.ak15]

as a player for both instruments Oud and Guitar I can relate to how much music can be different from the Eastern world to the Western world and that just shows us how grat and Huge music really is . It was a great experiment to have as a musician Paul !!

[@KamalSinno]

Love this topic, I’m Lebanese but I play a bit of guitar, never had the chance to play oud, yet kamal made it look so easy. Maqamat they way explained it are modes. The modes you play on a guitar only on the oud the sound and flavor is different due to the oud’s body design and type of wood used.

[@tuningforx]

What an enlightening video. We need more of this in our world.

[@atononmymind]

bro why is this so uncommon in the western area, I love this

[@a.ismaeel]

Defining oud and Arabic maqams from scratch is really interesting. Paul is so enthusiastic 🤩. I really liked it although I’m an Arab who listens to oud 24/7. ♥️

[@Muhamed662]

those dirty tones are more of quarter tones , these are pretty common in oriental instruments, especially Oud and Quanun , which might interest you too I consider it the ancestor of the piano

[@JamesHunterRoss]

Thumbs up for the video for sure; I love Oud music! But, and extra thumbs-up for the duet at the end... do you have any more of that?

[@PartoutOuJeVais]

The maqam played by Mahmoud, at around 16:00 using the electric guitar is the big deal of the video 😍.

[@HedgeYourPosition]

wish i could find him on apple music

[@rickvlemmiks]

Awesome! One of the best tutors and service agents at the Art of Guitar gallery in Dubai ❤

[@kennethknoppik5408]

Beautiful instrument

[@theautisticguitarist7560]

IVE BEEN INTO THE OUD FOR LIKE TEN YEARS LETS GOOOOOO

[@oestrek]

Wow... just wow... that was amazing. We need more of this. I really feel hungry for more knowledge on Maqams and Middle Eastern techniques.

[@mixed-media]

My favorite Maqams are Bayyati, Saba and Kurd!! Even the children cry in Maqam when they cry. Maqams are different moods, similar to genres in movies, used to create and set a musical or sound scene. They are not only used to express individual emotions but also to enable recipients to release their own emotions. It’s simply magical. I’m so happy to have inherited 7 different Maqams from my heritage. By comparison: Western Music has 1-2 Maqams -> Ajami and sometimes Kurd.

[@muratsinanengin9773]

3:26 I just remembered that I haven’t picked up my oud in a while. I’m pausing here and play it a bit.

[@TheGeenat]

That guitar at the 16:00 is SICK!

[@YeshuaTaughtTheTorah]

could be an episode in itself on microtonal guitars

[@Ddonaldson9]

Thank you for sharing the beauty of this musical culture with all of us.

[@kron520]

16:15 Crazy-fast trills.

[@youknownuno]

Thank you for sharing this adventure! I’ve always been curious about this instrument and culture and you brought it to my hands. Feels authentic too, wonderful special people 🙌