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Types of Ouds

Regional Types of Ouds

Oud is a stringed instrument mainly used to accompany East African
music and Middle Eastern music. This pear shaped musical instrument
is very similar to a lute. It is believed that Lamak- the grandson of
Adam invented Ud. It was used during the Kassite period in
Mesopotamia. According to some Oud was introduced by the Arabs in
Western Europe. The popularity of this instrument mainly grew under
the royal house of Al-Andalus.

Types of Ouds

There are a number of types of Oud. Depending on the regional
characteristics the tuning and shape of ouds differ from each other

• Syrian Oud: This type of Oud has a slightly longer neck and its
pitch is also lower.

• Iraqi or Munir Bashir Type of Oud: Iraqi Ouds are quite
similar to the Syrian Ouds. But this instrument produces guitar
like sound.

• Egyptian Oud: This type of Oud resembles the Iraqi and Syrian
Ouds. But its body is more pear shaped compared to the other
types of Ouds. An Egyptian Oud is highly decorated and it
produces slightly different tone.

• Turkish or Greek Style Oud: This type of Oud was mainly
played by the early Greek musicians and it was referred as Outi
in Greece. A Turkish or Greek Oud has a shorter neck and is
comparatively smaller in size. It produces higher pitch than
other types of Ouds. This type of Oud is made from brighter
timbre.

• Oud Qadim: Nowadays this type of Oud is not used. It was
mainly used in North Africa and is considered to be an archaic
form of present day Ouds.

• Barbat or Persian Oud: This type of Oud is generally smaller in
size than an Arabic Oud. It also has a higher tone and uses a
completely different tuning. Persian Ouds more or less resemble
the Turkish Ouds.

One of our ouds