The ‘Ud/Oud (also spelled ‘Ud) is one of the most popular instruments in Arabic music. Its name means “a thin strip of wood” in Arabic, and this refers to the strips of wood used in making its pear-shaped body. The neck of the oud is short in comparison to its body and has no frets. This allows the oud to achieve excellent intonation and makes it ideal for performing the Arabic maqamat/maqam which is explained further below.
The ‘oud usually has 5 pairs of strings tuned in unison and a single bass string, and strings were historically made of animal gut, and were plucked with a plectrum known as risha (Arabic for feather). Modern strings are made of steel wound over nylon, and modern risha-s are made of plastic, tortoise shell, animal horn or even bamboo. The oud has a warm timbre and a wide tonal range (about 3 octaves), and can convey the melody and rhythm equally well because it is percussive. This makes is perfectly suited to accompany a singer.
The ‘oud an ancestor of the European lute, which, according to Open Culture, is “one of the most important instruments of the musical period we call the Renaissance.” The oud dates back some 3500 years to ancient Persia and first arrived with the Moors during their 711 AD invasion of Spain. Although new to Europe, it was known in the Arabic world as “the king or sultan of all instruments” and had evolved from a five-string instrument to one with eleven strings.
The Arabic Maqam
The Arabic maqam is a system used in music that helps musicians create melodies and express emotions. It can be thought of as a set of musical notes that form the foundation for a piece of music and consists of two main parts called jins (singular) or ajnas (plural), which are smaller groups of notes. Unlike Western music, where scales are often fixed, maqamat can vary in length and do not always follow the same pattern.
The notes in a maqam can include microtones, which are pitches that fall between the usual notes we hear in Western music. This gives Arabic music its unique sound. There are many different maqamat, each with its own mood or feeling. For instance, Maqam Ajam is often associated with feelings of strength and joy and Maqam Hijaz evokes feelings of solitude and mysticism.
Each maqam is linked to specific emotions or atmospheres, similar to how certain melodies might make you feel happy or sad. Musicians use these maqamat to convey particular feelings through their performances. When musicians play, they often improvise within the framework of a maqam, adding their personal touch while adhering to its rules. The rhythm in Arabic music is more flexible compared to Western music, allowing for creative expression.