Great news! The Arabic Maqam Ear Training Program is now open for enrolment.
Read MoreEar Training Enrolment Next Week!
I’m almost done the new Ear Training Program, and it’s sounding fantastic. At the end of the program, you’ll be humming Arabic melodies all day. I want you to be the first to hear about when it will be released next week. AND, I want you to try it out for free. So click the link below to get on the newsletter. And just for signing up, I’ll send you…
Read MoreThe Most Important Thing in Arabic Music: Music Interpretation
Last week I talked about how I learned to use techniques and embellishments in my Oud playing, and now I want to demonstrate this in action. I’ll show you three ways I interpret my own music and apply different techniques and embellishments to the same basic melody to create different a different feeling and vibe. If you want to these techniques and learn more about how and when…
Read MoreA common question: How do you know when to use certain techniques and embellishments in music?
A common question I get from Oud players is how do you know when to use certain techniques and embellishments in music. The question that is really being asked here is more a question of style and musicality. But where did I learn how to use techniques and embellishments? Watch the video below to find out. Next week I’m going to play some examples from my own music to…
Read MoreMaqam Ear Training
I always had a hard time understanding Maqam Lami. It sounded so strange to me, and I didn’t find it interesting. I knew some well known songs in Maqam Lami, but it still wasn’t sticking. Fortunately, Simon Shaheen used Maqam Lami in one of his ear training sessions at the Arabic Music Retreat… Then it all started to make sense. I took what I learned from his method and created…
Read MoreUnraveling a Taqsim: Episode 3 – Maqam Husseini (free taqasim training download)
This week I have another taqsim for you to watch and follow along with. This one goes all over the place, and has a little Persian flair to it in some parts. Free Taqasim Training Audio In addition, I’ve created two taqasim training audio files that you can download at the bottom of this page when you sign up. A lot of people ask, “how do I…
Read MoreUnraveling a Taqsim: Episode 2 – Maqam Jiharkah
Charbel Rouhana is releasing a new Oud method this month. This is great news for Oud learners worldwide because… he is having it written in dual languages: Arabic and English. I am looking forward to purchasing my own copy as it will cover at least five different levels of Oud and it will be a great resource to use in my own private lessons. When I get more…
Read MoreUnraveling a Taqasim – Episode 1. Maqam Ajam Ushayran
It has been difficult to make time for practising Oud this week. But on the days I was able to, it happened because I put Oud first on my list of things to do. One of the things I’ll be working on for myself since the retreat is taqasim. Previously, I’ve always allowed my taqasim to be completely spontaneous. I don’t think about it. But after the retreat…
Read MoreJamil Bashir Oud Method Exercise
Here’s an exercise from Jamil Bashir’s Oud method. This is a beginner level Oud lesson for practicing 16th notes in G major scale. The tuning you need to use for this lesson is (low to high string) C G A D g c. Free Beginner Oud Lessons Course Next week I’m starting a brand new free email course for bare beginner Oud players. This course is…
Read MoreGodin MultiOud Free Email Course
MultiOud players always face the same problem… They can’t seem to get that fat, round, deep, boomy Arabic Oud sound on their MultiOuds. I’ve created this FREE email course where you will learn some of the secrets I’ve learned to create an authentic Arabic Oud sound on the MultiOud. Over four days you will receive content that will cover… Lesson 1 – Day 1: Up and Running with the MultiOud…
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