Luth Traditionnel en Iraq – Album Review – Jamil Bashir

  Welcome to another Oud Geek album review.   I have been listening Jamil Bashir’s album for quite some time now, and as they say, it’s an oldie but a goodie!   If you haven’t heard it yourself yet, it is available for listening at the link below…   Mike Oud’s Rare Listening – Jamil Bashir and more (Jamil Bashir is at the top)   Please read the biographical information…

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Said Chraibi Album Review/Analysis – Oud

Some of you said in our survey that you would like to know “what combination of technique, knowledge and execution it takes to emulate the great masters.” Well, let’s get familiar with some big names. In the next few months, I will write a series of articles discussing “celebrity Oud styles” and reviewing albums. Today, I want to discuss one of my favorite albums, Said Chraibi’s Oud. After reading this…

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The Art of Oud Taqsim – 6 Secrets that will make you sound like Farid Al-Attrash

An Oud Taqsim is probably one of the most well-known musical forms in the Middle East. If you want to play the Oud, you must learn how to play a Taqsim, an Oud solo. Without going into too many details about maqams and theory, here are 6 essential things to think about when you are practicing your taqsim. 1. Opening Your Oud Taqsim The opening first notes that you play…

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Arabic Maqam Theory – A Brief Introduction

This article is going to be a concise introduction to Arabic maqam theory. My hope is that this will break down the basics for you to understand what is going on in Arabic music in terms of what scales are being played and how to modulate. For a beginner, one of the most important things to do in order to learn this music is to listen to Arabic music a…

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