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1 - Hand position shifting
Learn the different positions of the hand on the Oud. Mr Tareq starts by reviewing the normal position before moving on to other positions on the oud and providing necessary exercises.
Tareq :
Hello my name is Tareq Al Jundi from izif.com. Today in our first lesson of course no. four, we will learn how to transfer the position of the hand in different locations. We will start by learning something we already know which is called the normal position. As you see here, if I place my thumb on the tip on the wrist and spread my fingers in this form, the form of the chromatic scale; i.e each note is separated from the next with ½ a note, I will have the Do with the third finger, we already know this, Re *Play* this is the normal position as we have it on the sheet music, we have the third finger, Re 0, Mi second finger, Fa third finger, Sol 0, La second finger, Si fourth finger, Do 0. This is the position we are familiar with, which we call the normal position.
Now what if we descend ½ a degree, which is the same space between the fingers. If we drag our hand like this, then Do is now with the second finger. Let us look at the second line we have here, on the half position, Do , Re 0, Mi first finger, Fa second finger, Sol 0, La first finger, Si third finger, Do 0, and going back the same way, Si third finger, La first finger, Sol 0, Fa second finger, Mi first finger, Re 0, then Do second finger. This is what we call a half position. We can practice it using the same exercises we had before, for example the Do major scale, ascending and descending *Play* to stabilize the half position process.
Let us look at exercise no. 1 on the sheet music , which is on Do cord. First note is Do, then Re first finger, how do we check the Re? against the absolute cord. Mi third finger, then we have Fa fourth finger. Why did I use the half position here? I used the half position here because if I were to play Do Re Mi Fa like this, I will have a shift here, to avoid this shift, I play Do Re first finger, Mi third finger, Fa fourth finger. Take a look at exercise no.1 like this *Play*
Now look at exercise no. 2, which is the same but on Nahawand scale, I have Do, Re first finger, same thing I have to check it, ♭ Mi second, and Fa fourth finger. My fingers have to be stable all the time, meaning I don’t do this *Play* this is wrong, Or *Play* this is wrong. Always note that when the first finger plays, it strikes alone, when the second finger plays, the first finger stays stable, when the third finger plays the first and second finger stay stable, not striking cords but are right behind the third finger to minimize the movement, and when the fourth one plays, all the fingers are stable behind it. I have exercise no.2 *Play*
Now look at exercise no. 3. Exercise no. 3, in order to reach higher notes that we have on the Oud bracelet. If we want to read it, we have Do as the fist note, Re, ♭ Mi, Fa , Sol. This note at the end of the first bar is Sol, where is this Sol? It is at the bracelet. How will I discover this note. If I use my thumb, as I said earlier, the thumb descends diagonally, it doesn’t move like this it moves this way. If I look at my thumb here, I notice it descending like this, and while ascending like this. I have Do,Re, ♭ Mi, I have Fa here with the first finger. Fa is right here with the fourth finger, so I assess it by sight and descend with the first finger the Sol. Which is at the bracelet. If I look here, how will I check this Sol and this Sol after it? If at the previous cord I play for example at the bracelet, this note Re , and this Re before it. If I play the previous cord, I have this La and La before it. So I will deduce a rule here, since the Oud is tuned based on the concept of the perfect fourth, so if I put any finger at the bracelet I will have the note of the cord before it, I have Sol and Sol, Re and Re, La and La. Here it will be different because it is note tuned against the perfect fourth.
Let us look here and talk about the shifting we are facing, first we have Do , Re, ♭ Mi, Fa, how will I descend to Fa? If I strike each note four times.. Re, ♭ Mi, Fa will be with the first finger, which is the leader descending like this, it will descend like this , No. and I can’t play this vibrato either. I will have Mi, Fa I shift like this, after Fa I have Sol. This is what we have in exercise no. 4. In exercise no. 4, the goal is to facilitate the previous exercise. I have this exercise, ♭ Mi, four times, then Fa. I practice this shifting. I have Mi *Play*. What I want to make clear is that if I keep pressure on the cord like this, this noise will appear which we call a glissando or the sliding sound. I don’t want this sound to appear, so what I do is I play Mi, I transfer my fingers while lifting off the cord, I don’t keep pressure, I move here then I play. And repeat *Play*I will have a clear voice.
Now back to exercise no. 3, it consists of Do, Re ♭ Mi, Fa first finger, Sol. I can repeat each note 4 times, or play it as Tati for example, Do , Re , ♭ Mi, Fa, Sol, back to Sol, Fa, Mi, Re, Do. It is very important to practice this exercise slowly, and practice shifting before playing exercise no.3.
Moving on to exercise no.5 in the first lesson. We have Do Re Mi Fa Sol Fa Mi Re , and a repeat sign, so we repeat this bar. Look here we have Tati Tati Tati Tati like this, we have Do Re Mi Fa Sol Fa Mi Re. This exercise must be played really slowly only after finishing and making sure we have clear notes in exercises no.4 and 3. So the exercise will sound like *Play*. I want you to notice how the thumb is descending diagonally, Do Re Mi Fa Sol Fa Mi Re, notice here how it appears to be descending, my thumb is always descending diagonally.
Take a look at exercise no.6 based on the normal Nahawand Sol scale, which is also called Sol Minor. As we have here in the scale index we have ♭ Si and ♭ Mi. look here we have Sol La ♭ Si with first finger, Do third finger, Re, ♭ Mi, Fa. As you see here we have a space between ♭ Mi and Fa, but my finger was stable, between ♭ Si and Do I have space but my finger was stable. Then I have Sol. The second bar, Sol, La with the second finger, ♭ Si third finger, Do 0, now I have here Re written with the first , so I have to descend to half position. The same Re that was with the second will be with the first, so I will shift, Re, ♭ Mi second, Fa first, Sol third, now back the same way, Sol Fa ♭ Mi Re Do. Now I finished the Do, I will go back to the previous position, ♭ Si, La, Sol, Fa, ♭ Mi, Re, Do, ♭ Si , La, Sol.
As you have seen, I ascended and descended with the same position. This is the conditions of the correct positions, positions that are good and comfortable for the musician, you ascend and descend with the same position, you do not ascend in one position and descend in another. This method is the correct method followed in western countries for all the musical instruments and all the curriculums for string instruments violin, viola ,cello…etc you ascend as you descend even in the piano. Take a look at what we have here. I will try to play it through, beginning to end, non stop *Play*
Practice it slowly and increase speed gradually, like this *Play*until it becomes faster with continuous practice *Play*
Take a look at the second part of the exercise which is Nahawal Sol but with the 7th note raised, that is also called Sol Harmonic minor, the only difference is the ♯ Fa. The first bar is Sol, La, ♭ Si, Do, Re, ♭ Mi, ♯ Fa, Sol, same thing, between ♭ Mi and ♯ Fa I have space but my finger remains stable, which is why my thumb has to remain low. Second bar Sol, La, ♭ Si third, Do 0, Re here is the same method with the first, ♭ Mi with second, ♯ Fa with first, Sol, between ♯ Fa and Sol is ½ a note, which means only one finger, I have ♯ Fa and Sol here, here is Re, ♭ Mi, Fa Sol. With the same technique we have exercise no. 7 to enforce this scale which is Do Re Mi ♯ Fa Sol Fa Mi Re , repeated for times like this Do Re Mi ♯ Fa Sol Fa Mi Re, the problem will be shifting between ♭ Mi and ♯ Fa. It is crucial to notice the Oud bracelet at this stage to be able to assess by sight, we have here ♭ Mi …and ♯ Fa.. We also have to avoid producing vibrato in the exercises *Play* because vibrato ruins the note, so here if I mess up only to pin point the note exactly to play it without vibrato. I have Do *Play* this is exercise no. 7. Back to Sol Harmonic minor, from the top Sol, La , ♭ Si, Do, Re, ♭ Mi, ♯ Fa, Sol, La, ♭ Si, Do, Re with first, ♭ Mi, ♯ Fa, Sol, back Sol, Fa, ♭ Mi, Re, Do, back to the normal position, ♭ Si, La, Sol, then Sol Fa Mi Re Do Si La Sol. I will now play it from beginning to end, non stop *Play*.
You will ask me why are we doing those exercises? We are practicing them because we will start playing pieces with shifting in them , we have to practice before and played exercises, solved the problems separately, so as not to play a piece with shifts and start practicing through the piece. But the other way around, first we solve the problems then we move on to play pieces which will be in the second lesson “Riyad Al Sunbati Longa”.
Course Video Lessons
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Learn Oud 4
Hand position shifting
Sultani Yakah Longa