pear-shaped stringed instrument
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The oud (/uːd/ OOD; Arabic: عُود, romanized: ʿūd, pronounced [ʕuːd]) is a Middle Eastern short-neck lute-type, pear-shaped, fretless stringed instrument (a chordophone in the Hornbostel–Sachs classification of instruments), usually with 11 strings … Wikipedia
Factsheet
String instrument
Hornbostel–Sachs classification 321.321-6
(Composite chordophone sounded with a plectrum)
Factsheet
String instrument
Hornbostel–Sachs classification 321.321-6
(Composite chordophone sounded with a plectrum)
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Oud
Oud - Wikipedia
1 day ago - It may refer to the wooden plectrum traditionally used for playing the oud, to the thin strips of wood used for the back, or to the wooden soundboard that distinguishes it from similar instruments with skin-faced bodies. Henry George Farmer considers the similitude between al-ʿūd and al-ʿawda ("the return" – of bliss). Multiple theories have been proposed for the origin of the Arabic name oud. The word oud (عود) means "from wood" and "stick" in Arabic. In 1940 Curt Sachs contradicted or refined that idea, saying oud meant flexible stick, not wood. A western scholar of Islamic musical subjects, Eckhard Neubauer, suggested that oud may be an Arabic borrowing from the Persian word rōd or rūd, which meant string.
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Arab Instruments
arabinstruments.com › home › the oud musical instrument
The Oud Musical Instrument
The sound of the Oud vibrates within its hollow body. It is made of a rounded back, which is enclosed with a soundboard, a flat sheet of wood, whereas, the backside of it is made of 15-25 strips of wood. Usually, the open side of the back portion is known as the rosette. There are mainly 2 distinctive features of this musical instrument- one is its pear-shaped body and the second is its fretless neck.
People also ask

Is the oud a good instrument for beginners?
Yes. Because the oud is fretless, beginners develop ear and intonation naturally from the first lesson. A well-set-up beginner oud such as the Arabic Handmade Walnut AAO-108 is comfortable to fret and already sounds genuinely musical, so early practice is rewarding rather than frustrating.
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salamuzik.com
salamuzik.com › collections › ouds
Oud for Sale — Handmade Arabic and Turkish Ouds | Sala Muzik
What is the difference between an oud and a lute?
They are close relatives. The European lute descends directly from the oud, carried into Spain during the medieval period. The main differences are that the oud is fretless while the lute has tied gut frets, and the oud is tuned and played for the maqam music of the Middle East rather than European repertoire.
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salamuzik.com
salamuzik.com › collections › ouds
Oud for Sale — Handmade Arabic and Turkish Ouds | Sala Muzik
What is a silent or electric oud for?
A silent or electric oud has a built-in pickup and a lightweight body, so you can plug into an amp or audio interface for stage and studio work, and practise quietly with headphones without disturbing anyone. It is a practical second oud for travelling and performing players.
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salamuzik.com
salamuzik.com › collections › ouds
Oud for Sale — Handmade Arabic and Turkish Ouds | Sala Muzik
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Sala Muzik
salamuzik.com › collections › ouds
Oud for Sale — Handmade Arabic and Turkish Ouds | Sala Muzik
An Arabic oud is larger and tuned lower for a deep, full voice; a Turkish oud is slightly smaller and tuned about a step higher, giving a brighter, more articulate tone. Choose by the music you want to play. Full breakdown in our blog: Choosing the Right Oud — A Guide to Types, Styles and What to Look For. Four things separate a starter oud from a professional instrument: tonewoods, the bowl, the fretless neck, and setup.
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Ethnic Musical
ethnicmusical.com › shop › oud instrument › arabic oud
Shop Arabic Ouds | Best Prices & Free Worldwide Shipping | Since 2013
A single bass string with five pairs of strings. Playing the Oud is traditionally done with a pick, called ‘Risha’. In the past, it was made of eagle feather but today mostly plastic.
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UNESCO
ich.unesco.org › en › RL › crafting-and-playing-the-oud-01867
Crafting and playing the Oud - UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
The oud is a traditional, lute-type instrument played in Iran and Syria. The musician places the short-necked instrument on their leg, fretting with one hand and plucking the chords with the other.
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Sultan Instrument
sultaninstrument.com › collections › all-ouds
Buy Oud Instruments | Sultan Instruments
BL100 Maple/Mahogany Oud – Ideal ... Straight from the hands of Sultan... ... Oud is among the famous instruments in Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey , Armenia, and Greece....
Find elsewhere
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Britannica
britannica.com › entertainment & pop culture › musical instruments
Oud | Music & Instrument | Britannica
July 20, 1998 - oud, stringed musical instrument prominent in medieval and modern Islamic music. It is the parent of the European lute. The oud has a deep pear-shaped body, a fretless fingerboard, and a relatively shorter neck and somewhat less acutely bent-back ...
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London Guitar Studio
londonguitarstudio.com › s › what-is-an-oud
What Is An Oud - London Guitar Studio
Its earliest form is thought only to have had 4 strings, and then over the course of its development, it became larger and more complex. But, in terms of the oud’s close relatives, musicologists have traced the lute family instruments all the way back to 3000BC.
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Sultan Instrument
sultaninstrument.com › blogs › oud-instrument-information › history-of-oud-instrument
History of Oud Instrument – Sultan Instrument
March 2, 2022 - He has often been called the "king ... Literally meaning ‘branch’ or ‘flexible rod,’ the oud is the main instrument of a piano-like composition....
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MDLBEAST
mdlbeast.com › xp feed › music industry › unraveling the history of oud: a journey through time and sound
History of Oud: Exploring a Timeless Sound | MDLBEAST
October 12, 2023 - The richness of the history of the oud lends it a sense of authenticity and tradition that few other instruments can match, and its resonant, warm tones evoke a varied range of emotions. It's no wonder the oud has held a significant place in the musical traditions of countries from North Africa ...
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Amazon
amazon.com › Premium-Arabic-Musical-Instrument-SALA-A6 › dp › B08VF34XDW
Amazon.com: Premium Arabic Oud String Musical Instrument Ud Aoud SALA-A6 : Musical Instruments
Buy Premium Arabic Oud String Musical Instrument Ud Aoud SALA-A6: Ouds - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
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Early Music Muse
earlymusicmuse.com › oud
The oud: a short guide to a long history – Early Music Muse
November 6, 2022 - The Cantigas, written c. 1257–1283, are richly illustrated with pictures of musicians, giving us much information about the instruments of the day. Though the oud is an eastern instrument, entering Europe in the 9th century via Moorish rule in Iberia, one striking feature of the depiction of the three ouds in the Cantigas is that they are all played by western Christian musicians.
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Oud for Guitarists
oudforguitarists.com › home › the oud musical instrument 101
The Oud Musical Instrument 101 - Oud for Guitarists
October 31, 2021 - At Oud for Guitarists, we are NOT talking about a type of wood or perfume made from it, but we are talking about Oud the musical instrument. It is an ancient musical instrument from the Middle East, which has been very popular in the area and ...
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Vocal Media
vocal.media › beat › what-is-oud-instrument-how-to-play-oud
What Is Oud Instrument? How to Play Oud? | Beat
The oud, which is a fretless instrument, is included in the strings and plectrum categories. It is one of the most central instruments in Arabic music. Any of the ancient cultures that lived across the Mediterranean and the Middle East used ...
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Snapchat
snapchat.com › @abdoozzoo › spotlight › W7_EDlXWTBiXAEEniNoMPwAAYenVtcXhmdmJzAZ1_N3-PAZ1_N1A5AAAAAQ
1 likes | Abdullah Al-Dilemi Performs Traditional Music on Oud in Sana'a | عبدالله الديلمي في صنعاء (@abdoozzoo) | Posted Apr 12, 2026 | Spotlight
April 12, 2026 - A man, identified as Abdullah Al-Dilemi, sits cross-legged on a yellow sofa in a warmly lit room, playing a traditional Arabic oud. He is dressed in white attire and sings while skillfully plucking the strings of the instrument. The setting includes curtains and a small table with items like ...
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Simplemusicdictionary
simplemusicdictionary.com › home › instruments › oud
Oud — Definition & Meaning | Simple Music Dictionary
A pear-shaped, fretless stringed instrument considered the ancestor of the European lute, central to Arabic, Turkish, and Persian classical music traditions. ... The oud (from Arabic "al-ʿūd," meaning "the wood") is one of the oldest and most important instruments in Middle Eastern music.
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String Kings Music
stringkingsmusic.com › home › oud facts: shop for instruments, accessories, gifts
Oud Facts: Shop for Instruments, Accessories, Gifts
June 10, 2025 - The oud and early guitars share key traits: a wooden soundbox, a neck for fingering notes, and plucked strings. While the guitar has diverged significantly from the oud in design and sound, the oud’s role as a foundational instrument in this ...
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Sala Muzik
salamuzik.com › new › all about oud instrument
All About Oud Instrument – Sala Muzik
February 5, 2022 - Oud instrument (written as “ud” in Turkish) is the ancestor of the European lute, name of which derives from “al-ud”. It is not a native Turkish instrument but it has been played in Anatolia for at least five centuries.