mic'ing an oud

[ande1718]

Originally Posted by NewOud

Please forgive if this was covered somewhere and couldn't find it. I did search. I have a question... Live Show, Oud player with a Dumbec and violin...is there any reason why I couldn't use a Fishman SBT-HP or Fishman SBT-E contact pickups? Or anything simular were you don't have to drill anything in or change bridges?And plug into a direct box? Instead of micing it. Problems in the past with just micing. Or is micing the best bet? Thanks

I regularly deal with ouds live and have never heard a passable pick up. I've used pick ups in combination with a mic to add bite to the sound, since the ones I've heard only really get the highs and mid/highs. You also don't get a lot of risha (plectum) which is a key part of the classic sound of the instrument. I think the shape of the instrument really decentralizes the different aspects of the sound.

I usually mic the oud with a SDC at pointed straight at the sound board near where it joins the neck or at a 45-degree angle pointed a little closer to the sound hole. Not much science or empirical comparison behind that, just intuition/habit. One player asked me to mic it by pointing the SDC at the "butt end" behind his picking arm (for lack of better word) and that work pretty well for some reason. I've been able to get the mic pretty isolated from the surrounding players even with everyone sitting close.

Other Mid-Eastern/Turkish instruments can sound pretty good with pick ups, like Saz and Buzuq. Maybe because their resonant chambers are much smaller. The good Buzuq and Saz pick ups I've heard have to be installed by drilling, etc.

[AB3]

If money is no object - the AEA A-440 mic is awesome on the oud.
I really like ribbons on oud.
The A-440 has a built in amp and is an especially quiet mic. Yet has the ribbon flavor and warmth.

If you talk to Wes Dooley at AEA, he may have other options to consider.

[Piedpiper]

Here's a Crown SASSP stereo PZM mic that I've gutted and rebuilt to be single ended (no xfrmr) dual mono battery powered incorporating battery powered mic pres using minimal circuitry and premium parts. The ribbon cables coming out of the back are by Mapleshade/inSound. I originally used to run the thing with a load of D cells that made it slightly more effortless sounding but more effortful to use. Because of the baffled ORTF configuration it must be used no closer than three feet. This recording of oud turned out beautifully. The room is well but not over treated and is 13.5' x 23.5' x 9'.

You can check out more about this mic in this other thread: Oddball mics

[imaginaryday]

i recorded an oud session last month. watch out for the boxy-ness! ouds have a very thin body and can sound nasally/boxy if not miked correctly.

this is how i miked him: mic over his shoulders.

[lectric]

Hi, I play the oud after 10 or 12 years. We not have a only oud sound. The style of the play and the body size is diferent for the diferent countryes... The Turkish style is clean, mellow and relaxed. The andalucian sound from Morocco and Argelia is fast, crisp, and percusive. Also the Oud from Lebanon, Egypt and Syria is different.
Back I play with a spanish group very interesant if you want hear some really and nice mix over orient and occident.
L´Ham de Foc-Canço de dona i home.
L´Ham de Foc-Cord de Porc.

[Schumanji]

I've been listening to an American Armenian oud player wh omade some great hybrid tracks in the 50's.. Chick Ganimian
Ganim's Asia Minors Daddy Lolo - YouTube
Rock and roll in oriental tempo

[MixBuss]

Might want to try a ribbon on that oud, smooths the attack of the pick

[12ax7]

Originally Posted by TanTan

i'm not a fan of SDC's on oud

An exception to that would be either a Schoeps CMC6 MK4 (or on a lower budget, an AKG 460).

.

[cschreppel]

I record various Ouds throughout the year in live environments. For stage cleanliness, we tend to prefer low profile mics.

This past Tuesday, I used a DPA 4011 through a Grace m802 with great results. This was blended with 5 other instrument spots (çeng, percussion, saz, gamba), 6 vocal mics (KMS105's) in addition to a Schoeps MK21 main pair w/ MKH20 ambient mics.

To mirror some of the other comments, my approach is to walk around the instrument and find place it sounds best. In a studio environment, I have more options for placement and mic choice - usually combinations of Sennheiser MKHs, Schoeps, DPA SDCs with ribbons (AEA and Royer).

[Gaston69]

Interesting article as I am recording Oud on a regular bassi together with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra