source file: m1344.txt Date: Wed, 4 Mar 1998 17:59:06 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Fretless versus Fretted From: Johnny Reinhard Oops -- that was a typo: The Oud is indeed unfretted in the Middle East. Johnny Reinhard Director American Festival of Microtonal Music 318 East 70th Street, Suite 5FW New York, New York 10021 USA (212)517-3550/fax (212) 517-5495 reinhard@idt.net http://www.echonyc.com/~jhhl/AFMM On Wed, 4 Mar 1998, Bill Alves wrote: > >An interesting cultural similarity is the 'oud in the Middle East. > > > >Meaning "wood" in Arabic, and the impetus for the "lute" in Europe, the > >'oud alternates between fretted and unfretted ever 200 years or so. > >Apparently, this is to change its tone, not its tuning. Presently, the > >'oud is fretted. > > I have spoken with a Middle East ethnomusicologist from UCLA about this > issue, and, according to him (and most other evidence I've seen), the oud > is currently unfretted except in Greece. > > Bill > > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > ^ Bill Alves email: alves@hmc.edu ^ > ^ Harvey Mudd College URL: http://www2.hmc.edu/~alves/ ^ > ^ 301 E. Twelfth St. (909)607-4170 (office) ^ > ^ Claremont CA 91711 USA (909)607-7600 (fax) ^ > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >