The Oud

The oud, or ud, is a pear-shaped stringed instrument. It usually has 12 strings, but 8 and 14 stringed versions exist. Construction of the oud is similar to that of the lute. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths. The oud is readily distinguished by its lack of frets and smaller neck. It is considered an ancestor of the guitar.



In an acient Mesopotamian story, a man named Lamech hung the body of his dead son from a tree. He 

then created the ud in the likeness of his sons bleached skeleton. The oldest known ud was discovered 

in 1969 by British archeologist Dr. Doninique Collon while he was in Mesopotania. It was dated back 

over 5000 years old. He brought it back to Great Britan, and it now resides at the british museum.


The oud is used mostly in cultural music. It is also used in bluegrass and various orchestral workings. 

It was traditionally played by the Africans, Mesopotamians, Egyptians, and Iraqis.  




If want to know more of the oud, check out Yurdal Tokcan demonstrates the ud. Yes he is playing with 

a popcycle stick.