Mic Archive

Instrument

Oud

Short-necked, fretless, pear-shaped lute, usually 11 strings in 6 courses, plucked with a risha (plectrum) (Wikipedia).

Range
C2–C5
Sources
3 (3 independent)

Recommended mics

Mics sources recommend

8 setups from 3 sources, 3 of them independent of any mic maker. Each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those are independent. Listed alphabetically: there is no ranking.

Studio

Close

The 4 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Close DPA 4011 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A) or Neumann KM 184 or AKG C 414 or Lawson L47
    close, studio
    Oud player/teacher in Turkey: tried Brauner, AKG 414, KM184 and found DPA 4011 best for oud (summary). ... KM100 with cardioid capsule or KM184 also suggested (summary). ... Engineer with 20 years reports good oud recordings with Lawson L47, AKG 414 and a Neumann 149; prefers large over small diaphragm (summary). ... Engineer with 20 years reports good oud recordings with Lawson L47, AKG 414 and a Neumann 149 (summary).1
  • Close Royer R-121 or AEA R84
    close/room, studio
    Ribbons such as AEA R84 and Royer R121 suggested as a good starting point (summary).1
  • Close Neumann KM 184
    close, front of face, ~8 in to 18 in
    Listed among external mics for oud; advice to place several condensers about 8 in from the face and compare.2
  • Close Audio-Technica AT4050 or Audio-Technica AT4047
    close, front of face
    Listed among external mic options for oud (thread summary).2

On stage

Close

Clip-on

The 3 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Close Shure SM57
    close, stage or budget
    Brian Prunka: "A regular sm57 is very good usually."3
  • Close Sennheiser MD 421 or Neumann KM 84 or Neumann KM 184 or Shure SM81 or AKG C451 B or Telefunken M60 / M260
    close, stage
    Brian Prunka: MD 421 is "a more hi-fi mic in a similar vein" to the SM57. ... Prunka suggests small-diaphragm condensers such as Telefunken M60/M260, Neumann KM84/KM184, Shure SM81, AKG C451B for stage.3
  • Clip-on DPA 4099
    clip-on, stage or ensemble
    Khalil_Oud has used the DPA 4099 for years; says it gives "simply pure" sound. Mounting on a rosette is a problem.3

Studio and stage

Close

The 1 setup behind this: placement and quotes
  • Close Shure SM57
    close
    Listed among external mic options for oud (thread summary).2

Range

C2 to about C54,565.4 Hz – 523 Hz

Lowest course C2 or D2 in Arabic tuning (a Mike's Oud Forums player tunes 'C or D - G A D G C'; Wikipedia gives Arabic D2, Turkish C#2). Top: forum players say three octaves from the bass C take you up the top course near the soundhole, so about C5 (my reading, estimate); a fourth octave (to about C6) is 'technically possible' on the top course, but such notes 'do not ring', and traditional taqsim rarely uses more than 2 octaves. (earlier: lowest course in Turkish tuning (Arabic: D2); the top is about two octaves above the top course (estimate))

Where the sound goes

Most sound comes from the large soft top and the rosette sound holes. Brian Prunka: "Don't put it directly pointed at the sound hole, it will be too boomy." A forum answer advises mics toward the main surface of the top, nearer the neck joint or the bridge (search summary of Mike's Oud Forums).

Recording it

Condensers first. Forum advice: put several likely mics about 8 in from the face, record 30 seconds each, keep the best. Another reply: about 12 to 18 in, aimed between sound hole and neck. A third: 30 to 35 cm opposite the neck join. Two mics (close and far) or a spaced pair gives an area rather than a point. Use a padded stand on a wooden floor to cut thumps.

On stage

Prunka prefers small-diaphragm condensers on stage and avoids large-diaphragm models. SM57 and MD 421 are "very good usually" and cheap. For loud bands, a clip-on (DPA 4099) or pickup, though mounting on a rosette is awkward.

About the range

Arabic tuning D2 G2 A2 D3 G3 C4 (single course shown; pairs are doubled). Turkish tuning is a whole step higher, for example C#2 F#2 B2 E3 A3 D4 in "Bolahenk" (Wikipedia). Scale length is 61 to 62 cm (Arabic) or 58.5 cm (Turkish). Top note: no sourced figure, about two octaves above the top course (estimate).

Names

Ud, ut (Turkish), oúti (Greek); related to the lute.

How loud

Sound pressure level measurements as published. Different kinds of figure (a playing level, a peak, a dose at the player's ear) can't be compared with each other, and neither can figures at different distances.

Player's exposure (dosimeter)
77.3 dB(A)at the player's ear (dosimeter microphone 10 cm from the ear); Iranian professional musician (10+ years' experience) in solitary practice, 20-minute session in an acoustic room at Firoozgar hospital audiology department, Tehran; Extech 407727 meter/dosimeter6
73.06 dB(A)at the player's ear (dosimeter microphone 10 cm from the ear); Iranian professional musician (10+ years' experience) in solitary practice, 20-minute session in an acoustic room at Firoozgar hospital audiology department, Tehran; Extech 407727 meter/dosimeter6
67.28–84.4 dB(A)at the player's ear (dosimeter microphone 10 cm from the ear); Iranian professional musician (10+ years' experience) in solitary practice, 20-minute session in an acoustic room at Firoozgar hospital audiology department, Tehran; Extech 407727 meter/dosimeter6
60.38–82.16 dB(A)at the player's ear (dosimeter microphone 10 cm from the ear); Iranian professional musician (10+ years' experience) in solitary practice, 20-minute session in an acoustic room at Firoozgar hospital audiology department, Tehran; Extech 407727 meter/dosimeter6

No source found. Forum advice: with drums or electric bass on stage, clip-ons or pickups work better than condensers (Mike's Oud Forums).

Sources

  1. Gearspace: mic'ing an oudforum · gearspace.com
  2. Mike's Oud Forums: recording the oud (thread 13902)forum · mikeouds.com
  3. Mike's Oud Forums: miking the oud, Brian Prunka and others (thread 19166)forum · mikeouds.com
  4. Wikipedia: Oudreference · en.wikipedia.org
  5. Mike's Oud Forums: thread on oud range (tid 4982)forum · 2007-01 · mikeouds.com
  6. Med J Islam Repub Iran: An Evaluation of Maximum Safe Practice Time of Iranian Musical Instruments to Protect Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in ProfessionalsRajaeih S, Kolyaie F, Emamdjomeh H, Feizabad E, Ghanbari H · academic · 2022 · europepmc.org