1941 Georges Nahat Oud
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION
The oud is a fretless, stringed musical instrument. It is an ancestor of the European lute, and it's name is derived from the Arabic word for wood or "twig". It consists of a pear shaped body, a short neck called "al-raqaba", five or six double courses in addition to a single bass string, one or more soundholes called "shamseyya", "ouyoun", or "el-qamaria", a bridge called "el-ghazala", and tuning pegs called "mafateeh". The strings are tied to the bridge in knots that are similar to those used for the flamenco guitar. The Oud is still a very popular instrument in the Middle East and is gaining notoriety throughout the world.
