Add the oud as instrument

• Jan 1, 2017 - 09:49
Reported version
2.2
Type
Functional
Severity
S5 - Suggestion
Status
closed
Project

Following this thread (and the recent last comment), https://musescore.org/en/node/139241, I believe it would be appropriate to add the oud to the list of instruments.

Of course, the large number of possible tunings (more than a dozen) and, as a corollary, the lack of a standardized tuning, is a constraint.

Nevertheless, this is not, should not be a sufficient reason to deprive this instrument, played anywhere in the world, of any display in MuseScore.

To each one, then, to personalize the tuning, according to its instrument ; but at least, there will be a visibility, an important starting point.

I looked at several sources.
This source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stringed_instrument_tunings#O which indicates that the most common tuning is: C2/F2/A2/D3/G3/C4

This one: http://www.atlasofpluckedinstruments.com/middle_east.htm : D2/G2/A2/D3/G3/C4

And the third : ditto: http://www.stringedinstrumentdatabase.comoj.com/n.htm

On the Spanish wiki page: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/La%C3%BAd_%C3%A1rabe, the first one is mentioned as the most common.
On the Frenck wiki page: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oud, it’s the second one !
And on the English wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oud this point is not mentioned.

At least, we can observe a common point for the four first strings (bass to treble : A2/D3/G3/C4.
Not an absolute rule, but a good start.

So, for the two other strings, at one point, we have to put an end to the debate, and choose.

I propose the first one, ie: C2/F2/A2/D3/G3/C4
(for the reason that I observe in the dozen and more tunings as I mentioned above: often the top string and the lower string have the same note, eg: C2/C4. Again not a rule – mine is different!- but a bit more observed)

On Sibelius (7.5), it’s another thing/choice (in fact : it's one among some other Turkish tunings), but the top string and the lower string are the same (two D).
Oud Sibelius.jpg


Comments

Fretless instrument. Usually, so, the standard notation is used.
The display of Tabs is therefore a bit unexpected, but I note that Sibelius, and TablEdit also, allow this. I imagine for convenience of reading some users. Knowing that there is no question of frets but of positions.
The fingerboard allows more or less to obtain an octave and a quarte interval (so, more or less 14/15 "positions").

From looking at pictures of ouds, I don't see any frets like there are on guitars. Perhaps a better question would by how many notes are typically able to be played on a string, especially since there are such a variety of ouds. When writing for an oud, the composer could adjust the fret count just as he can string tunings, which will apparently be common.

"No frets-> No tab, just like for violin. So no string data or tuning needed."

Yes, but no! Possible tabs because:
1) in "All instruments", another fretless instrument (Fretless Electric Bass ) is implemented with string data/tuning: Bass Fretless.mscz
2) As shown in a previous message, Sibelius allows the tabs for the oud.

Proposal of tuning (one of the more common/standard): C2/F2/A2/D3/G3/C4

But agreed: some inconsistency with violin (and other). Nevertheless, oud and fretless electric bass are plucked stringed instruments (like guitars family and other 'ethnic' instruments), more likely to use "naturally" tabs :)

OK, let's mimik "Guitar (Treble clef)" then, which is transposing but reacts on the concert pitch button to switch between octaves and the 2 clefs
Which means to 'fake' the strings to be an octave higher.