The Oud Handbook Paperback – October 16, 2025

The oud (or ud) is one of the most popular instruments in traditional Middle Eastern music, and has been increasingly finding a worldwide audience. However, one of the main obstacles to many prospective students of the oud is a lack of English-language instructional materials. In 2001 the author of this book, David Parfitt, established what would become the largest and most comprehensive website devoted to all aspects of the oud, which he maintained for almost twenty years. No longer having the time to dedicate to this, he nevertheless wanted to preserve the core of the instructional material on the site in printed form, and the result is the present book. Starting with the basics of holding and tuning the instrument, the theory underlying both the Arab and Turkish styles of oud playing is then covered, followed by a detailed presentation of scales and fingering diagrams for all the most popular Middle Eastern musical modes. It is hoped that this will be of use to both the beginner and intermediate student of the instrument, as an adjunct to traditional lessons and as a basis for composition and improvisation. Read more