A taqsim of sorts in Saba, improvised on four+ tracks. The Saba maqam is a mode that includes quarter tone notes that are absent from Western instruments. It is one of the most stirring of the Arabian maqamat, a scale that includes a narrow step, followed by a very wide interval. This evokes a sense of drama in the majority of listeners. If you compare this with my Nihawand piece, both have a sad "minor scale" feel, but while Nihawand is melancholy, Saba is downright foreboding. The phrasing takes a little breath on the modulation "landings", but the sense of urgency is only relieved when (finally and barely) reaching the upper tonic, D, at the end.
The harpsichord has been tuned to include the needed quarter tones, in a temperament we might call Saba-Lehman-Bach, and it follows the maqam in a sort of "particulate drone". The light percussion in 13/8 aims to lighten the ominous Saba mood. An oud is always fretless, electric bass can be either fretted or not. It happens that both this Egyptian oud, and the fretless bass have decorative inlays on the neck that look like frets.
The video sweeps on San Francisco Bay, though Glen says it's the Bosphorus.
8 Mbit MP4
Great music.
uwaluyo 9 months ago
Great from Tunisia :)
fraukrauss 1 year ago
Both instruments are used ( as well as others) and the Oud is not oriental.. it is of middle eastern origin and differs from region to region.
209jay 1 year ago
@Libanass Looks like both R used
PellMellow 2 years ago
that's an oriental fretless Oud
not a bass
Libanass 2 years ago
amazing...this piece makes me pine away for the digital multitrack i want to get this year.
valdae 2 years ago
relaxing you opened my mind and soul
BuDzManson 2 years ago
nice fusion of melody.
nadia59 2 years ago