The oud is one of the oldest instruments in the world, with origins going back more than 3,500 years in the ancient civilisations of the Middle East. The name 'oud' comes from the Arabic word for wood. It has eleven or thirteen strings, arranged in pairs except for the lowest, and is played with a plectrum (pick) called a risha — the Arabic word for feather.
Unlike a guitar, the oud has no frets — the small metal ridges on a guitar neck that help you find notes precisely. Because the oud neck is completely smooth, a skilled player can slide between notes and produce beautiful swooping sounds that give Arabic music its distinctive flowing quality. Learning to play the oud takes years of practice.
In Bahrain, the oud is played at concerts, family celebrations and cultural festivals. It is also central to the Spring of Culture festival, where musicians from across the Arab world and beyond perform together. Many Bahraini families have an oud player in the family, and the instrument is passed down through generations.
The oud travelled from the Arab world to Europe in the Middle Ages, where it became the lute — a very important instrument in European classical music. So there is a direct musical connection between an ancient Arab instrument and the orchestras of Europe. Music truly has no borders.