On this page These are many common questions that frequently cross the minds of students of Arabic music in general, and the Oud in particular. The Oud has been played for longer than written history. Before we explore together how RAMY’s 7 Layers Sheet Music cleverly solved this dilemma, These experts sought to adapt the […]
However, there is a major problem in attempting to notate for the Oud in the same way as notating for the piano, for example. We cannot compare the technique of the ornaments that reflect the spirit and character of the Oud to the ornaments of an instrument like the piano, nor the tools of nuance (expression). We can have Beethoven’s Fur Elise as an example:
It is the instrument that gave Europe the guitar, the lute, and the musical scale system that underpins Western music. It is one of the most sophisticated instruments ever created. And until Ramy, nobody had ever given it a Guido. The existing attempts—and serious, respected musicians have made them—all had the same problem: they tried to write sheet music for the Oud in a language designed for Western instruments. “Imagine trying to write Arabic in the Roman alphabet”! You can sort of do it, but you lose the sounds that Arabic has and the Roman alphabet doesn’t. You lose the meaning that lives in those sounds. That is what every prior Oud notation system did; it got the notes down, but it lost the feeling, the technique, and the soul.
- Equalizing the dimensions of the “quarter tone” (Equal Temperament): They proposed dividing the octave into 24 equal parts to make it easier to write, ignoring the fact that the dimensions of Arabic maqams (such as Rast and Bayati) are naturally unequal in physics and contain minute fractions (commas) that differ from one country to another.
- They also attempted to exclude maqams rich in microtones or modify their notes to match Western scales (Major & Minor) so that they would be easy to play on Western instruments with fixed tuning (like the piano).
- Furthermore, they imposed inaccurate accidental signs and invented artificial lowering and raising signs (half flat and half sharp) to force the Arabic note to fall exactly in the middle of the distance, which stripped the maqam of its original spirit.
- As for rhythm, they tried to notate complex rhythmic cycles with long and irregular times (such as 10/8 or 13/8) within the frameworks of a monotonous Western time signature that lacks the kinesthetic individualization of the riq and percussion player.
Arabic musical notation has relied on these systems—despite all their drawbacks—until now, when the RAMY’S 7 Layers Sheet Music system came along—created and owned by Ramy
- 1st layer: The Notes & The Map — You always know exactly what to play and when, so rhythm stops being a guessing game.
- 2nd layer: Downs & Ups — Your picking hand learns the right motion from the first note, instead of building bad habits you will spend years undoing.
- 3rd layer: Fingering Numbers — Your left hand always knows where to go, saving you hours of trial and error.
- 4th layer: Ornamentation — The authentic touches that make the music sound Middle Eastern are written for you, not left to imitation.
- 5th layer: Emotion — You learn where the feeling lives in the melody, so you play with soul and not just accuracy.
- 6th layer: Phrasing — You recognize the style of a passage instantly, which trains your ear and your taste at the same time.
- 7th layer: Positions & Techniques — You gain command of the whole fingerboard, not just the easy first few frets.
Before enrolling, you meet Ramy Adly on Zoom, one to one. It is a placement conversation, not a sales call — he listens to you play, and tells you where you would start. Free, about thirty minutes. Around one in four applicants join a cohort.
Request a placement sessionPriority status is given to immediate enrollments. Secure your place today for a final review by Mr. Ramy Adly. Upon enrollment, you’ll receive a private session to prepare your instrument and ensure you're ready for the semester.