UT(OUT)
The oud
is
a pear-shaped
stringed
instrument
commonly
used
in Arabic, Hebrew/Jewish,Greek, Turkish, Byzantine,Armenian, Norh
African(Chaabi,
ClassicalandAndalusian), Somali and Middle Eastern music. Construction of the oud is
similar to that of the lute. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a
common ancestor via diverging paths. The oud is readily distinguished by its lack
of frets and smaller neck. It is considered an ancestor of theguitar.