Today we’d like to introduce you to Ramy Adly.
Hi Ramy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As an entrepreneur, musician, and educator, my journey began in Egypt—where I was born and where my grandfather taught me the Oud at age 16. He was 92 then, still tuning his instrument until he passed at 98. That image of him never left me.
Today, as an Egyptian-American citizen, I carry both cultures with me. I’ve performed at the Alexandria Library, Kennedy Center, I performed in Abu Dhabi, Tokyo, Japan, Syria, Egypt, across America and other major stages across the world. But it wasn’t until I studied at Harvard Business School during the pandemic, completing what I started at Assiut University in Egypt, that I had the realization that changed everything.
Skills are king for our future. information you can get from GPT, but Especially for people my generation 40 and beyond. At 40, you don’t reinvent by collecting information. You reinvent by building real skills. And nothing embodies this better than the Oud instrument a 5,000-year-old instrument that I build my successful business test through it. that’s as ancient as it is alive.
Here’s what frustrated me: I watched MasterClass raise millions from distinguished VC firm that I have met it founders, yet their “education” is entertainment dressed up as learning. They sell master classes, but the real material is designed to entertain, not to build skills. That’s when I realized: real education is about building real skills, not delivering information.
So I created something different. My students call it Ramy Adly’s Edtech Teaching Method™ a secret methodology that makes education actually valuable. While music teachers everywhere sell courses for $1, I launched my beta course at $750, scaling to $1,200 in 2027 because the methodology behind it creates real outcomes, see my students testimonials and what they say and how amazing and magical my method is for their outcomes.
The proof is undeniable. My first graduate from School of Oud Online was Ethan Wickman from Utah, a dedicated student who spent four years mastering the Oud through Learn the Oud Online at SchoolofOudOnline.com . Today, he’s performing across the United States as a lead Oud player and soloist with his band. This isn’t luck. This is the result of a methodology designed to create real outcomes.
That success led me to create the world’s first Oud certification program, the first and only globally recognized credential for Oud players. But more importantly, it proved something bigger: that my teaching method works, it scales, and it can be applied across any educational discipline. I’m building a new category in edtech, one where students master real skills and instructors command premium pricing for genuine value.
My mission is to transform education by focusing on outcomes, not information. building a multimillion dollar ecosystem through my self-paced personalized Online 9-Levels Certificate Programs.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The real obstacle wasn’t just time, it was solving an “unsolvable” problem in music education.
The Oud is a fretless stringed instrument. Unlike a guitar with defined frets, the Oud requires precise finger positioning on a completely open fingerboard. For centuries, this has been taught only through direct apprenticeship, passed down by masters who could physically guide students’ hands. There was no standardized curriculum. No method. No way to teach it at scale—which is why the Oud remained confined to niche cultural circles.
My challenge: How do you identify and teach correct finger positioning on a fretless instrument through technology? How do you create the first-ever comprehensive curriculum for an instrument that has none? How do you make the “unteachable” teachable?
That’s where those 20-hour days came in. I spent thousands of hours analyzing finger mechanics, developing visual systems, creating layered instruction guides, and building a curriculum from nothing. I created 5,000 sheets of music across 7 instructional layers—each designed to guide students through precision they’d normally need years to develop.
The result? I proved that if you can teach the Oud—the most complex stringed instrument in the world—you can teach anything. Students are achieving in 3 months what normally takes 3 years. When I applied this methodology to guitar and piano, it reduced learning time by 78%.
This breakthrough matters beyond just the Oud. It’s revolutionary for the entire music education industry because it proves that even the “unteachable” instruments can be systematized, scaled, and mastered through the right methodology.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an Egyptian-American world-renowned oud virtuoso, entrepreneur, and innovator who is revolutionizing music education globally and pioneering the future of AI-driven edtech.
My Artistic Career:
Born in Assiut, Egypt, into a family of oud masters—my grandfather played until age 98—I trained at the prestigious Arabic Oud House in Cairo under maestro Naseer Shamma, graduating with high honors in 2010. Since then, I’ve performed on the world’s most prestigious stages: Kennedy Center, Alexandria Library, and major concert halls across the globe.
In 2015, the Washington Post called me “the greatest oud player in America” following my Kennedy Center performance. In 2017, The Economist named me one of the top five oud players of the 21st century. In 2022, Egyptian media titled me “King of the Egyptian Oud,” and Bloomberg News recognized my School of Oud Online as among the top 50 most successful businesses launched in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I’ve performed across six diverse musical genres—from traditional Arabic to jazz, rock, and classical. My arrangement of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” was described by The Society of Rock as “the best version ever played.” Most recently, I contributed oud and iOud to the official theme music for Mission Impossible (2023).
My Educational Innovation:
I founded School of Oud Online—the world’s first university-level institution dedicated entirely to the oud, offering a full academic program in Arabic and English to students from 40+ countries across five continents.
My greatest innovation: creating the first-ever 7-layered written curriculum for the oud (5,000+ sheets of music with complete notation and methodology). Historically, the oud was taught only by ear. I systematized it—breaking down what was considered “unteachable” into learnable, measurable skill-building.
What Sets Me Apart:
Revolutionary Methodology: My students achieve 98% skill mastery in 3 months with 1-2 hours/week practice
Innovation: Created iOud (patented digital oud) and the first-ever written oud notation system
Education Philosophy: I prove that real education builds skills, not information—students command premium pricing ($1,200 courses vs. $1 competitors)
Global Impact: Serving students from Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Korea, Mexico, and beyond
Business Success: Bloomberg recognized my school as a top 50 pandemic-era business
Proof of Concept: My first graduate, Ethan Wickman, now performs as a lead oud soloist across the United States
My Next Frontier: AI in Edtech
I am an innovative entrepreneur developing a groundbreaking AI-powered edtech platform that will transform how the world learns. This proprietary technology, currently in development, applies my proven Ramy Adly Edtech Teaching Method™ through artificial intelligence—creating personalized, adaptive learning experiences at scale.
This AI system will revolutionize music education, skill-building, and beyond—advancing educational technology for generations to come. I’m seeking strategic investors and partners who share this vision and want to build the future of intelligent, outcome-focused education.
My Mission:
I’m positioning the oud—and the methodology behind it—on the same global stage as the sitar (Ravi Shankar), the cello (Yo-Yo Ma), and the piano. I’m proving that Eastern instruments deserve the same respect, investment, and educational infrastructure as Western instruments. And I’m building the blueprint for transforming music education across all disciplines—powered by the next generation of AI technology.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
My favorite resources reflect my philosophy on entrepreneurship, branding, and the art of building iconic brands and businesses.
Business & Entrepreneurship:
I’m deeply influenced by The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump—his approach to branding, negotiation, and business strategy shaped how I think about building value. In fact, Trump personally sent me a handwritten birthday message with his signature for my 40th birthday from the White House, which I treasure as a reminder that vision and persistence matter.
I’m also inspired by Jordan Belfort’s mindset on sales, persuasion, and creating movements around products. The principles of high-impact marketing and premium positioning that he exemplifies directly influenced my pricing strategy—charging $1,200 for courses that competitors sell for $1.
Literature & Philosophy:
I’ve read extensively on business philosophy and strategy, drawing from Russian authors like Boris Boraviv, whose work on genius and innovation challenges conventional thinking. These resources inform how I approach problem-solving in education.
I also discuss these ideas regularly with my good friend Gary Crittenden, the renowned Utah-based economist and former CFO of American Express. Our conversations about finance, strategy, and building sustainable businesses have been invaluable in shaping my entrepreneurial approach.
Music & Culture:
My artistic inspiration comes from legendary Egyptian singer Fairous, whose artistry and cultural impact represent the best of Arab musical tradition. Of course, my own compositions and performances are my primary creative outlet.
Personal Wellness:
Despite working 20 hours a day, I find restoration in Chopin’s music—his compositions are my soundtrack during the few hours I sleep. There’s something about the technical complexity and emotional depth of Chopin that aligns with my philosophy: mastery requires both precision and soul.
T
hese influences—from Trump’s deal-making to conversations with industry leaders like Gary Crittenden, to Chopin’s composition to my own music—shape how I approach everything: build iconic brands, create real value, and never compromise on quality or vision.
Pricing:
- $750
- $1200
Contact Info:
- Website: https://schoolofoudonline.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/school.of.oud.online/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SchoolofOud
- Other: https://ramyadly.com/about-me/
