Zulu
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 6-21-2004
Location: Austin, Texas
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Choosing a good risha
I assume that choosing the proper risha is important.
I've seen rishas ranging from bone, feathers, plastic, shell and other materials. Are some materials superior?
Is there any considerations I need to be aware of in choosing rishas or is this a trial and error situation where I should buy different types and see
what feels good?
I've also heard that a risha should be sanded so the edges are smooth; is this correct?
Thanks!
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
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No, a risha is SHAPED by the user. What you buy are generally considered raw material, or "blanks". The timbre of each material is different, and the
shape and thickness need to be formed to be comfortable and allow a fast tremolo and good picking, and each player may be best served by a different
shape.
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=10039&p...
There are people who like soft materials like nylon and polyethylene, but I by far prefer 0.030" acetal (= Delrin) (the black plastic blanks that
Mid-East Manufacturing distributes, and everybody re-sells) and the cow horn blanks also distributed by Mid-East. Horn has a different feels and
sound, "optimal" depends on the oud and the player. Look on e-bay or one of the on-line stores.
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Zulu
Oud Junkie
Posts: 149
Registered: 6-21-2004
Location: Austin, Texas
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Fernand,
Thanks for the explanation and picture.
I purchased these and now know how to proceed.
http://cgi.ebay.com/10-Black-Mizrab-Risha-Pick-Plectrum-Oud-Ud-Bagl...
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
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What you ordered is soft poly, I think. I personally don't care for
them, though they work pretty well on a Baglama/Saz. For oud, you might
also get these, these are the two best materials in my humble opinion
http://cgi.ebay.com/OUD-PICK-Replacement-PLASTIC-PICKS-10-PACK-NEW-...
http://cgi.ebay.com/OUD-PICK-Replacement-COW-HORN-PICKS-6-PACK-NEW-...
With these 3 materials, it's a start 
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Franck
Oud Junkie
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Hi, I agree with Fernand, I tried talonite, mizrite and other materials (like tie wraps...) and the best I found was Delrin plastic. I bought a sheet
(4' by 6' by 1/4'') and make them from scratch. It cost me 20$ and I have more than 500 mizraps!
You can find delrin where they sell plastic (you can check for scrap sheets that they throw away).
Good luck.
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Zulu
Oud Junkie
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Damn...I should have consulted the oracle before purchasing!
Oh well...at least they were only 5 bucks.
I'll buy a pack each of the suggested rishas.
Thanks!
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
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No harm in having a library of materials, sometimes you FEEL like playing with a soft risha, or a very different shape, and shaping and thinning
rishas, e.g. with nail sanding boards, is very therapeutic. Like whittling, but with a purpose.
I got a huge lot of blanks on eBay once, ALL sorts, and it's a never ending source of kicks. I like the arch shape the best, with the edges beveled
like a knife, as sharp as possible. This sort of "scrapes" and gives a thick sound. Delrin gives a very precise attack, while cow horn gives the
loudest and most "organic" sound, without as much click.
A very useful tip from a Turkish master: make the very tip thicker than the centimeter before. That makes the risha flex not at the tip, but further
up, greatly reducing the snap-click.
With the arch shape the beveled sharp side engages the string between A and B, then the risha glides along path A-B while scraping to finally pluck
close to point B. That gives me the best timbre, the cleanest attack and the best tremolo.
Take a look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v36fv7RorHI
And finally, for the not-faint-of-heart, if you put violin rosin on the edges, you get an interesting sound. It's not true that it's "like fingernails
on a blackboard", but it's certainly different.
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charlie oud
Oud Junkie
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http://www.khalafoud.com/picks.htm
Hello 
I use 'Pyramid picks' (see the above) from Jameel. They work very well and you can get different thickness's. The lighter ones are my favourite.
Best Wishes, Charlie
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Luttgutt
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Quote: Originally posted by Zulu  | Damn...I should have consulted the oracle before purchasing!
Oh well...at least they were only 5 bucks.
I'll buy a pack each of the suggested rishas.
Thanks! |
zulu, don't regret it..
1- It is best to try the different kind of picks yourself!
people can only give their OWN opinien. But in the end it is you who decide what YOU like!
2- I actually have the same picks that you ordered. And I think they are the BEST of all the picks that I have "bought" (I now have at least 100
picks, and have tried many more in my life!).
I have to add that my favorites are hand made by a turkish guy (but of almost the same plastic as you bought!).
P.s. Fernand, I would love to hear you play trimolo with the picks you have in the picture
P.s. those picks are NOT ready to play, even though they look like they are!!
Good luck
The wood might be dead, but the oud is alive.
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charlie oud
Oud Junkie
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Mood: chords prefer frets
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Hey Lut, A 100 picks !!!  Rock on dude!! and open a pick shop!!! 
Best Wishes, Charlie
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1865
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Location: San Francisco, California
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Luttgutt, play tremolo with WHICH ones?
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