cjmichael
Oud Junkie
Posts: 117
Registered: 4-22-2007
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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Risha tapping, good or bad form?
Hello people,
I have heard many players do this (on purpose or not, I do not know) and was wondering what the general consensus was. I'm speaking about the tapping
of the risha against the soundboard when plucking a string downwards. When I hold the risha with just the length I like, this echoing tap happens
very often. What do you think, good or bad? I noticed some professional players do this quite extensively and some don't do it much at all.
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DaveH
Oud Junkie
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I do this all the time. It's always on purpose and it sounds great. 
Seriously though, I think it sounds terrible - especially on the top string where I do it most. I've managed to cut it down but not out by modifying
my action so the up and down risha movements are more parallel to the strings, less "in and out". But eventually I hope it will go altogether when I
can control the distance of my risha stroke better. I suppose you could use it to accent beats like a flamenco golpe, but I don't think many people
would advocate that and mostly when I hear it (which is mostly when I'm playing), it doesn't sound deliberate or controlled.
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MatthewW
Oud Junkie
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I'm not sure what the general consensus is in the wider oud world about risha tapping, but have also heard it done by many players, including some
pros as well. I don't know if it is intentional (a maifestation of 'overabundant tarab?' ), or bad form or somewhere in between.
I do it myself, though I try to avoid doing it; I feel that in general the playing sounds better without the risha tapping, though a little whack here
and there might be OK... perhaps it's an individual players preferance thing?
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zou
Oud Junkie
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"consensus is bad for music"
ziad
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cjmichael
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 4-22-2007
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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I think that a pro player could eliminate it from happening if he/she chooses. I've been listening to some Amer Ammouri, he seems to do it
extensively and it actually sounds pretty nice to my ears. Seems quite intentional.
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MatthewW
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 11-5-2006
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Off topic
Hey CJ, how's the cajun music down there? 
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eliot
Oud Junkie
Posts: 252
Registered: 1-5-2005
Location: The Gorges
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It makes for a great accent in the music... but typically no more than a couple times during an entire taksim. Otherwise it tends to appear that
there's not much pitched material in your solo and more of a flurry of noise bursts...
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cjmichael
Oud Junkie
Posts: 117
Registered: 4-22-2007
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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MatthewW, Cajun music down here is nice. I run into it a lot less than one would think.
eliot brings up a good point. I remember back to when I saw a trio play somewhere in Chicago. The bass player was doing something similar during his
solo, popping the strings against the fingerboard to make a loud tapping sound. The pops were so loud and happened so often, I don't remember
anything about his solo except the loud tapping.
But I must admit, on very high quality ouds that echo after the tap is really satisfying.
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