Mike's Oud Forums

how to make a bird's quill risha

billkilpatrick - 3-31-2006 at 08:33 AM

thanks to the excellent, well informed and extremely generous alex on the mandolin.cafe site, here's a photo illustrated, step by step method for making quill risha:

http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=6;t=1508...

these are short, split quill plectra - if anyone has photos illustrating how to make longer, whole quill risha, please let me know.

- bill

sydney - 3-31-2006 at 09:39 AM

Bill

Will this risha make my playing better or sound more profesional or make the life of my strings longer?


Thanks

billkilpatrick - 3-31-2006 at 09:56 AM

... yep' - and just think of all the birds you'll pull!

sydney - 3-31-2006 at 10:06 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by billkilpatrick
... yep' - and just think of all the birds you'll pull!



so this is your area of experience .. good to know Bill

billkilpatrick - 3-31-2006 at 10:17 AM

pure nostalgia, alas ... i plucked my last oiseau years ago.

Ronny Andersson - 3-31-2006 at 10:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by billkilpatrick
pure nostalgia, alas ... i plucked my last oiseau years ago.


Dear Billy, this method described on mandolin café, have nothing in common with the Iraqi way of making eagle risha. I don't even use the same part of the quill!

billkilpatrick - 3-31-2006 at 10:48 AM

great! plurality! ... just the sort of thing i'm looking for - do you have an illustrated method for making risha the iraqi way or know where i might find one?

regards - bill

Ronny Andersson - 3-31-2006 at 11:00 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by billkilpatrick
great! plurality! ... just the sort of thing i'm looking for - do you have an illustrated method for making risha the iraqi way or know where i might find one?

regards - bill


I can arrange it for you, I do not have any ¨raw¨ eagle quill myself now but can provide information from a friend which means photos and detailed info. I've posted some photos here on this forum of my eagle risha and is a very different kind of risha than the one showed on mandolin café or btw any of the quill plectra used for medieval lute.

billkilpatrick - 3-31-2006 at 12:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ronny Andersson
... btw any of the quill plectra used for medieval lute.


perfect. historically speaking, i expect the quill was a source of more than one design - i'd like to know all i can. thanks alot ronny.

- bill

excentrik - 4-2-2006 at 05:19 PM

hey, ronny-
my fiance has a million eagle feathers (she's native american (yaqui)) how do you make a traditional Iraqi risha? which part of the quill do you use? how stiff is the final product? just wonderin'.

tarik:shrug:

billkilpatrick - 4-2-2006 at 11:35 PM

tarik -

lucky you (on both counts). you both may not be aware of it but it's my understanding that in the united states it's against the law for anyone OTHER than a native american to sell eagles' feathers. sending them through the mail might involve you all sorts of wildlife protection ... i believe the word is ... "issues."

be real nice to that girl, excentric ...

ciao - bill

excentrik - 4-6-2006 at 09:23 PM

thanks bill,

trust me, I know, shes afraid to even travel to out of state powwows with her eagle feathers... crazy, I asked and I'm gonna use a wild goose feather that she has. I'll post when I start my little project.

one love guys,

Tarik

Marina - 4-7-2006 at 12:08 AM

What about a bird fly? :))

Ronny Andersson - 4-8-2006 at 02:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by excentrik
thanks bill,

trust me, I know, shes afraid to even travel to out of state powwows with her eagle feathers... crazy, I asked and I'm gonna use a wild goose feather that she has. I'll post when I start my little project.

one love guys,

Tarik


If you wish to make a risha or Iraqi style, than is only eagle quill suitable. Predator birds feathers are different and stronger than goose feathers.

excentrik - 4-10-2006 at 10:56 AM

Hawk feathers? Falcon? are all predator bird feathers around the same density and strength? thanks again-

Tarik

Ronny Andersson - 4-12-2006 at 03:55 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by excentrik
Hawk feathers? Falcon? are all predator bird feathers around the same density and strength? thanks again-

Tarik


Their feathers are to small and weak.

billkilpatrick - 4-12-2006 at 05:29 AM

i made a very thin risha from the horn you sent me - very similar in flexability to what i image a quill would be.

down strokes are ok - a little piano - but up-strokes are very unsatisfactory, hardly makes a sound. i don't know if it's my unfamiliarity with the up-stroke that causes this or the material itself.

- bill

Ronny Andersson - 4-12-2006 at 09:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by billkilpatrick
i made a very thin risha from the horn you sent me - very similar in flexability to what i image a quill would be.

down strokes are ok - a little piano - but up-strokes are very unsatisfactory, hardly makes a sound. i don't know if it's my unfamiliarity with the up-stroke that causes this or the material itself.

- bill


I've tried this to Bill and with good result but is impossible to get a horn risha ¨react¨ as a eagle quill risha of Iraqi style.
The rishas I made were very slim and thinn and produced very good sound on both down and uppstroke.