How to play a didgeridoo
This page is fairly long, but since it is mostly text, shouldn't take too
long to load. It has instructions on how to make an inexpensive didge, as well as some of
the basic techniques. The didge is a versatile instrument, so these are simply suggestions,
not guidelines. However, do remember that a didgeridoo is a rhythm instrument only. I have
yet to hear of anyone playing a melody on one. However, if I'm wrong, feel free to e-mail
me.
Aquiring a Didgeridoo
It occured to me that, in order to play a didgeridoo, you'd have to own one first.
This can be quite a drawback for those of us that are lacking the money to fly to Australia
and buy a real one. However, a fairly effective and extremely cheap (relative to buying a
real one) alternative is PVC pipe. This can be found at most local hardware or plumbing
supply stores, as well as all of the superstores - Hechingers, Home Depot, etc. I've found
that a 1-inch diameter piece about 4 feet long works relatively well. However, it's all a
matter of personal preference. The mouthpiece end should be given a liberal coating of
beeswax, thich enough to pad your lips and seal off the mouthpiece while still maintaining
a channel large enough to blow through. If you're like me, and tend to lack
time/enthusiasm/money for softening and applying the wax to PVC, a vigorous application
of sandpaper can make playing a lot more inviting. However, if you do own or plan to buy a
real wooden didge, it's time to break out the beeswax.
The Basic Drone
No, I'm not talking about a simplistic worker bee. This is the first step towards
playing a didgeridoo. Pretty much, you give the mouthpiece of the didge a rousing Bronx cheer,
also known as a rasberry. It's like making those truck noises you used to make as a kid.
Ok, you look and sound a bit goofy, but if you really want to look stylish, go learn the
french horn. You should get a stange, kinda buzzing noise. It is best to breathe in through
the nose, as it will get you used to it in time to use it for circular breathing. Practice
until you can get the drone with a minimun of lung power. One of the biggest mistakes made
by newbies is trying to blow too hard. Ok, it works, yes, but when you get to circular
breathing, the last part of the learning process, you'll learn to count every air molecule
sacred. I read somewhere that the amount of air you should be using is just enough to bend
a candle flame, not blow it out, at about 6 inches. To change the drone, try tightening or
loosening the lips, just a little, or changing the airflow by just a smidgen. Find a
position that's comfortable for you.
More Complex Rhythms
(aka, "Daddy, why is that (wo)man making funny noises?")
Congratulations. You can drone. Which gets real dull real quick. So, we'll move on
to some more complicated noises. This section could continue forever, as there are untold
hundreds of possible noises the didge can produce. One of the more common ones is trying
to say "didgeridoo" while droning, without using your jaw or lips. It's easier than it
may sound, and can be used quite effectively to answer the question "Why's it called a
didgeridoo?" (Which brings up the question of which came first, the name or the sound?)
The important part to remember here is that all sounds should come from the
diaphragm, lungs, throat, or tongue, NOT the jaw or lips. Variations might include talking
real low (you should feel it in the throat), or rolling your "r"s, if you can do that. Try
using your lungs to expell a brief, powerful breath - done properly, it's like percussion.
Try anything. Try barking like a little dog, using the nose and upper throat. Then try
again, using the torso to produce the sound, like a larger dog. Try howling at the moon. Try
being a whiny little 4-year old who wants ice cream. Use the sinus cavities. You are a part
of the insturment - try a little of everything.
Circular Breathing
Ah, yes. Now we come to the crux of the matter, the heart of the problem. You can
make all sorts of noises to scare your neighbors, pester you friends, and drive that mutt
down the street crazy. So now, it is just a matter of stringing them all together. One of
the characteristics of a good didgeridoo player is that the music never stops, no pauses,
no breaks, no gaps. So hows it done?
Well, you become a set of human bagpipes. The bag of a bagpipe holds a continuous
supply of air for the piper to use to play. So while the air is being forced out of the bag
to produce the music, the piper is also refilling the bag through the mouthpiece. In the case
of the didgeridoo, your cheeks are the bag. Finally, a pay-off for those people with big mouths.
The secret to circular breathing is to keep trying. Some people have gotten it almost
immediately, while others have learned it gradually over several weeks. Other people have tried
unsuccessfully for weeks, then suddenly had it click and work. To start, practice inhaling
alternating breaths through the nose and the mouth. Nose. Mouth. Nose. Mouth. Nose. Mouth. You
get the picture. Then, change to alternating exhaling breaths through the nose and mouth. This
way, your throat and nose muscles are used to the alternation as well as the on/off rhythm
needed for circular breathing. Ok, you finished? On to the next step.
Now, take a deep breath, and exhale through tight lips, ballooning out your cheeks.
You should get a small, steady stream of air, about enough to maintain a drone. Once you have a
steady airflow, do it again. Only this time, once you have the exhale started and your cheeks
puffed out, stop the airflow from your lungs, and just use your cheeks to keep up the airflow
for a couple of seconds. This may take some practice to get used to cutting off the lungs, but
is a very important step.
Ok, you're halfway there. Now, during those two or three seconds of exhale from the
cheeks, switch your lungs over to your nose, and inhale. Hard and sharp. Be aggressive - grab
as much air as possible in that breath. Use the air now in your lungs to re-inflate your
rapidly deflating cheeks, so that there is no interuption of airflow out. Keep doing this for as
long as you can, but don't go too hard - you don't want to deprive yourself of oxygen. Once you
can keep this up indefinately, you are circular breathing! Congratulations. Now, just add a
drone back into the mix, and you're a bona fide didgeridoo player.
Having difficulties with the circular breathing? Try practicing with a straw and a
glass of water. Try to maintain a constant stream of bubbles from the straw at each of the
steps. That way, you can tell where you are having your difficulty, and practice that
particular step. Good luck, and have fun!
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