Didgeridoo – Help!

Mucha na Dziko · 08-29-2021, 05:36 AM

Hey guys!

Any didgeridoo players out here?

I've just bought (like two hours ago) a Didgeridoo on an antiques market.

So far I understand the basic lips and breathing technique, though I'm not quite able to make the clean drone sound yet.
Do you have some tips on how to get better at it (fast)? I have some friends coming over in two or three days, and I really wanted to try to jam with the didgeridoo.

Also maybe someone could tell me whether it's broke or not. I have no knowledge of the instrument, so I can't tell if I'm not just wasting my time trying to play this one.

**Frownland** · 08-29-2021, 05:48 AM

Looks good to me. If you slap the end of it with your palm and it makes a good sounding tonal "thump" then it has a good enough seal.

If you know the basic embouchure then it just takes practice from there. Each didgeridoo has ideal notes, so try loosening or tightening your lip technique to find the sweet spots of your particular instrument. The "thump" note is a good indicator of its "home note" (a term I just made up) and it follows a pretty standard overtone series from there.

By breathing technique do you mean circular breathing? I've never been able to get a hang of it, but it's a great leg up if you're good at it.

For a starter jam, I'd go for playing the didgeridoo holding it in one hand and having a percussion instrument/drumstick in the other.

bob_32_116 · 08-29-2021, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

For a starter jam, I'd go for playing the didgeridoo holding it in one hand and having a percussion instrument/drumstick in the other.

That probably technically qualifies as "playing the didgeridoo", but I don't think that's what the maker of the instrument intended.

Neapolitan · 08-29-2021, 01:24 PM

I hope this helps you on your journey of being a didgeridooist or a didgeridooer:
Playing a Didgeridoo (David Hudson)

Mucha na Dziko · 08-29-2021, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neapolitan

yeah, I've watched today about 20 videos of didgeridoo for beginners, among them this one.
I was honestly quite amazed at different the teachers approach and technique was. Like what were they stressing, what weren't they telling, etc

**Frownland** · 08-29-2021, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob_32_116

That probably technically qualifies as "playing the didgeridoo", but I don't think that's what the maker of the instrument intended.

Lol I meant blowing into it while drumming with your free hand but didgeridoo drumsticks might work too

Mucha na Dziko · 08-29-2021, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Each didgeridoo has ideal notes, so try loosening or tightening your lip technique to find the sweet spots of your particular instrument.
The "thump" note is a good indicator of its "home note" (a term I just made up) and it follows a pretty standard overtone series from there.

Thanks! That helps a lot

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

By breathing technique do you mean circular breathing?

Yeah, I'm almost getting it spot on, except it's no use if you can't actually make a clear tone out of the instrument

You're playing didgeridoo for a long time?

**Frownland** · 08-29-2021, 08:18 PM

I've been ****in around on em for about ten years but never got anywhere near proficient with them. I've never been able to get a hang of circular breathing while maintaining embouchure. Still fun as hell, actually made a few from bamboo and beeswax at one point but they didn't play very well.

jadis · 08-29-2021, 08:24 PM

I remember how I found out about didgeridoo in the early days of YT and it blew my mind. I sent excited emails to a few friends and they were like "yeah duh no **** you're only now discovering it's a thing lol"

Mucha na Dziko · 08-30-2021, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob_32_116

That probably technically qualifies as "playing the didgeridoo", but I don't think that's what the maker of the instrument intended.

You know, when you try to drum on the didgeridoo it actually makes pretty nice sounds

So why not

08-29-2021, 05:48 AM	#2 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Looks good to me. If you slap the end of it with your palm and it makes a good sounding tonal "thump" then it has a good enough seal. If you know the basic embouchure then it just takes practice from there. Each didgeridoo has ideal notes, so try loosening or tightening your lip technique to find the sweet spots of your particular instrument. The "thump" note is a good indicator of its "home note" (a term I just made up) and it follows a pretty standard overtone series from there. By breathing technique do you mean circular breathing? I've never been able to get a hang of it, but it's a great leg up if you're good at it. For a starter jam, I'd go for playing the didgeridoo holding it in one hand and having a percussion instrument/drumstick in the other. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

08-29-2021, 08:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	I've been ***in around on em for about ten years but never got anywhere near proficient with them. I've never been able to get a hang of circular breathing while maintaining embouchure. Still fun as hell, actually made a few from bamboo and beeswax at one point but they didn't play very well. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.* d e a f b o x

08-29-2021, 08:24 PM	#9 (permalink)
jadis Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: dont ask Posts: 1,359	I remember how I found out about didgeridoo in the early days of YT and it blew my mind. I sent excited emails to a few friends and they were like "yeah duh no **** you're only now discovering it's a thing lol"