Didgeridoo: Anyone here play one?

We got didge's for Christmas and are practicing the basics (drone/ buzz) but maybe could discuss 'how to' stuff with any one who plays the Australian Aborigine instrument?

Having a hard time with circular breathing... watching the You Tube 'how to' clips... and some artists play as well... I am sure it will take a while... It was a couple weeks before I could do the drone... Very interesting and fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g592I-p-dc&feature=player_embedded

 

I would pass out if I tried that!

 

I picked one up a few years ago but couldn't master the circular breathing. Ex smashed the didge in the midst of an argument. No worries. I know others who can actually play.

 

Cool.

 

The interesting part is that sound isn't produced by air volume but instead by vibrating your lips and thus the air in the didge (or a piece of PVC pipe). Here is a How To/ What Is clip (funny):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDvciW12Xaw&feature=player_embedded

 

My sister in law has one thats at our house. I just thought you hummed into it. I keep it next to the door for my wife to hit someone with thats not welcome.

 

I guess after looking at the above videos, you see it makes a lot of fun sounds and all from buzzing your lips in the pipe to start ('the drone')... and later add more sounds with the drone. I have pvc pipe too, and was pretty startled that they make the same sound as the wood didgeridoo! I have a 1", 1 1/2" and 2" piece of PVC each about 4-5 feet long. The 1" needs a 1" coupling on the end for a mouth piece. Bigger pipes and wood didges need a ring of bee's wax on the end for a mouth piece as well as to reduce the size of the opening so you can get a seal against your cheek/ lips.

The first couple weeks trying to get the drone, I was squeezing my lips too tight and creating a trumpet sound. What it took was relaxing the lips and using as LITTLE air as possible to get a vibration started and bingo, the deep didgeridoo tone was created... like a harmonic in the pipe/ didge. I found using my teeth to channal the air into my lips worked... They say lots of prcatice will make it easier to get the drone started easy and then maybe I can work on the circular breathing...?

 

I have a PVC pipe I would mess around with but never got the hang of the whole circle breathing. Try filling your cheeks up with air and slowly squeezing them together while breathing in through your nose.

 

I practice a little twice each day...

 

I play mine every other day.

Start practicing the circulatory breathing with a small coffee straw (much easier) then gradually use bigger things.

Impresses the girls

 

How long did you just practice doing the drone before mastering the circular breathing?

I can exhale with the air from the cheeks puffed while breathing in through the nose. But, that amount of exhaled air isn't enough to make my lips buzz in the didge (yet). So, I am wondering if it just takes some time before my lips are flexible from practicing so they will buzz sooner on the small pressure of air from my cheeks?

Thanks for your help!

 

Honestly it took me about 2 months. Having a bunch of chapstick on helps some

 

Thanks for that... It could be otherwise discouraging if one thought he could just pick it up right away... The You Tube videos don't say it takes weeks to just master the basic drone to circular breathe part. Maybe it depends on one's lip size, too? I hope you (and others) will continue to contribute information on techniques. It is an incredibly simple instrument, yet give off the most intersting variety of sounds!

 

Yea its pretty sweet once you get the hang of it. And yes I have a good sized set of lips (let the jokes roll in) which I'm positive makes a difference since my buddy has bird lips and he had a rough time getting started. When I play mine in the back yard my bro says you can hear it almost 2 block away. Neighbors get a kick out of it.

 

Hey put a liitle bowl down towards the bottom and suck it instead of blowing...

 

Are you working off of stereotype or actually recommending to do this

 

How about posting a YouTube of you playing???

 

For sure man, I had one on there but took it down because there was a bunch of anti pot assholes bashing it....I don't even smoke but it got annoying. Once I get another cam with video capabilities I will put another.

 

That would be great to see!

I don't smoke ... anything...

Why do people think all muscians smoke pot, or if you grew up in the 60's or 70's, or like to play weird instruments?

 

I do not play one but have seen Xavier Rudd in concert at a small venue a couple of times. He plays one pretty amazing to watch & hear.
Also have seen a couple of other local artists play. Good luck!