Didgeridoo, anyone?

[Mandoviol]

I've been toying with the idea of getting one and wondered if anybody here played one and had anything to say about it. I like the primal sound of them, and imagine the looks on the faces of the guys at the bluegrass jam if I wandered in with it! :))

Has anybody here attempted such mad-cappery?

[Rogapesh]

I've never played one myself, but I've heard one played. I love the sound of them. Apparently, the breathing pattern needed to play it takes some getting used to. You have to breath out of your mouth at the same time you inhale through your nose. I'll bet it's a lot of fun to play one.

Go for it!

[JEStanek]

Xavier Rudd (http://www.xavierrudd.com/) is perhaps one of the best one man bands with Didjs, stomp box, guitar, Weissborn guitar, etc. While I was in Australia I often heard the Didj was the most purchased, unplayed instrument in the world. Of course, I have one. Here's a clip from Jimmy Kimmel.


Jamie

[Mike Black]

I play one occasionally. We have several that play in our big Carp Camp (www.carpazon.com) jams at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield KS. Mostly on the D tunes. You got to be careful what key the Didg is in if you actually want to play with other people. For instance...my didgeridoo is in the key of Bb. That way I can play along with all of the jazz standards. :)

They are lots of fun and once you get the circular breathing down...you're good to go.

P.S. Practice tip for that...

Use a straw and a glass of water. Get a mouth full of air, pinch the straw and blow slowly. As you're blowing slow bubbles in the water...breathe through your nose.

Hope this helps.

[mandocrucian]

Build one yourself out of PVC. Make several pitched differently. Lots of instructions on the web; here are a few:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Didgeridoo-out-of-PVC-Pipe

http://www.didjshop.com/shop1/make_your_own_didgeridoo.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/Complete_guide_to_PVC_Didgeridoo_construction/

I would seriously think about having some sort of curved headjoint so that it can be positioned differently and not physically interfere with playing a mandolin (simultaneously). Make a simple one first, see if you can play it, and then experiment with a modified (for self accompaniment) one.

Niles H

In the early trio lineup of the Finnish folk band Gjallarhorn, there was a guy who simultaneously played didge and tabla. Sounded great! (He's on their first CD, Ranarop - Call of the Seawitch.)

[Rob Gerety]

I heard one played once - at a contra dance. It was very cool - but need to be careful not to overdo it.

[Tim2723]

I think they're cool. I never got the hang of circular breathing though. A cheap PVC one will get you started. Traditional ones from Australia can get really pricey. Traditional ones use beeswax for the mouthpiece, so don't leave it in the car.

[Charles E.]

Here is a video of the band I play in with guest Mike Stanwood on didgeridoo playing Wild Hog in the Woods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY_pwtnLDWA&feature=channel

[Jim]

There's a guy who plays shows and teaches guitar on the Colo front range named Kent Greentree who plays guitar & Didj at the same time. Has some good songs. Also incorporates "throat singing " and an occasional elk call into his music.

[John Flynn]

I "made" one out of a hard plastic hose extension from a shop vac, basically the same idea as making one out of PVC. It works pretty well. I plan to get a real didj at some point. Mike Black, thanks for the circular breathing tip. That's the best tip I've seen on that topic I have searched the web quite a bit on it.

[Jonathan Ward]

Some Swiss doctors claim to have cured sleep apnea by prescribing didgeridoo practice. Apparently the soft tissue in your airway gains tone from the vibrations, the airway doesn't collapse, and you no longer have sleep apnea. Seems like between learning circular breathing and toning your airway, you would probably become a better singer, too.

Here's the video that got me interested:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxDYY3xWnIg

Smaller diameter instruments seem easier to manage because you don't have to push as much air through them. The ratio of length to diameter also seems fairly critical; you can't just pick up a piece of PVC and make music. Or at least I can't. The first instrument I got is about 2-1/2" in diameter and about 5' long. I can get sounds out of it, but it requires an enormous amount of air. (This may have more to do with operator skill than instrument design.)

[jim_n_virginia]

I heard one played once - at a contra dance. It was very cool - but need to be careful not to overdo it.

Me too, I was playing a Contra dance and guy came in who was a friend of the leader (the fiddler of course! LOL) and he had one. It sounded cool but the guy was saavy enough not to overdo it.

Too much and it would irritate people I think and that would NOT be cool.

And as far as BG jams, the ones I go to the facilitators would just tell ya you can't play it is all, just like if you came in with a saxophone or an electrified instrument or something! LOL! :mandosmiley: