What is the didgeridoo
For Australian Aboriginals and academia, the didgeridoo is an aerophonic or wind musical instrument belonging to the trumpet family. The sound is achieved by blowing through one of its ends, which serves as a mouthpiece. In this way, the air is displaced inside it and when it leaves it's converted into a distinguishable musical sound.
Origin of the didgeridoo
The didgeridoo was created by the ancestral tribes of Australia. it's considered to be about 2,000 years old, although Australian Aboriginal tribes claim it goes back some 40,000 years in the past. Traditionally, it's built using a type of eucalyptus that is hollow inside due to the natural action of termites that feed on it.
However, the natives of Arnhem Land do not refer to it as didgeridoo. This is an onomatopoeic name with which the British baptized these instruments of Oceania, but the Australian tribes know it as yidaki. Likewise, the terms “diyeridú” and “didyeridú” represent the Castilianization of the Anglo-Saxon term. it's also known by the beautiful term “rainbow snake”.
Composition of the didgeridoo
This aerophone from Australia has a basic construction. This is because, to build it, the aboriginals use pieces of trees that termites gnaw naturally. However, some manufacturers now use other techniques that do not rely on these small insects, such as the use of a lathe.
How to make a handmade didgeridoo
If you want to make an instrument like this, this is the process:
- Look for a developed bamboo branch.
- Check that everything inside is hollow. Although bamboo naturally has hollow parts, it has knots that have a closed diaphragm inside. This closed part is devoured by termites, and that is how it becomes totally hollow.
- Once you have verified that this natural bamboo branch is the habitat of these macroinvertebrates, proceed to cut it to the size you want.
- You can fumigate it to rid it of the insects, as Thomann does. But you can also leave the terminations, in the Australian native way.
- If you wish, you can apply a varnish or an artistic finish.
How to play the didgeridoo
To reach a good level in didgeridoo, the most important thing is to develop good breathing. That is why we will give you several tips to learn a breathing technique created by the Australian Aboriginals, so that you can play this instrument.
Circular breathing
This is a technique created by the aboriginals who played wind instruments. Its usefulness lies in the fact that it doesn't appear to interrupt the air column. However, it was perfected by professional musicians from academia over the years. It consists of two parts:
- Storing air in the mouth.
- Exhale as long as the inhalation through the nose is not interrupted.
To achieve this, it's necessary to follow these steps:
- We inhale and store air in our lungs.
- We exhale until we expel a part of this air deposited in the lungs.
- With the small portion of air that has remained in our lungs, we resist while inhaling to create a reservoir of air in the mouth and expel it.
- While the air is still circulating inside the aerophone, we very briefly cut our exhalation to start from step one.
In Australia, the aboriginals who developed this technique perfected it to give the impression that the air circulates for an unlimited period of time. In reality, however, this is impossible. This breath is only used for relatively long tempos. While there is still air circulating in the didgeridoo, the musician takes another breath of air to continue.
The secret lies in:
- Practicing diaphragmatic intercostal breathing for a long time, and long enough to inhale faster and exhale longer than usual.
- Practicing the creation of the air reservoir in the mouth, so that the sound emission lasts a little longer.
- Making it possible for the new inhalation to be so fast that we can perform it before the circulating air inside the instrument is finished.
The best interpreters of the didgeridoo
Despite the popularity of this instrument, not many important musicians play it or include it in their set. But here are the most notable names in the industry:
- Pedro Eustache: is currently the greatest multi-instrumentalist musician in the world. He has the ability not only to play various instruments, but to create them from objects as ordinary as a pen. He includes the yidaki in Yanni's Tribute album, specifically the song “Rainmaker”.
- Ondřej Smeykal: is a Czech musician who has devoted much of his career to creating spiritual music.
- Dubravko Lapaine: of Croatian nationality, he is a specialist in wind instruments. Among them the yidaki, to which he devotes all his time.
- Ahs Dargan: he is the most prolific and leading interpreter of the didgeridoo. He is from Australia, and has created almost thirty albums where he combined yidaki with genres such as jazz, flamenco, blues and fusion.
- Xavier Rudd: he is from Australia and is known as the Chris Hemsworth of the didgeridoo, in addition to being a great surfer. All of his compositions revolve around the guitar and the didgeridoo instrument.
- Mitchell Cullen: he is a musical prodigy who specializes in composition by combining multiple genres and aerophones such as the yidaki.
- Zalem Delarbre: this Frenchman has used didgeridoo to promote the New Age style almost all over the world.
The best brands of Yidaki
- Thomann: many of its didgeridoo are handcrafted. That is, they allow them to be eaten by termites so that they naturally create the hole inside the bamboo.
- Meinl: this manufacturer has sought to create instruments with different materials, such as ABS and fiberglass. This aboriginal instrument is no exception, and has had great success despite not being traditionally treated with termites.
The best Thomann didgeridoos:
Meinl's best didgeridoos:
The best Thomann didgeridoos
Bambus Beflam
Good acoustics and aesthetic finish.
it's not tuned.
Technical Characteristics:
- Materials: bamboo.
- Size: 120 cm.
- Sound: 7 out of 10.
Material and design:
It's made of natural bamboo, built in the Aboriginal Australian way, except that termites have been eliminated. This is one of the most commonly used botanicals because almost all have a naturally hollow interior. In addition, because the weave of this timber is linear and very compact, the impact resistance is relatively high.
Aesthetically, its shape was not modified even on the inside but had already been corroded by termites. The only treatment it had was to prevent these insects from continuing to devour, and the exterior design was made using the traditional aboriginal technique: pyrography. It has a length of 120 cm, but it can vary because when the bamboo dries, it compresses and reduces in size.
Sound:
The sound of this didgeridoo has a powerful volume, considering that it's made of bamboo. It's, however, poorly resonant and unstable in vibrations. The response towards low frequencies is excellent, but no musical notes are sustained. This is the only drawback we found because it has no settings for accurate tuning when left in its natural state. This is why it's so inexpensive.
Conclusion
This is an excellent option for those who want a natural and handcrafted instrument. The finish of its design is perfect and evokes the treatment of the first cultures. At the same time, sound has no additives; it's just nature expressing itself. Find the best price at Thomann.
Thomann Teak130cm Bemalt
Good sound and stability.
it's not tuned.
Technical Characteristics:
- Materials: teak.
- Measurement: 130 cm.
- Sound: 7 out of 10.
Material and design:
It's made of teak wood (Tectona grandis), an excellent choice for durability. Users have reported that they are satisfied because it's pretty robust. It also has excellent elasticity, offering greater stability than bamboo.
This didgeridoo was treated, the lathed finish was excellent, and no termites were used. It has been well cared for and dried, although some humidity is noticeable. However, this doesn't detract from the quality of the botanical. Its length is about 130 cm and will not change, as teak doesn't shrink with drying.
Sound:
Its sound is relatively stable, like the traditional aboriginal sound, unlike those made of bamboo. It also has better response and loudness in the mid-frequencies. However, low notes are not its forte, and this is something that meditation practitioners should consider. It's believed that low frequencies are better for mantra chanting as they harmonize the spirit.
Another aspect we like is the harmonics because the teak makes them much more audible. However, it doesn't reach the quality of the sounds produced by eucalyptus, for example.
Conclusion
It would suit musicians who want to complement their percussion set. It's an instrument that comes close to the Australian Aboriginals' natural sound, giving it variety and a lovely, authentic touch. Its value for money is phenomenal; undoubtedly, it's an instrument that should be part of every set. If you are a percussionist, we recommend you get this didgeridoo. Find the best Thomann price on this link.
You also have another great option in the Thomann Teak130-150cm Natur, which has a more natural sound and better low-frequency response.
Thomann Eucalyptus 130-140
The sound is excellent.
The resistance of this wood is not the best.
Technical Characteristics:
- Materials: eucalyptus .
- Size: 130 cm to 140 cm.
- Sound: 9 out of 10.
Material and Design:
This yidaki has been crafted from eucalyptus. This is the traditional botanical used by the Aboriginals of Australia for its manufacture. It offers the necessary elasticity to obtain the ideal acoustic response for meditation, although it doesn't perform as well in terms of resistance.
The makers have shaped it artisanally and entirely by hand, like the Australian Aboriginal instrument, but without termites. This makes the botanist's treatment produce a better response to acoustic waves. In addition, it has a wooden mouthpiece that has been inlaid and provides excellent stability to vibrations. Its length may vary depending on the artisan and the drying process.
Sound:
The eucalyptus didgeridoo produces the best sound, and that is why it's the most sought after and popular on the market. The lower frequencies are richer in harmonics, and the volume has greater power. Also, resonance creates more meaningful vibrations that are essential for meditation.
Conclusion
This is probably the best Thomann didgeridoo because it combines a traditional design with eucalyptus wood. In addition, it achieves the sound with the best response towards low frequencies. For this reason, we recommend it mainly for meditation practitioners. Interested? Find the best price at Thomann.
Thomann Pocketdidge Cis didgeridoo
Compact and sounds great.
None.
Technical Characteristics:
- Materials: cedar.
- Size: 25 cm.
- Sound: 9 out of 10.
Material and design:
This didgeridoo is made from cedar botanicals without the intervention of termites. Due to its medium density, it offers excellent elasticity and durability. But what is most surprising is its compact design of 25 cm in length, which doesn't affect the sound response that the didgeridoo should have. Internally, it has a zigzag shape that reaches a length of 70 cm.
Sound:
It has a tuning set in C#, one of its best features. Due to its small size, many may think it doesn't have a good sound performance, but nothing could be further from the truth. Its low-frequency response may not be quite what you are looking for, but it achieves good depth. However, its remarkable capacity is in the mid sounds.
Conclusion
It's the ideal didgeridoo for the itinerant traveler searching for new places to meditate. It's also an indispensable aerophone in every musician's kit because it has a compact design, and its sound doesn't disappoint. Interested? Check it out at the best price at Thomann.
The best Meinl didgeridoos
Meinl didjeridu DDG-BOX Travel
It has the best low-frequency performance.
None.
Technical Characteristics:
- Materials: mahogany.
- Size: 22 cm.
- Sound: 10 out of 10.
Material and design:
We love this didgeridoo because it's made of mahogany without termite intervention. It's not the traditional eucalyptus wood, but it does have a much greater durability, and the elasticity is undoubtedly excellent. It's smaller than the Thomann Pocketdidge Cis, at only 22 cm long. In addition, the zigzag design inside emulates a length of 80 cm.
Sound:
The mahogany wood produces a much better low frequency response than the Thomann Pocketdidge Cis didgeridoo. It presents better harmonics and greater stability to achieve sounds with great vibrato. In addition, the experienced musician can tune some musical notes, which is a great benefit for professional musicians.
Conclusion
This didgeridoo has what every traveler, yoga practitioner, or new age lover needs. it's also ideal for professional musicians looking for a solid sound to complement their traditional aerophone set. Find the best price at Thomann.
Meinl didgeridoo TSDDG1-BK Trombone
it's tuned, and allows for a scale to be made.
it's not easy to find the right tuning.
Technical Characteristics:
- Materials: fiberglass.
- Size: 81 cm – 157 cm.
- Sound: 10 out of 10.
Material and design:
This unconventional didgeridoo is made of fiberglass, one of the best materials at the moment to replace wood. This material doesn't comply with traditional aboriginal construction but is much more resonant and durable than any wood used for wind instruments. In addition, natural agents such as termites are not involved in its design.
The Meinl didgeridoo features an extendable arm that allows you to extend its length from 81 cm to 157 cm. This is vital in order to be able to play a five-note scale within the natural scale. The only drawback is that playing the whole scale with its respective sharps is somewhat difficult. This may be due to the sliding part not moving well, not having the right length, or simply to the lack of experience of the interpreter.
Sound:
Thanks to its extensible scale, the sounds are warm, rich in nuances, and differentiated in harmonics. This encompasses an augmented fifth in the C major scale along with all the sharps, but in descending order: G#, G, F#, F, E, D, D, C#, C#, C. Some users indeed report how difficult it is to interpret the scale. But, in our experience, the problem is mainly due to a technical rather than a product deficiency.
Conclusion
We think it's the best didgeridoo for professionals on the market. It has everything musicians need to explore their creativity: 1. Maximum durability, 2. A sound with excellent nuances, and 3. A musical scale. You don't need anything more than to develop a solid technique. Intrigued? Find the best price at Thomann.
Now, if you want something more traditional, Meinl has the SDDG1-SI, which is bamboo and doesn't have an extensive scale. You may also be interested in the Meinl SDDG1-BK, made of plastic with an excellent finish.
Finally, remember that on culturasonora, you can find other reviews and comparisons on all kinds of instruments, such as the harmonica, flamenco cajon, bassoon, banjos, trumpets, accordions, and many more.
Technical characteristics Didgeridoo
MODELS | Materials | Size | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomann Bambus Beflam | bamboo | 120 cm | 7 out of 10 |
| Thomann Teak130cm Bemalt | teak | 130 cm | 7 of 10 |
| Thomann Eucalyptus 130-140 | eucalyptus | 130 cm to 140 cm | 9 out of 10 |
| Thomann Pocketdidge Cis didgeridoo | cedar | 25 cm | 9 out of 10 |
| Meinl didgeridoo DDG-BOX Travel | mahogany | 22 cm | 10 out of 10 |
| Meinl TSDDG1-BK Trombone | fiberglass | 81 cm - 157 cm | 10 out of 10 |