Didgeridoos - The Dreamtime Musical Instrument
The didgeridoo is possibly the oldest instrument in the world with many experts believing it to have been played for at least the last 40,000 years. Cave drawings dating back at least 2,000 years show the didgeridoo being played and it is known that the Aborigines across the top of Australia have been using this instrument at ceremonies and corroborees for thousands of years. They believe that playing it helps induce an alpha state that keeps them in touch with their shamanistic beliefs.
The traditional Aborigine didgeridoo is made from eucalyptus branches that have been hollowed out by termites. This process can take up to a year and a skilled person can tell if the thickness is correct just by tapping on the log with their fingertips. The walls need to be a certain thickness to create the right sound and the length of the log determines what key the instrument will be, with shorter lengths giving higher pitches.
In the Aboriginal legend three men were outside camping by a low fire when the night grew cold. Needing more wood for the fire one of the men grabbed a eucalyptus log which he found very light to the touch. Just before throwing it into the fire he noticed that it was covered in termites. He did not want to kill the termites but his friends were complaining of the cold so he scooped them up and placed them inside the hollow log. He then put his lips to one end and blew them out. The termites blown into the night sky became the stars and the first didgeridoo was created.
Today termites are not a necessity and a number of other materials have been found to make excellent didgeridoos. Mature Bamboo remains extremely popular, Teak works a treat with excellent sound quality and even PVC didgeridoos have became the favored choice by many over the last few years.
Playing a didgeridoo is different to other wind instruments. You breathe down the tube while your lips remain loose making a vibration that will echo as it travels down the tube. At the other end, it comes out as an amplified drone. It is somewhat similar to playing a tuba, but the lips are more relaxed. If you are unsure how to create loose lips, think of what it is like to blow a "raspberry". Once you have mastered the drone, you can practice making other sounds by moving your tongue or cheeks while blowing into the instrument.
Although not necessary, to play the didgeridoo like a real pro you have to learn circular breathing, and this takes practice. You have to inhale air through the nose while simultaneously releasing it from the mouth. Without this skill a player will not be able to produce the favored non-stop sound.
If, however, you do put in the effort to learn the didgeridoo then it appears that there may be some unexpected benefits. An interesting study in Switzerland is looking at how playing the didgeridoo can help stop snoring and sleep apnea. The study following people who are learning to play has found that those mastering the art are, after a few months, experiencing fewer incidences of these conditions. It is thought that the breathing required to play the didgeridoo is actually training the upper airways to function better.
Baz Waters runs EthnicPercussion.co.uk, an online store providing high quality didgeridoo, djembe, bougarabou and dundun drums in the UK.
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Greg Hastings – About The Didgeridoo - Made Easy For You
