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About the Didgeridoo The didgeridoo is a primitive wind instrument that has been played by Aboriginal Australian peoples since prehistoric times. It consists of a eucalyptus tree branch (or trunk) which has been naturally hollowed out by termites, which nest at the base of the tree and gradually eat through its core. A branch is cut, the bore is cleaned and a beeswax mouthpiece is added. The instrument may also be painted with natural ochres. The didgeridoo is played by buzzing the lips on the mouthpiece, and using a technique known as circular breathing to maintain a continuous drone. This technique takes some time to master, and involves expelling air from the cheeks while breathing in through the nose, in order to keep a continuous flow of air through the instrument. The drone sound can be varied by vocalising, ephasizing particular harmonics, and by adding animal calls. By overblowing, overtones can also be played which are often used as a short 'toot' to punctuate a rhythm. After years of being treated as a novelty, the didgeridoo is finally being used as a serious musical instrument. Indeed, mainstream pop bands such as Jamiroquai, Peter Gabriel and the Levellers use it as a key element in their music. Its sound blends well with modern dance and ambient music, and provides an interesting 'organic' counterpoint to the sounds of synthesizers and sequencers. Buying a Didgeridoo A good didgeridoo will have a length of about one metre, with a mouthpiece 3-5 cm in diameter that flares to a bell of 20 cm diameter or so. Of course, this is a generalisation; some instruments are narrower or wider, and some don't flare to a bell at all, but still sound good. Let your ears be the judge. We recommend purchasing an instrument made by an Aboriginal maker from a branch that has been naturally hollowed by termites. However, there is a wide choice these days; good instruments are also made by splitting and boring tree branches, from agave cactus and from synthetic materials such as ABS and PVC. The latter don't sound good in our opinion, but we have played some excellent agave didgeridoos which tend to be very light and very resonant. See the links page for details of didgeridoo vendors. Potential purchasers should be aware that, as with other Aboriginal artefacts (such as dot paintings), the didgeridoo has been appropriated for Western commericial gain. Many of the "authentic" didgeridoos sold in Australia are not made by Aboriginal people - they are mass produced for the tourist market by white folk. Similarly, many Western vendors (particularly in the USA) buy instruments from Aboriginal makers for a pittance, and then sell them to collectors at vastly inflated prices. Buy with care! |
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Didgeridoos Used by Beeswax Kiss The following didgeridoos were used on the recording Beeswax Kiss : Volume One. Here is some informatiomn about each one, including a list of the album tracks that feature each instrument. Click here for more information about the album. Gondwana. Made in the UK from mountain ash, by splitting a branch, carving out the inside and gluing the two pieces back together. Painted to match a didgeridoo seen on a Gondwanaland album cover, hence the name. Used on the tracks Thud and Rainmaker.
Kuranda. Purchased from a tiny shop in Kuranda, near Cairns, Australia. The instrument was made in Arnhem Land. Apparently only three instruments were ever painted in this style, which is a beautiful dot painting design. One of our favourite instruments, used on the tracks Tusker, Thonk, Hynotica, Sandstorm, Resonator and Helium.
Yingarna. Make in Arnhem Land, Australia. A loud instrument with a flaring bell and excellent resonance, made from bloodwood. Painted with an image of the Aboriginal mythological character Yingarna, the rainbow serpent. Used on the tracks Nerd Attack and Dervish.
Lobster. Another Arnhem Land instrument, with a fairly high pitch (D). Painted in natural ochres with a crayfish design. Used on the track Robot Monkey. Not one of our favourite instruments, but good for certain styles of playing.
Cotswold. Purchased from a little shop in the Cotswolds, UK, this is another Australian-made instrument. Very heavy, with an excellent tone and toots well. Used on the track Dark Arches. The wood is beautiful, but was badly varnished so we stripped and re-painted it.
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