Didgeridoos
- BillChin
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Didgeridoos
Anyone play a didgeridoo?
I recently saw a trio of didge players, IndigoTriangle, and they were quite good. The didge seems more like a percussion instrument than useful for melody. Is my perception accurate? Anyone out there playing what might be considered melody on a didge?
I did a few searches and found this snippet:
"The lips, tongue, voice and breathing combine to create energetic rhythmic patterns. From invoking these rhythyms, drones and sounds, Aboriginal didgeridoo players are said to reach a trance-like state called 'Dreamtime'. As you may already know, the Aborigines were also telepathic, using their minds on a higher level to communicate with spirit beings. "
Sounds cool, as I often get to that "sweet spot in time," when playing whistles. As regular readers know, I mostly perform original tunes solo. Someone else suggested that I get a didge so that I can progress on stage from the high whistle to low, to the super long didge.
+ Bill
I recently saw a trio of didge players, IndigoTriangle, and they were quite good. The didge seems more like a percussion instrument than useful for melody. Is my perception accurate? Anyone out there playing what might be considered melody on a didge?
I did a few searches and found this snippet:
"The lips, tongue, voice and breathing combine to create energetic rhythmic patterns. From invoking these rhythyms, drones and sounds, Aboriginal didgeridoo players are said to reach a trance-like state called 'Dreamtime'. As you may already know, the Aborigines were also telepathic, using their minds on a higher level to communicate with spirit beings. "
Sounds cool, as I often get to that "sweet spot in time," when playing whistles. As regular readers know, I mostly perform original tunes solo. Someone else suggested that I get a didge so that I can progress on stage from the high whistle to low, to the super long didge.
+ Bill
- Wombat
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The didge is indeed a low-pitched instrument and it would be hard to play recognisable western melodies on—much harder than tuba for example. It has a quite distinctive sound; it isn't much 'like anything else that comes to mind. In a band setting it can, and has been, used as an undercurrent for layering sounds over. Standardly, didge players employ circular breathing.
It is commonly used in Australian rock bands with an Aboriginal feel and has even been used by the Finnish (but ethnically Swedish) band Gjallarhorn to rather good effect. They give some idea of what it might sound like grafted onto a celtic setting.
It is commonly used in Australian rock bands with an Aboriginal feel and has even been used by the Finnish (but ethnically Swedish) band Gjallarhorn to rather good effect. They give some idea of what it might sound like grafted onto a celtic setting.
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I agree with Wombat that it's not really a melody type instrument.
However, I met a guy who made a sliding didg out of two peices of PVC plastic. He was able to play the Hockey Night in Canada theme.
If you're thinking of getting a didg, try making one out of ABS or PVC pipe from a hardware store. I've found that a bamboo didges will crack, and some of the cheaper wooden ones aren't hollowed out enough and produce a very muffled sound. Plastic on the other hand, produces a fuller tone and seem more responsive. Of course the really nice eucaliptus didges do sound much better, but they're harder to find in North America and will cost an arm and part of a leg.
However, I met a guy who made a sliding didg out of two peices of PVC plastic. He was able to play the Hockey Night in Canada theme.
If you're thinking of getting a didg, try making one out of ABS or PVC pipe from a hardware store. I've found that a bamboo didges will crack, and some of the cheaper wooden ones aren't hollowed out enough and produce a very muffled sound. Plastic on the other hand, produces a fuller tone and seem more responsive. Of course the really nice eucaliptus didges do sound much better, but they're harder to find in North America and will cost an arm and part of a leg.
- brewerpaul
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Go to a sporting goods store or Wal-Mart and get one of those plastic tubes used to separate golf clubs in the bag. They have a slightly flared end and can be used as an instant dig' for about one dollar.
This is definitely more of a drone or rhythm instrument-- you can get some Bodhran-like tempos out of it.
This is definitely more of a drone or rhythm instrument-- you can get some Bodhran-like tempos out of it.
Didges make cool drones, which is probably why they have found their way to the fringes of ITM--our love of pipe drones.
I made two out of five-foot PVC and parafin (for the mouthpiece). One was (I think) four-inch pipe and the other 3 or 3.5. The smaller one sounds fuller--possibly one of those ratio thingies whistle makers know about.
Also, at five feet it comes out as a B-flat. A D should be just about 48 inches.
I made two out of five-foot PVC and parafin (for the mouthpiece). One was (I think) four-inch pipe and the other 3 or 3.5. The smaller one sounds fuller--possibly one of those ratio thingies whistle makers know about.
Also, at five feet it comes out as a B-flat. A D should be just about 48 inches.
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I use didge on stage sometimes -- I have a "real" one made of eucalyptus hollowed out by termites that's a bit over five feet long and I play it with all kinds of funky effects, including a wah pedal. I'm pretty crap on it, although I can do circular breathing and the "barking dog" type sounds. We just use it as a drone or a sound effect with a cool visual aspect.
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Greetings All,
You are correct....technically the didj is a "percussion" instrument.
The didj I use is called a "didjeribone" - sort of halfway to a didjeridoo and a trombone.
Basically it's one plastic pipe sliding into another......so that you can "set" the instrument to the "key" everyone is playing.
I often use it when playing in bands or recordings........rather than carry several at different keys, I just use the one
The link below shows the didjeribone
http://www.didjeribone.net/home.html
You are correct....technically the didj is a "percussion" instrument.
The didj I use is called a "didjeribone" - sort of halfway to a didjeridoo and a trombone.
Basically it's one plastic pipe sliding into another......so that you can "set" the instrument to the "key" everyone is playing.
I often use it when playing in bands or recordings........rather than carry several at different keys, I just use the one
The link below shows the didjeribone
http://www.didjeribone.net/home.html
- billw
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dijeridu musings
Last year at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival, one of my partners played a bamboo didj as backing for the pipe-and-drum group "Tartanic". Sounded amazingly in-place in that venue. I personally have six of 'em, one eucalyptus/termite from the Tandanya Museum in Adelaide, gifted to me by a true friend, the others are variously bamboo, two in PVC, ABS, and stainless steel (which sounds surprisingly much like the eucalyptus one). Tunings are all over the map, and I can usually find one that sounds good with whatever's going on.
Cheers,
Bill Whedon
Serpent Music
Cheers,
Bill Whedon
Serpent Music
Ye Olde Whistlesmith Saying:
A whistle without a fipple, is just a piece of leaky pipe!
Click the WWW and come have some fun with poems and music and now BOOKS! and check out the preeeety whistles and the T-shirts with attitude!
A whistle without a fipple, is just a piece of leaky pipe!
Click the WWW and come have some fun with poems and music and now BOOKS! and check out the preeeety whistles and the T-shirts with attitude!
- vomitbunny
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- SirNick
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- Tell us something.: I love Irish music! I am mostly a whistle player but would like to learn more about flutes. I also have a couple older whistles I'd like to sell and maybe pick up a bamboo flute to practice with.
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Thanks, Rayfloro.RayFloro wrote:Greetings All,
You are correct....technically the didj is a "percussion" instrument.
The didj I use is called a "didjeribone" - sort of halfway to a didjeridoo and a trombone.
Basically it's one plastic pipe sliding into another......so that you can "set" the instrument to the "key" everyone is playing.
I often use it when playing in bands or recordings........rather than carry several at different keys, I just use the one
The link below shows the didjeribone
http://www.didjeribone.net/home.html
That's very cool. I may have to see if Santa will bring me one. Never to early to start the X-mas list
"You have my undivided attention"
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Hey SirNick,
Definitely worth having around, that Didjeribone.........or alternatively as a "party trick"; I usually play the vacuum cleaner - take off the hose part, but keep the carpet cleaning attachment on.......for some reason it makes a better sound!?!
You can even play a the cardboard "roll" that Christmas gift wraps are rolled in........sort of like a giant toilet roll
Tuning traditional hollow wood didjes are via.........a wood saw
Albeit a bit permanent...........
R
Definitely worth having around, that Didjeribone.........or alternatively as a "party trick"; I usually play the vacuum cleaner - take off the hose part, but keep the carpet cleaning attachment on.......for some reason it makes a better sound!?!
You can even play a the cardboard "roll" that Christmas gift wraps are rolled in........sort of like a giant toilet roll
Tuning traditional hollow wood didjes are via.........a wood saw
Albeit a bit permanent...........
R