As one of the most fascinating instruments out there, the didgeridoo can quickly grab the attention of an entire room. It looks pretty much like a big, long wooden pipe, and it’s played by vibrating your lips against it to make a droning sound.
The thing with this unique musical instrument is that its history, use, and techniques are pretty unusual. This is why we created this list of fun and interesting facts about the didgeridoo. Read on to learn more!
1. The Didgeridoo Originated In Northern Australia
The first thing to know about the didgeridoo is that it was first played by the aboriginal peoples of northern Australia. What’s even more intriguing is that this instrument dates back 40,000 years ago. Mind-blowing, right?
Back then, the people stumbled upon large eucalyptus branches that had fallen and been naturally hollowed out by termites. As you can see, that was how the initial idea of the didgeridoo came to the surface.
2. The Mayans Were Familiar With A Similar Instrument
It seems like the didgeridoo wasn’t only popular in Australia. The Mayan people, who resided in Central America, had their fair share of didgeridoo-like instruments too!
However, the Mayans made their musical instrument out of agave or yucca. Today, people refer to this age-old instrument as la trompeta Maya, which translates to “the Mayan trumpet.”
3. Musicians Can Use The Didgeridoo As A Pitched Or Percussion Instrument
One of the coolest things about the didge is that it is versatile, and depending on the way you use it, you can shift between a pitched instrument or a percussion instrument.
Each didgeridoo comes with a distinctive basic tone. By altering the movement of your lips and the pattern of their vibrations, you’ll be able to produce a series of overtones branching off the main tone.
If you wish to go for the didge to make a rhythm, you’ll have to try the same techniques a beatboxer would use to build up the beat. This way, the didgeridoo can serve as a bass or even a time-keeping instrument.
4. Modern Didgeridoos Are Made With Different Materials
Traditional didgeridoos are made up of hollowed eucalyptus wood branches and other types of wood, including ironwood, eucalyptus, bamboo, agave, and yucca.
Yet modern problems call for modern solutions, which is why didgeridoos are often manufactured from other materials that are easier to form.
For example, plastic and metal are two popular materials used in didgeridoos nowadays, but you can also find them made out of fiberglass and other composite materials.
Essentially, any enclosed column of air can be turned into a didgeridoo once you blow through its opening!
5. The Didgeridoo Is Very Long
Like most instruments, didgeridoos come in a range of different lengths. They can be anywhere from 3 to 10 feet long, but the typical didgeridoo will be around 4 to 5 feet, but that’s not all.
One of the curious things about this remarkable instrument is that its length and shape might vary depending on its type and purpose. For instance, ceremonial didgeridoos tend to be two or three times longer than their regular siblings!
6. Sometimes, A Player Will Put The End Of A Didgeridoo In A Metal Object
Modern didgeridoos have undergone several modifications to make playing them easier. For example, the upper end will usually be coated with wax and then resin for extra comfort and protection from the elements.
Also, players might prefer to place the other end of their didgeridoos inside a tin can to achieve more resonance and volume.
7. There Are Numerous Techniques For Playing The Didgeridoo
Remember how we mentioned that didgeridoos are versatile? Part of their versatility depends on the player’s skills and how they develop their blowing strategies to get the sound they want.
Some performers like to pull their lips tighter while blowing into their instruments, which leads to an increase in air pressure. As a result, you’ll be able to hear overtone pitches out of the other end of the didgeridoo.
Others resort to humming and blowing into the instrument at the same time, which produces complex harmonic chords. You can even beatbox into the didge for some very different sounds!
8. Musicians Use Circular Breathing While Playing The Didgeridoo
One thing remains constant when someone plays the didgeridoo despite the variety in style and technique and that is circular breathing. This method is essential for didgeridoo players to learn to regulate their air intake while blowing into the instrument.
The player will start by drawing gulps of air in through the nose, and at the same time, they’ll push air from their cheeks into the instrument. As a result, the performer will be able to create pulsations, elevations of pitch, and tonal variations.
9. Didgeridoos Were Only Associated With Certain Ceremonies
Another curious fact about this wonderful instrument is that, for centuries, it’s only been used in a small number of events.
Usually, the didgeridoo was associated with ritualistic ceremonies, such as those related to sunsets and other natural phenomena, circumcisions, funerals, and healings.
Even more surprising, the instrument wasn’t used musically. On the contrary, the sounds that came out of the didgeridoo were for teaching and storytelling.
That had been the case for a very long time throughout the history of the Aboriginal Australians. However, things have changed with the rise and fall of civilizations, and now didgeridoos are used in musical contexts.
10. The Sound Of Each Didgeridoo Resembles The Voice Of Its Tree
One awesome feature of didgeridoos is that their creators didn’t just think of them as tools. Instead, they believed that each instrument’s sound was the voice of the ancestral spirit of its original tree.
For that reason, they made sure to only make one didgeridoo out of each tree. In addition, a didgeridoo must be kept in an upright position in order to keep the ancestral spirit of the tree intact.
11. Blowing Harder Doesn’t Equal Louder Sounds
Most air instruments, such as the flute, follow this rule, which not many people know about. Some would just assume that if you blow more forcefully into the didgeridoo, the resulting sound will be louder. However, that’ll only lead to you producing less noise!
The only way to make louder sounds is by increasing the resonance, which you can achieve by putting the lower end of the didge in a metal can or using a microphone to amplify the sound electronically.
12. In Some Places, Women Aren’t Allowed To Play The Didgeridoo
Because Australia is a huge place, the traditions surrounding the didgeridoo can differ from one region to another.
Even though the international media believes that Aboriginal Australians don’t allow women to play the didgeridoo, it’s not the case everywhere. In some areas, it’s downright taboo, while in others, it’s just not the norm.
13. The Word “Didgeridoo” Might Have Irish Origins
The word didgeridoo has been derived from many sources, and not all of them belong to the same culture.
For example, some believe that it originated from the Irish words dúdaire or dúidire, which, curiously, have various meanings, such as “constant smoker,” “eavesdropper,” “long-necked person,” “hummer,” “trumpeter,” or “puffer.”
Other scholars think that the instrument was named onomatopoetically by Western people after they heard the amazing sounds it produced.
14. The Didgeridoo Is Now Used In Contemporary Music
The greatest thing about today’s music is that it sometimes brings back unusual musical instruments to use in unique ways. So it’s not surprising to find instances of didgeridoo sounds in today’s music.
Artists such as Like a Storm and John Butler have used the didgeridoo as a secondary instrument in their music. Their songs “Love the Way You Hate Me” and “Take” feature the unique sounds of a didgeridoo.
15. Some Modern Musicians Are Dedicated to Didgeridoo
Many artists specialize in playing the didgeridoo and have their own fans. Most of them are Aboriginal Australians, but some aren’t.
Aboriginal Australian didgeridoo players include Ash Dargan, David Blanasi, Djalu Gurruwiwi, David Hudson, and Mark Atkins.
Some non-Aboriginal Australian artists are Adam Plack and Charlie McMahon. Additionally, Steve Roach and Stuart Dempster are American performers who also play the didgeridoo.
The unique sounds of the didgeridoo are enjoyed from Australia to the United States. Its tribal sounds add a special touch to any music.
Summing Up Our Facts About The Didgeridoo
After reading our list of fun facts about the didgeridoo, you’ll likely find it fascinating. It may not be as familiar as a piano or guitar, but that’s part of its charm!
This large instrument has been used in many rituals throughout Aboriginal Australia. Although it wasn’t originally seen as a musical instrument, musicians now love to include the didgeridoo in their songs.
Despite its simple appearance, the didgeridoo takes a lot of practice to play well. The satisfaction of creating unique sounds with it is unmatched.
