A didgeridoo. This particular instrument is more ornate than most.

The didgeridoo (or didjeridu) is a wind instrument of the Indigenous Australians of northern Australia. A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. Indigenous Australians are descendants of the first known human inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe". In music a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or Accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout much Musicologists classify it as an aerophone. Musicology ( Greek: μουσική = "music" and λόγος = "word" or "reason" is the scholarly study of Music An aerophone is any Musical instrument which produces Sound primarily by causing a body of air to vibrate without the use of strings or membranes and without

A didgeridoo is usually cylindrical or conical in shape and can measure anywhere from 1 to 3 m (3. A cylinder is one of the most basic curvilinear geometric shapes the Surface formed by the points at a fixed distance from a given Straight line, the axis A cone is a three-dimensional Geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat round base to a point called the apex or vertex 2 ft to 9. 8 ft) in length with most instruments measuring around 1. 2 metres (3. 9 ft). Generally, the longer the instrument, the lower the pitch or key of the instrument. Keys from D to F♯ are the preferred pitch of traditional Aboriginal players.

There are no reliable sources stating the didgeridoo's exact age, though it is commonly claimed to be the world's oldest wind instrument. Archaeological studies of rock art in Northern Australia suggests that the Aboriginal people of the Kakadu region of the Northern Territory have been using the didgeridoo for about 1500 years, based on the dating of paintings on cave walls and shelters from this period. Rock art is a term in Archaeology for any man-made markings made on natural stone The term northern Australia is generally considered to include the States and territories of Australia of Queensland and the Northern Territory. Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km south-east of Darwin. The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the center of the mainland continent as well as the central northern regions A clear rock painting in Ginga Wardelirrhmeng from the freshwater period (1500 years ago until the present)^[1] shows a didjeridu player and two songmen. ^[2] In some Aboriginal cultures, only men are permitted to play it, and women can only use clapsticks. Clapsticks or clappers are a type of Drumstick or Percussion mallet that are used to serve the purpose of maintaining rhythm Didgeridoos can also be found in East Timor and other countries. East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste (officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste) is a country in Southeast Asia. Although, their didgeridoos are different from the Aboriginals, and are more plain, sometimes supported by weaving.

Name

"Didgeridoo" is considered to be an onomatopoetic word of Western invention. Onomatopoeia (also spelled onomatopœia, from Greek: ονοματοποιΐα is a Word or a grouping of words that imitates the sound it is describing

It has also been suggested that it may be derived from the Irish words dúdaire or dúidire, meaning variously 'trumpeter; constant smoker, puffer; long-necked person, eavesdropper; hummer, crooner' and dubh, meaning "black" (or duth, meaning "native"). Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. [1] However, this theory is not widely accepted.

The earliest occurrences of the word in print include the 1919 Australian National Dictionary, The Bulletin in 1924 and the writings of Herbert Basedow in 1926. The Bulletin is a discontinued Australian weekly Magazine that was published in Sydney from 1880 until January 2008 Herbert Basedow (27 October 1881 – 4 June 1933 was an Australian anthropologist geologist politician and explorer There are numerous names for this instrument among the Aboriginal people of northern Australia, with yirdaki one of the better known words in modern Western society. Yirdaki, also sometimes spelt yidaki, refers to the specific type of instrument made and used by the Yolngu people of north-east Arnhem Land. The Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. In Western Arnhem Land, mago is used, although it refers specifically to the local version. Many believe that it is a matter of etiquette to reserve tribal names for tribal instruments, though retailers and businesses have been quick to exploit these special names for generic tourist-oriented instruments. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel

Construction and play

A wax mouthpiece can soften during play, forming a better seal.

Authentic Aboriginal didgeridoos are produced in traditionally-oriented communities in Northern Australia and are usually made from hardwoods, especially the various eucalyptus species that are endemic to the region. The term hardwood is used to describe Wood from broad-leaved angiosperm Trees mostly Deciduous, but not necessarily in the case of tropical Eucalyptus (From Greek ευκάλυπτος meaning "well covered" is a diverse Genus of Trees (and a few shrubs the members of which Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere Sometimes a native bamboo or pandanus is used. Pandanus is a Genus of Monocots with about 600 known Species. Generally the main trunk of the tree is harvested, though a substantial branch may be used instead. Aboriginal didgeridoo craftsmen spend considerable time in the challenging search for a tree that has been hollowed out--by termites--to just the right degree. A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or The termites are a group of Social Insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy If the hollow is too big or too small, it will make a poor quality instrument.

When a suitable tree is found and cut down, the segment of trunk or branch that will be made into a didgeridoo is cut out. The bark is taken off, the ends trimmed, and some shaping of the exterior then results in a finished instrument. This instrument may be painted or left undecorated. Paint is any Liquid, liquifiable or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque Solid A rim of beeswax may be applied to the mouthpiece end. For the rock song by Nirvana see Beeswax (song. Beeswax is a natural Wax produced in the bee hive of Honey bees of the genus On Brass instruments the mouthpiece is the part of the instrument which is placed upon the player's Lips The purpose of the mouthpiece is a Resonator, which Traditional instruments made by Aboriginal craftsmen in Arnhem Land are sometimes fitted with a 'sugarbag' wax mouthpiece. Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by Bees ( Beeswax) and used by them in constructing their This comes from wild bees and is black in appearance, with a distinctive aroma.

Didgeridoos are also made from PVC piping. These generally have a 3. 81 centimetres (1. 50 in) to 5. 08 centimetres (2. 00 in) inside diameter, and have a length corresponding to the desired key. The mouthpiece is often made of the traditional beeswax, or duct tape. For the rock song by Nirvana see Beeswax (song. Beeswax is a natural Wax produced in the bee hive of Honey bees of the genus Duct tape (sometimes called duck tape; Some have also found that finely sanding and buffing the end of the pipe creates a sufficient mouthpiece.

The didgeridoo is played with continuously vibrating lips to produce the drone while using a special breathing technique called circular breathing. Circular breathing is a technique used by players of some Wind instruments to produce a continuous tone without interruption This requires breathing in through the nose whilst simultaneously expelling air out of the mouth using the tongue and cheeks. By use of this technique, a skilled player can replenish the air in their lungs, and with practice can sustain a note for as long as desired. Recordings exist of modern didgeridoo players playing continuously for more than 40 minutes (Mark Atkins on Didgeridoo Concerto (1994) plays for over 50 minutes continuously), and some currently unsubstantiated claims peg times over one hour. Mark Atkins is an Australian Aboriginal Musician known for his skill on the Didgeridoo, a traditional instrument

Fellow of the British Society Anthony Baines wrote that the didjeridoo functions ". . . as an aural kaleidoscope of timbres"^[3] and that "the extremely difficult virtuoso techniques developed by expert performers find no parallel elsewhere. "^[3]

Physics and operation

A termite-bored didgeridoo has an irregular shape that, overall, usually increases in diameter towards the lower end. This shape means that its resonances occur at frequencies that are not harmonically spaced in frequency. This contrasts with the harmonic spacing of the resonances in a cylindrical plastic pipe, whose resonant frequencies fall in the ratio 1:3:5 etc. In Acoustics and Telecommunication, the harmonic of a Wave is a component Frequency of the signal that is an Integer The second resonance of a didgeridoo (the note sounded by overblowing) is usually around an 11th higher than the fundamental frequency (a frequency ratio somewhat less than 3:1).

The vibration produced by the player's lips has harmonics, i. In Acoustics and Telecommunication, the harmonic of a Wave is a component Frequency of the signal that is an Integer e. , it has frequency components falling exactly in the ratio 1:2:3 etc. However, the non-harmonic spacing of the instrument's resonances means that the harmonics of the fundamental note are not systematically assisted by instrument resonances, as is usually the case for Western wind instruments (e. g. , in a clarinet, the 1st 3rd and 5th harmonics of the reed are assisted by resonances of the bore, at least for notes in the low range). The clarinet is a Musical instrument in the Woodwind family The name derives from adding the suffix -et meaning little to the Italian word

Sufficiently strong resonances of the vocal tract can strongly influence the timbre of the instrument. In Music, timbre (ˈtæm-bər' like timber, or, from Fr timbre tɛ̃bʁ is the quality of a Musical note or sound that distinguishes different At some frequencies, whose values depend on the position of the player's tongue, resonances of the vocal tract inhibit the oscillatory flow of air into the instrument. Bands of frequencies that are not thus inhibited produce formants in the output sound. A formant is a peak in the Frequency spectrum of a sound caused by acoustic Resonance. These formants, and especially their variation during the inhalation and exhalation phases of circular breathing, give the instrument its readily recognisable sound.

Other variations in the didgeridoo's sound can be made with "screeches". Most of the "screeches" are related to sounds emitted by Australian animals, such as the dingo or the kookaburra. To produce these "screeches", the player simply has to cry out (in the didgeridoo of course) whilst continuing to blow air through it. The results range from very high-pitched sounds to much lower guttural vibrations.

Cultural significance

The didgeridoo is sometimes played as a solo instrument for recreational purposes, though more usually it accompanies dancing and singing in ceremonial rituals. For Aboriginal groups of northern Australia, the didgeridoo is an integral part of ceremonial life, as it accompanies singers and dancers in religious rituals. Pair sticks, sometimes called clapsticks or bilma, establish the beat for the songs during ceremonies. Clapsticks or clappers are a type of Drumstick or Percussion mallet that are used to serve the purpose of maintaining rhythm The rhythm of the didgeridoo and the beat of the clapsticks are precise, and these patterns have been handed down for many generations. Clapsticks or clappers are a type of Drumstick or Percussion mallet that are used to serve the purpose of maintaining rhythm Only men play the didgeridoo and sing during ceremonial occasions, whilst both men and women may dance. The taboo against women playing the instrument is not absolute; female Aboriginal didgeridoo players did exist, although their playing generally took place in an informal context and was not specifically encouraged. Linda Barwick, an ethnomusicologist, says that traditionally women have not played the didgeridoo in ceremony, but in informal situations there is no prohibition in the Dreaming Law. [2] Some sources state that the didgeridoo had other uses in ancient times. The instrument made a decent weapon because of its length and light weight and it was used for war calls to intimidate the opposing side (much like the bagpipes of Scotland). It is also suggested that the instrument was used as a large smoking pipe, where local, hallucinogenic cacti were crushed and placed in the larger opening and smoked through the smaller end by the local elders after ceremonies.

The didgeridoo was also used as a means of communication across far distances. Some of the sound waves from the instrument can be perceived through the ground or heard in an echo. Each player usually has his own base rhythm which enables others to identify the source of the message. These secondary uses of the instrument have ceased in modern times as there is no more warring between tribes, and the illegalization of drugs in Australia.

There are sacred and even secret versions of the didgeridoo in Aboriginal communities in parts of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, and the surrounding areas. These sorts of instruments have specific names and functions and some of these are played like typical didgeridoos whereas others are not.

Modern innovations

A didgeridoo being played by Tristin Chanel of the ska band Five Star Affair in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 2007

In the 20th century, several "modernized" versions of the didgeridoo have been developed. Five Star Affair (FSA is a Canadian band based in Calgary, Alberta; known for playing a mixture of ska reggae rock and punk music The didjeribone [3] (also called "slideridoo" or "slidgeridoo"), a sliding didgeridoo made of plastic, was invented in the second half of the 20th century by Australian didgeridoo player Charlie McMahon. The didjeribone is a sliding Didgeridoo made of plastic It is a musical instrument invented by Australian didgeridoo player Charlie McMahon in 1981. Charlie McMahon (born Horace Charles McMahon in the Blue Mountains outside Sydney, Australia, June 19, 1951) is an It is constructed of two lengths of plastic tube, one of which is slightly narrower in diameter than the other, and which slides inside the wider tube in the manner of a slide trombone (hence the instrument's name). The trombone is a Musical instrument in the brass family Like all brass instruments it is a lip-reed Aerophone: sound is produced when the player’s This allows players to achieve fundamental tones within the compass of a major sixth, ranging from low B♭ to high G.

The didgeridoo has also found a place in modern Celtic music. It can be seen played side by side with a set of Great Highland Bagpipes, in groups such as The Wicked Tinkers and Brother. The Wicked Tinkers are an American Celtic music group who perform at many Irish/Scottish festivals Brother is a rock band incorporating Celtic rock (with Bagpipes) mongrel rock Australian rock, Didgeridoo, and vocals

A keyed didgeridoo (having keys somewhat like those of a saxophone, allowing the performer to play melodically) was developed in the late 20th century by the U. S. didgeridoo player Graham Wiggins (stage name Dr. Graham Wiggins (b New York, 1962 is an American musician He plays the Didgeridoo, keyboards Melodica, sampler, and various percussion Didg) and used on his CDs Out of the Woods] (1995) (in the track "Sun Tan") and Dust Devils (2002) (in the tracks "T'Boli" and "Sub-Aqua"). Wiggins built the unique and somewhat unwieldy instrument at the physics workshop of Oxford University, from which he earlier obtained his Ph. The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the D.

In 1996 the Aboriginal Australia Art & Culture Centre - Alice Springs created the world's first online interactive didgeridoo "university" and was featured by Bill Gates when he launched Windows 98. Alice Springs is the second largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. [4]

The didgeridoo also became a role playing instrument in the experimental and avant-garde music scene. Industrial music bands like Test Department and Militia generated sounds from this instrument and used them in their industrial performances, linking ecology to industry, influenced by ethnic music and culture. Test Dept were an Industrial music band formed in New Cross, London, by unemployed musicians (including Alastair Adams Paul Jamrozy Angus Farquhar Graham The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary Citizens to provide defense emergency law enforcement or Paramilitary service

Health benefits

A 2005 study in the British Medical Journal found that learning and practicing the didgeridoo helped reduce snoring and sleep apnea, as well as daytime sleepiness. Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sound due to obstructed air movement during Breathing while Sleeping In some cases the sound Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in Breathing during Sleep. This appears to work by strengthening muscles in the upper airway, thus reducing their tendency to collapse during sleep. ^[4]

Notable didgeridoo players

Main article: List of notable didgeridoo players

Selected bibliography

• Ah Chee Ngala, P. A list of notable musicians who play the Australian instrument known as the Didgeridoo: Australia Mark Atkins William Barton , Cowell C. (1996): How to Play the Didjeridoo - and history. ISBN 0646328409
• Chaloupka, G. (1993): Journey in Time. Reed, Sydney.
• Cope, Jonathan (2000): How to Play the Didjeridoo: a practical guide for everyone. ISBN 0-9539811-0-X.
• Jones, T. A. (1967): "The didjeridu. Some comparisons of its typology and musical functions with similar instruments throughout the world". Studies in Music 1, pp. 23–55.
• Kennedy, K. (1933): "Instruments of music used by the Australian Aborigines". Mankind (August edition), pp. 147–157.
• Lindner, D. (ed) (2005): The Didgeridoo Phenomenon. From Ancient Times to the Modern Age. Traumzeit-Verlag, Germany.
• Moyle, A. M. (1981): "The Australian didjeridu: A late musical intrusion". in World Archaeology, 12(3), 321–31.
• Neuenfeldt, K. (ed) (1997): The didjeridu: From Arnhem Land to Internet. Sydney: J. Libbey/Perfect Beat Publications.

References

External links

• iDIDJ Australian Didgeridoo Cultural Hub
• The Didjeridu W3 Server
• The physics of the didj
• Didgeridoo acoustics from the University of New South Wales
• Database of audio recordings of traditional Arnhem Land music, samples included, many with didgeridoo
• The Didjeridu: A Guide General info on the didgeridoo, with citations and references