| Name and Country |
Do you prefer to play contemporary or traditional styles on the didgeridoo? |
Do you prefer to listen to contemporary or traditional styles on the didgeridoo? |
What is the difference between contemporary and traditional style playing? |
| Pedro from Brazil |
Traditional |
Both |
Contemporary playing include beat-box and other techniques that mix more rhythm and pauses with the breathing. traditional style uses more animal and nature sounds and is more continuous. |
| Mike from Canada |
Can not play |
Both |
Traditional uses animal sounds while contemporary is more beats?? |
| Anonymous from United Kingdom |
Both |
Both |
Different rhythms and sounds |
| Anonymous from Germany |
Can not play |
Traditional |
I like it better because it is nearer to what I imagine and am able to produce:D |
| Michael from USA |
Do not know |
Both |
I am not sure that's why I put both above |
| Anonymous from USA |
Traditional |
Traditional |
Contemporary is a more modern style while traditional is how the Aborigines play back in their tribes. |
| Vic Cherikoff from Australia |
Contemporary |
Contemporary |
Traditional is linked to stories. Contemporary is free style. |
| Anonymous |
Traditional |
Both |
I think traditional has a slower pace and it is more "drone oriented". In other words traditional didj playing involves less movement but a lot more droning and animal noises. It is more about the environment of the music as opposed to contemporary styles. Contemporary styles use a lot more ornamentation and complicated breathing patterns rather than just sustaining long drones. |
| Shelly from USA |
Traditional |
Do not know |
Contemporary style I am assuming sounds new and like town. traditional sounds more tribal |
| Anonymous |
Do not know |
Do not know |
The overtone-present style is endemic to Groote Eylandt north-east Arnhem Land north-central Arnhem Land and south-east Arnhem Land. Only the first overtone note is used in traditional Aboriginal society. Contemporary styles are basically anything that is not traditional |
| Anonymous from USA |
Both |
Traditional |
Contemporary sometimes adds electronics... |
| Brooke from USA |
Do not know |
Both |
Traditional Didgeridoo playing is usually accompanied by clapsticks and is used ceremoniously. Whereas contemporary Didgeridoo can be accompanied by any musical instrument and is not necessarily ceremonial. |
| Joy from USA |
Can not play |
Both |
Traditional style is used in ceremony |
| Kimberly from USA |
Can not play |
Both |
Contemporary styles incorporate some free form movement of more recent music. Traditional to me represents what has come forth from the ancestors. |
| Waylon from USA |
Can not play |
Both |
No idea but id assume contemporary is more diverse |
| Anonymous from Canada |
Do not know |
Both |
I don't know how to play traditionally but love to listen to it. My understanding is minimal but my best understanding is that traditional playing is more of a language and communicates stories and songs of the dream-time. |
| Daran Wallman from Canada |
Both |
Both |
Contemp is normal rhythms beat box etc. traditional is stories and animal vocals. |
| Ron from USA |
Do not know |
Both |
Xxx |
| Anonymous from Australia |
Contemporary |
Both |
Traditional styles would be a part of a tradition and quite steeped in history. contemporary styles would be more modernised versions of playing |
| Andreas from Sweden |
Do not know |
Both |
Couldn't tell if I tried unless there's electronic involved or other "modern" instruments |
| Anonymous |
Both |
Both |
The rhythmic |
| Michael Spring from USA |
Traditional |
Traditional |
Soundtrack |
| Anonymous from USA |
Can not play |
Do not know |
I don't know |
| Gordon Matheson from Australia |
Do not know |
Both |
Contemporary is to use modern tunes and Beats. |
| Forest Weston from USA |
Traditional |
Traditional |
I associate the more choppy broken playing with lots of "toots" to be more contemporary while a smoother playing with vocals which imitate natural sounds and animals is more traditional. I strive to imitate my native animals of northeastern USA with my vocals. |
| Dustin from USA |
Do not know |
Both |
The beat |
| Anonymous from Italy |
Both |
Both |
Contemporary is more experimental while traditional is more related to australian aboriginal culture and storytelling |
| David Aldridge from USA |
Do not know |
Both |
Traditional as played by aboriginal's contemporary adds other instruments and styling not normal to the aboriginal culture |
| Tammy from USA |
Do not know |
Do not know |
I am not experienced enough to know the difference. I am learning though and plan to continue to learn. |
| Doug Bischoff from USA |
Both |
Both |
My understanding is a bit limited but my basic thought is that contemporary style makes more of an effort to "fit" into western rhythmic definitions than traditional does. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Both |
Both |
Contemporary is faster and more dynamic in it's approach to creating sounds and tones. Traditional is a more meditative droning style with standard rhythms and traditional story telling. |
| Anonymous |
Do not know |
Both |
I don't know but would like to learn. |
| Elizabeth from USA |
Both |
Traditional |
Long notes versus short |
| Stan from USA |
Can not play |
Do not know |
I am sorry but I do not know this is my first time learning about this type of instrument. |
| Paul White from United Kingdom |
Traditional |
Traditional |
Mandapul played by NE Arnhem Land players is structured songs played as part of rituals and ceremonies but there is an element of "freestyle" that is popular today but using the same "trad" techniques. Mago paying is similar but not quite so complicated in style. contemporary playing is an"anything goes" style with more emphasis on animal noises and vocals. |
| Anonymous |
Both |
Contemporary |
Traditional is harder to do and not as varied. |
| Amanda Hall from Australia |
Both |
Both |
Contemporary is mixed with modern and traditional is traditional when time began.... |
| Anonymous |
Do not know |
Do not know |
Don't know the difference |
| Anonymous from Israel |
Both |
Both |
Lets say its like Old school - new school |
| Steve from USA |
Both |
Both |
Contemporary as I understand it is more up tempo and often with accompaniment of modern instruments...traditional is more of a droning with not as many overtones and usually only accompanied by the bilma. |
| Mario Rago from Italy |
Traditional |
Traditional |
I've always preferred traditional primitive music and sound styles in every culture...i find contemporary style more complicated |
| Rhys from New Zealand |
Both |
Both |
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee yeeeeannnoooowwwwwwww black cockatoo willy willy sugar bag but to name a few trad rhythms that have place and purpose |
| Brian James from United Kingdom |
Contemporary |
Both |
Tradition style playing incorporates sounds that are familiar to the native people contemporary is producing sounds that are familiar to the player |
| Teresa from Canada |
Both |
Both |
- the rhythms the earthiness the tonguing technique |
| Marian from USA |
Do not know |
Traditional |
Don't know |
| Anonymous from USA |
Can not play |
Both |
Do not know |
| Ugo Grasso from Italy |
Both |
Both |
Pictures? |
| Edward from USA |
Both |
Both |
Adding other instruments that are not aboriginal. |
| Debra from USA |
Do not know |
Do not know |
Don't know |
| Alex Fraser from Canada |
Can not play |
Do not know |
I'm not quite sure. I plan on looking into it more once I make my first purchase! |
| Aaron from New Zealand |
Both |
Both |
I don't know |
| Milan from Germany |
Contemporary |
Both |
I consider traditional playing to be done mostly by genuine Aborigines. But I've heard of several foreign artists and people who have learned it too. There is a difference in playing technique but I can't say what they are in detail having learned to play by myself. |
| Dana from USA |
Both |
Both |
Traditional style playing relates to the old aboriginal ways where the playing was used to tell stories and also very important in ceremonies. Contemporary is playing used solely for recreational playing. |
| Samuel Sheats from USA |
Contemporary |
Both |
Not sure; think it's the story-telling aspect of the build up of sounds. |
| Anonymous |
Both |
Both |
Need to learn how to do both. |
| Philip from Australia |
Both |
Both |
Beat accompanying sounds style |
| Anonymous |
Contemporary |
Both |
Not sure |
| Jason from USA |
Do not know |
Do not know |
Not sure yet...still new to the didge |
| Jim Miller from USA |
Both |
Both |
Contemporary uses musical sounds other than naturally made types. Have a few albums of those with synthesized fast-paced music that I don't think I could ever play. I play more meditative musical movements although only have a homemade PVC version. |
| Kib from Canada |
Traditional |
Both |
Contemporary is the beat box aka rap style the traditional style tells a story |
| Anonymous |
Do not know |
Do not know |
Unknown |
| Ian from New Zealand |
Can not play |
Do not know |
Don't know |
| Brent from USA |
Do not know |
Do not know |
Don't Know |
| Kristina from Canada |
Can not play |
Do not know |
I'm assuming that the traditional style consists of well known tunes and stories to go along with them |
| Alex from USA |
Do not know |
Contemporary |
Contemporary is more with a beat and faster rhythm while traditional is |
| Donna from USA |
Can not play |
Both |
Traditional would probably more rhythmic beat an contem. would have a none consecutive beat-so more of a free style beat |
| Anonymous from USA |
Do not know |
Do not know |
Don't know |
| Anonymous |
Traditional |
Contemporary |
No idea |
| Philippe Groleau from Canada |
Both |
Traditional |
The traditional style stick to nature and connect with the environment vibrations. Contemporary is everything else from new age drone to extremely fast techno beat. |
| Ross Courville from USA |
Traditional |
Contemporary |
Good question bass like background vs traditional one piece instrumental with animal tones |
| Anonymous |
Contemporary |
Both |
Nothing |
| Anonymous |
Can not play |
Do not know |
I don't know |
| Michele from Italy |
Both |
Both |
As a profane for me it is very difficult to explain and to catch peculiar differences: maybe the only difference is aesthetical but in what I listened to I've found the same inner intention the will to maintain alive through the eras a whole people's culture and identity and the didjeridoo for me has always represented what means the spiritual part of an entire land with its nature its animals its peoples that live in. |
| Brooks from USA |
Traditional |
Traditional |
The traditional style is from the Aborigines |
| Jon Brady from USA |
Can not play |
Do not know |
I don't know but am very interested to find out. |
| Ashley from USA |
Do not know |
Do not know |
One is newer... one is traditional..... we really don't learn anything at all about Australia in America. That's probably why Americans are so fascinated by the country/continent as a whole. |
| Drayton from Australia |
Traditional |
Traditional |
I'm not a huge fan off people beat boxing into the didj but I like watching the elders doing there thing. I think it depends on what part of the country the player comes from to what style he plays I don't rely know I'm just starting my Didj journey. but this sight and utube has taught me heaps so far. Maybe you guys should publish some information about the traditional styles and there difference's |
| Anonymous from USA |
Do not know |
Do not know |
I imagine some long lost art or spiritual connection |
| Anonymous |
Do not know |
Do not know |
The accompaniments |
| Anonymous from Australia |
Can not play |
Do not know |
Contemporary can e.g. incorporate a range of sound effects simulating modern phenomena like large vehicles passing on a highway. |
| Forrest Johnson from USA |
Both |
Both |
Contemporary didgeridoo to me is blend of all types of musical genres from jazz to techno. Traditional to me is spiritual in nature celebrating the land and channeling a sort of vibration that touches me in a very primal way. |
| Joshua from USA |
Traditional |
Both |
Contemporary style is ones own developed style where as traditional is used in traditional ways along with other instruments usually for ceremonial. |
| Anonymous |
Both |
Both |
Traditional has the sounds of the kangaroo hopping and the kookaburra laughing. contemporary is the yidaki style and beat box styles of playing |
| Bradley from Australia |
Both |
Traditional |
Traditional styles uses the calls of birds and animals to surround you in what it would be like in the dream time. Natural noises. Makes a story. Contemporary uses beats and rhythms. |
| Glenn from Australia |
Do not know |
Both |
In sound I am unsure I like the didj on it's own preferably but impressed with it's use in modern music. |
| Elizabeth from USA |
Can not play |
Traditional |
I can only assume traditional has been passed down through centuries. |
| Adam from USA |
Do not know |
Both |
Contemporary sounds a bit more like beat boxing where as traditional comes out with more natural sounds and longer drones..? haha |
| Anonymous from Greece |
Do not know |
Do not know |
I sincerely don't know but ill search for it;) |
| Michael from USA |
Contemporary |
Both |
Well I guess I would define it by saying that traditional playing would require that you have an understanding of the language culture customs ceremonies etc of the Aboriginal tradition you are playing in. Short of being born into that culture I think its a pretty tall order to become a "traditional" player. But I guess there are different levels of that so even if you're just mimicking sounds without really understanding it you could at some level claim to be a traditional player. For myself I say I am a contemporary player because I am heavily influenced by other non-aboriginal players as well as aboriginal players and my playing sometimes probably sounds pretty traditional but since I really don't have a lot of meaning (in a traditional sense) behind those sounds I just call it contemporary. |
| Chris from Canada |
Traditional |
Both |
Contemporary comprises music elements from both traditional and contemporary styles blending the two together. traditional would contain just vocal and traditional Aboriginal instruments together. |
| Ido from USA |
Can not play |
Both |
Contemporary includes other instruments such as drums |
| Steve from United Kingdom |
Both |
Both |
Usually the speed of play. |
| Michael from Belgium |
Traditional |
Both |
Contemporary is more like following your imagination. Traditional style Is followed by clapsticks singing dancing... |
| Anonymous from USA |
Traditional |
Both |
I'm not sure but I'm thinking that contemporary playing is more focused on beats whereas traditional playing tells stories and mimics Australian animals. |
| Anonymous |
Do not know |
Do not know |
I'm not sure |
