Name and Country |
What shape or features do you think a didgeridoo should have so it can be used for 'traditional style' playing? |
| Adrian from Australia |
Long and hollow! |
| Adrien from France |
I don't play traditional style but I think it is more like a low vibration didj back pressure resonance clarity loudness vocal abilities and speed all this is needed to play the traditional way |
| Anonymous from United Kingdom |
Any natural shape can make a sound |
| Alan from USA |
Nice natural shape with a good bell |
| Alex from New Zealand |
Long narrow at one end more open at other end |
| Alexandr from Ukraine |
Good wood, colourful decorative pattern and particle of the soul of master who making it. |
| Allan Klausen from Denmark |
Any shape |
| Anonymous from Canada |
I'm not sure |
| Amber Fauson from USA |
Termite hollowed |
| Andre from Canada |
Long and a bit wavy, wooden made and hand painted. |
| Andy from Canada |
Not sure - sorry! |
| Angela from USA |
The differences in shape are what make the didgeridoo a unique instrument. I wouldn't know the "traditional style". |
| Anonymous |
Not sure |
| Angie Pierce from USA |
I think most didgeridoos need a conical shape even if only slight, but am truly unsure what specifics traditional style playing needs in a didge |
| Anthony Kubiak from USA |
Good back pressure and sound |
| Barbara from USA |
Whatever natural shape of the Eucalyptus that has been termite hollowed. I think the "non straight" ones are beautiful and have great character. |
| Bradley from USA |
Don't know. |
| Brett Houser from USA |
Conical shape with twists and a 4 to 5 inch bell |
| Brian from USA |
I think the biggest key is having one that sounds/plays well. |
| Anonymous |
Long with a base trunk like open end |
| Chace Bedford from USA |
It needs a turbo charger and a hacksaw so you could amputate your arms while you played. |
| Anonymous |
Long,straight |
| Anonymous from USA |
Horn shaped |
| Anonymous from Australia |
Wax on mouth piece if possible |
| Chris from United Kingdom |
Fairly straight slightly belled out at the bottom |
| Chris Thorn from United Kingdom |
A large bell |
| Chuck from USA |
Termite hollowed, 3.5 feet or longer, cylindrical |
| Cody from USA |
Any didge should be able to be played in a traditional style...its a style of play, not instrument. |
| Col from Australia |
I am not sure. |
| Anonymous |
A tree trunks natural shape would give a didgeridoo character |
| Anonymous |
Horn shaped |
| Cristian Toaca from Canada |
It should be nice and wide as well as straight. |
| Cynthia Tierra from USA |
For traditional style playing a didge should be a long tubular shape. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Non curved and no bell shape and can be played fast or slow |
| Anonymous |
Natural bore, beeswax mouthpiece, |
| Daniel Pollaro from USA |
Large bell |
| Daniel from Australia |
Good quality sound. |
| Anonymous from United Kingdom |
Natural shape, not man made. Good back pressure. Even wall thickness. Good beeswax or sugar bag mouthpiece. |
| Dave from United Kingdom |
Unsure |
| Dave from United Kingdom |
I don't see that it matters, some Old didgeridoos are plain, others have art on them. The sound is probably what makes it a traditional style, quite low probably a C or D |
| Anonymous |
Long and hefty |
| David from USA |
Long, cylinder shape, so it keeps in tradition of being a 'hollow log' |
| David from USA |
Do not know. |
| David from USA |
Appropriate sound. |
| Anonymous |
Not for me to say--should have enough resonance and pressure to create a full sound/tone |
| David Yates from Canada |
A certain length, flare at the end, I'm not sure what else! |
| Dean Archer from United Kingdom |
Fast player |
| Anonymous from USA |
Not sure |
| Anonymous from USA |
Very good resonance |
| Donald Cassel from Us Minor Outlying Islands |
Relatively straight and painted in specific aboriginal styles |
| Donna Clark from USA |
I do not know. |
| Douglas from USA |
I don't know |
| Eddy from USA |
Trumpet end? |
| Edilson Calheiros from Brazil |
Do not have preference at the time that I choose a didgeridoo other than that I touch, feel the change in automatic playing style, didgeridoo believe that each have own life, he guides my soul and my body toca as he speaks to my soul. |
| Edith Hokin from Australia |
Not an expert |
| Elliot from United Kingdom |
I will be honest I am not sure, but I would expect that any shape which represents the beauty of nature would be a good place to start, so I guess the ones which are in the unusual shape section, though I am probably completely wrong! |
| Emilian Skrzynecki from Poland |
It can be either "Yidaki" or Mago" style of this wooden trumpet to play for 'traditional style' with. |
| Anonymous from USA |
The shape that nature gave it, with a little refining and smoothing, and a bee's wax mouthpiece |
| Anonymous from USA |
Carvings |
| Anonymous |
It should be hollowed by ants, made of a native wood |
| Forest from USA |
Cylindrical or conic. Approximately 5 ft. long. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Long shaft, flared end |
| Garrett from USA |
I do not know |
| Gary Ahlstrom from USA |
I believe it's the sound more than the shape |
| Gary from USA |
Mouth piece needs to be the right size to facilitate control for circular breathing. Choice of wood is important in order to produce a variety of Timbres and sounds. |
| Gerard from Netherlands |
I don't know much about traditional playing |
| Gina Tines from USA |
I think that this is very particular and variant depending on the person. I feel that the didgeridoo is like a lover. There are certain similarities, but each didgeridoo is different. Furthermore, what may work for one person may not work for another. The preferences and relationship between each didge player and there didge seem to me to be unique and particular. I personally resonate with excellent tonality, versatility, resonance, etc. Again, these terms are very relative to me, and my definitions and filing system may or may not differ quite a bit from yours. |
| Gordon White from USA |
The maker defines the shape and features as passed on via teaching and tradition, not me. I only honor that which has been created and seek to find a match that best "harmonizes" with my inner vibration. |
| Greg from USA |
Straight. bees wax mouthpiece |
| Greg from Australia |
Long, hollow |
| Gregory from Canada |
Good overtone.. nice acoustics. |
| Hans from Netherlands |
Nice peace of wood. Natural shape. traditional painting / paint You have the fall in love with the sound. Very personal. |
| Anonymous from Canada |
Resonates well for a good sound |
| Jacqueline from Belgium |
Eucalyptus |
| Anonymous from USA |
Should be made from eucalyptus or bamboo shaped from termites. |
| Anonymous |
Long, hollow with a wide end |
| Javier Miguel from Spain |
For traditional style playing, the didgeridoo should have a deep and beautiful sound. The speed is not the most important feature |
| Jay from USA |
Beeswax mouthpiece, air tight by sealing and varnishing the exterior, hand tuned, conical in nature, made of termite hollowed eucalyptus |
| Jay from USA |
I think probably any variation of shape or features is good. |
| Jenni from Australia |
Painted and natural |
| Jennifer from Australia |
I wouldn't know |
| Anonymous from USA |
I am not sure but would love to learn. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Cylindrical |
| Jim from USA |
I'm not sure that there is a "must be" shape, |
| Jim Barrett from Sweden |
Straight, wider at one end. |
| Jim from USA |
I think that all didgeridoos are unique as they are formed by nature....I believe the mago type of didge tends to lack a big bell, but I don't believe that there are any 'rules' at all. |
| Johan Thaens from Belgium |
Conical |
| John from USA |
I do not know. |
| John from United Kingdom |
Not sure |
| John Robinson from USA |
Doesn't matter! All can be played in a traditional manner. |
| Jonathan from Canada |
Again, I am not an expert, and feel I cannot offer an opinion of any value on this matter. |
| Jonathan Kool from Canada |
It should have the long shaft shape, and have some sort of spiritual marking or image upon it. |
| Julie from USA |
A modern didgeridoo is usually cylindrical or conical, and can measure anywhere from 1 to 3 m (3 to 10 ft) long. Most are around 1.2 m (4 ft) long. The length is directly related to the 1/2 sound wavelength of the keynote. Generally, the longer the instrument, the lower the pitch or key of the instrument. |
| Kandelka Koreovit from Australia |
Long, tubular with expanded end |
| Karl from Australia |
Made from eucalypt of northern Australia, hollowed out mostly by termites, cleaned, debarked and decorated by an aboriginal man and played by same. |
| Anonymous |
Long wide |
| Kathleen from USA |
Long and slightly curved at the end. |
| Kathy from USA |
I would not dictate something like that that has meaning to each tribe |
| Kathy from USA |
I don't know. |
| Keano Martinez from USA |
Long, with most likely the same width hole all the way through unlike some of the ones you can find which have larger openings at the bottom. |
| Keith from USA |
Good resonance, slight bell at the end, eucalyptus, good toot and backpressure. |
| Kent from USA |
Straight w/o flare |
| Lars from Sweden |
Perhaps strong back pressure, but otherwise I haven't got a clue. |
| Anonymous |
Long |
| Lori from Canada |
Unsure |
| Malcolm Pascoe from Australia |
It should have a length suitable to the tone or frequency that is relevant to the traditional message that is portrayed. the mouthpiece should be of a size (opening) that the player can achieve a seal with his/her mouth. A strong sound should be able to be produced and the tempo should be variable. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Huh? |
| Mark Bowyer from United Kingdom |
Good sound & resonance and of a good length. |
| Anonymous from United Kingdom |
Made from the right materials and sounds right |
| Mark from Australia |
Strait and narrow. |
| Mark from Netherlands |
Small neck, large bottom, minimum of 1,5 meter |
| Mark Swain from USA |
I feel any shape would be appropriate |
| Anonymous |
Hollow tube..? |
| Merl Busenbark from USA |
Approximately 1 1/2" in diameter for the mouthpiece. From 3' up in length. |
| Michael from Canada |
Long and belled |
| Mik from USA |
I suppose at a minimum it's a hollow wooden pipe roughly a meter long with some sort of soft/rounded shaping at one end to make it comfortable for your mouth. I don't know what else would be absolutely essential, although there is much more that would make it desirable! |
| Mike Harges from USA |
Just about any shape, straight, bent, kinked, with a bell, without a bell, just as long as it is as described above |
| Morgan from USA |
I think it is supposed to be curved. |
| Pam from USA |
Long with fluted end |
| Paul Murray from Ireland |
Good back pressure,good volume, good resonance and clarity of voice with a good toot note |
| Paul from Canada |
Key of A or B |
| Anonymous |
A traditional style didgeridoo should be a hollow piece of eucalyptus, from 3 to 5 feet long and about four inches in diameter (according to the way I imagine a traditional didgeridoo). |
| Anonymous |
I just love the sound. I am not sure. |
| Peter from New Zealand |
Long & narrow |
| Randy Cook from USA |
Natural shape caused by the tree and a wax mouthpiece. |
| Reynaldo Brutton Cieza from Peru |
Carved by termites. |
| Anonymous from Canada |
Long narrow at one end and wider at the other |
| Anonymous from Australia |
Not sure |
| Robert from USA |
It should be the proper ratio of length to width, so that it produces a rich drone. |
| Robert from Australia |
Hollow smaller one end than the other |
| Robert from Japan |
It depends on the region. It is not for me to judge. |
| Robert Pettit from USA |
Shorter, the key of D or above, frequently less than concert class with dirty sound... personally I don't like them. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Straight |
| Robert from USA |
Recently heard an animal horn didj that had great sound |
| Anonymous |
Il piu possibile vicino all'uso tradizionale |
| Ron from USA |
A proper sized aperture, I like a slight bell shaped end, has to be pretty straight. |
| Rosemary Mclean from USA |
Long, hollow, wood |
| Roxann from USA |
They are usually made from hardwoods, especially the various eucalyptus species that are endemic to the region. 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. 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. A rim of beeswax may be applied to the mouthpiece end. Traditional instruments made by Aboriginal craftsmen in Arnhem Land are sometimes fitted with a 'sugarbag' mouthpiece. This black beeswax comes from wild bees and has a distinctive aroma. |
| Anonymous |
Not sure |
| Anonymous from USA |
Natural shape provided by nature provides the most interesting harmonics. A smaller end that fits the mouth is ideal. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Eucalyptus |
| Samuel from USA |
Only made of eucalyptus that's naturally hollowed out by termites. Beeswax mouthpiece. Decorations should depict traditional Aboriginal icons or art styles using natural, organic or clay coloring methods. Size, key and sound should adhere to cultural requirements. |
| Sasa from Croatia/Hrvatska |
It could vary. It's better if the inside is conical. Usually better if termite hollowed. It should have at leas one clear toot. And voice should come out growling. |
| Anonymous |
A didgeridoo should be about 3-4 feet and have a hollowed-out center. |
| Anonymous |
Long a & skinny & tapered at the end |
| Anonymous from USA |
I stink at this sorry, my daughter is the one who really really really wants one. I think they are long and thin. |
| Siegfried from Germany |
Must look and sound as a original didgeridoo |
| Steve Meek from USA |
Hollow all the way through! |
| Steve Timms from United Kingdom |
Long and straight |
| Anonymous from USA |
I think the mouthpiece is the most distinguishing feature in the currently available Aboriginal didj's |
| Suzanne Flusche from USA |
Made of eucalyptus, wider at the bottom because they were hollowed by termites |
| Anonymous |
Don't know |
| Takisha from USA |
Oval |
| Anonymous |
It has to be long, more than 130cm straight or a little curved on the edge. All closed, with only two openings (in and out). |
| Anonymous |
Fairly straight with a bell on the end. |
| Anonymous from USA |
I'm a novice who has never blown air into a Didgeridoo tube, so I can't comment. |
| Thomas from Australia |
To be of significant length, such that it is not just a toy - but an instrument that makes a didge sound. It should have aboriginal artwork. |
| Tiago Francisquinho from Portugal |
They have aboriginal paints,a "dreamtime" and are very beautiful. |
| Anonymous |
Don't think the shape should matter here...apart from extra long with a Bell end for long distance messages... |
| Todd from Canada |
Straight as possible,sanded nicely, good wax seal |
| Victor from Netherlands |
Hollow with wax mouthpiece |
| Warner Recabaren from USA |
Class 1 or class 2 are typical- usually conical; usually more cylindrical |
| Anonymous from Canada |
A cupped mouthpiece and long flared shape |
| Anonymous from Netherlands |
There's no particular shape for it. It's just a natural tree-shape. Maybe with traditional paintings for use in rituals. |
