In the rituals of the Australian aborigines, music is of great importance. Among the main instruments widely used by local tribes is the didgeridoo, which is capable of producing peculiar sounds in various keys. It is not easy to play on it, while the original instrument is being mastered not only by the natives, but also by Western musicians.
Didgeridoo: appearance and features
The name "didgeridoo" was coined by Europeans who visited the Australian continent. It resembles the sounds that this long pipe makes. The natives themselves call their national instrument "yedaki". Outwardly, it resembles a long wide pipe or pipe. The narrow end is taken into the mouth to produce the desired sounds, the bell at the opposite end is moderately wide.
The tool is very simple to make. During periods of drought, voracious termites eat out eucalyptus trees from the inside, leaving a strong shell. Aborigines find them, cut them off, clean the internal cavities from dust, trim or grind as necessary. The length of the didgeridoo varies from 1 to 3 meters. In some cases, the narrow end is supplied with a mouthpiece made of beeswax. The outside of the pipe is decorated with patterns in bright contrasting colors. Most often, black, red, yellow paints are used. From the drawing on the didgeridoo, you can determine which tribe the instrument belongs to. Trumpets are widespread in northern Australia and are used for ritual and ceremonial purposes.
The sound of Yedaki is defined by Europeans as "loud and strange." Each pipe is capable of producing only one note, but due to the peculiarities of the structure and the skill of the performer, the timbre can vary. In this sense, the didgeridoo resembles such instruments as the jew's harp or organ. To some extent, it resembles the human voice with its richness of modulations. During the rituals, Yedaki creates a certain mystical atmosphere, allowing the listener to fall into a trance.
Modern medicine believes that playing with yedaki is very useful. It trains breathing, increases lung capacity, helps to get rid of snoring, diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Musical instrument exercise can help reduce sleepiness and prevent sleep apnea.
Instrument history
The didgeridoo is a fairly ancient instrument, but the exact time of its invention is unknown. Ethnographers believe that the product symbolizes the Yurlungur rainbow snake. This is indicated by the shape of the instrument and its bright color.
Ancient tribes used Yedaki in one of the main rituals - Korabori. Monotonous powerful sounds with noticeable vibration contributed to entering a trance. Only men participated in the ceremony, they painted bodies with colored patterns, decorated themselves with feathers and amulets. There is an opinion that the didgeridoo was also used in mating games: the sound of the instrument had a certain effect on women.
How to play the didgeridoo
Most Europeans trying to get sound out of the didgeridoo get something akin to the hum of a pioneer bugle. The sound is harsh and unpleasant, hardly suitable for religious rituals. However, the masters manage to extract the desired note by making it vibrate.
The difficulty lies in the fact that for the game you need to train your breathing. It should be continuous, the strength of the sound depends on the intensity and depth of inhalation, as well as on the volume of the lungs. Aboriginal people practice a special exercise that imitates the snort of a horse. Once you have mastered the movements of your cheeks, lips and tongue, you can begin to practice the game.
The mouthpiece is taken into the mouth, after a deep breath, a strong, even exhalation follows. In this case, the muscles should be relaxed. The more intense the breathing, the louder the didgeridoo sounds.
The main method of the game is overdue. The air is evenly exhaled in short or longer jerks, the continuity of such exhalations creates a certain melody. Additional overtones can be extracted with the tongue moving with the blow. In between, the musician can click or tap his tongue against the mouthpiece. Some performers interrupt the game by imitating the voices of animals. All these sounds should be combined into a thoughtful composition.
Gamma in different keys cannot be extracted from the instrument. He is capable of producing only one note. Which one depends on the parameters of the instrument. Huge, narrow-necked pipes, resting on the floor, emit low bass notes, short and wide sounding high and shrill.
An ancient instrument in a modern arrangement
Western musicians discovered the didgeridoo at the beginning of the last century. Modern instruments are quite diverse: in addition to the classic options, there are models with a wide bell, elongated, shortened, spiral. Another popular variation is the DJbox, which combines several pipes with different sounds.
An interesting option is didgeribon. It is a hybrid of the classic didgeridoo and trombone. It consists of two tubes inserted into each other, similar to a telescopic mechanism. The instrument is made of aluminum and painted in the colors traditional for Australian aborigines: red, black, yellow. Thanks to the telescopic mechanism, while playing, the musician can change the length of the tube, varying the volume and tone of the sound.
There are other options for the tool:
- a didgeridoo with holes, outwardly reminiscent of a flute;
- idaki with valves like a saxophone;
- an instrument with a very long, oval-shaped mouthpiece and an evenly widening mouthpiece.
Thanks to modifications, an ordinary trumpet can produce several sound options. It is more difficult to play such a didgeridoo, but an experienced musician can play new interesting melodies. Such instruments are not used for ritual purposes, their purpose is to create musical compositions in combination with drums, guitars, synthesizers.
The pioneer of the didgeridoo for the Western world was musician and composer Steve Roach. He learned the art of making sounds from yedaki from the Australian tribes. The direction was developed by Richard James, who offered his own processing of the didgeridoo sound. The ethno-style composition he created was very popular in British nightclubs.
Today the Australian "pipe" is played by representatives of various countries. Popular performers include Frenchman Zalem Delarbre, who combines beatboxing techniques with sound processors. The musician is the founder of the wobbling style.
Dubravko Lapline from Croatia prefers giant didgeridoo up to 7 m long. The game is distinguished by sound power and variety: the musician often breaks away from the mouthpiece, complementing the composition with his own voice and a whole combination of sounds created by the diaphragm. One of the most famous popularizers of the didgeridoo, Australian Charlie McMahon invented a special microphone designed specifically for this instrument. The device registers sound directly in the oral cavity and significantly amplifies it. McMahon founded a group that plays didgeridoo, guitars and synthesizers and performs neo-folk music.
Didgeridoo is also popular among Russian performers of ethno music. Alexey Klementyev, one of the popularizers of this instrument, prefers a percussion style that continues the traditions of European performers. The musician founded a didgeridoo school in Kazan, performs at away concerts and shows. Moscow performer Roman Termit is the founder of the Australia school and the annual didgeridoo festival. The musician not only promotes the instrument, but also developed author's manuals teaching how to play it.
The didgeridoo is one of the most ancient instruments that has successfully fit into modern musical styles. Due to its spectacular appearance and unusual sound, the Australian trumpet will not go unnoticed at folklore festivals and concert venues.
