Didgeridoo

The video above was published by "oddmusic" at the youtube.

When first time I visited Australia (Sydney) for training (New Employee Orientation Program by PT. USI/IBM Indonesia back in 1990, I saw some aborigine artists playing unusual musical instruments near the Sydney Opera house.

Later on I found out that the name of that instrument was Didgeridoo.

I wanted to buy one, but the price was too expensive for me..... So I didn't buy it. But every time I visited Australia, I always want to buy one, but never happen, until last month I finally decided to buy one !!!

I selected one that is 130 cm long, made from wood that was hollowed by termite. The price was AUD$ 299 (not sure know why the Australian like to use '9' almost for a price of something)... Its quite expensive, but the storekeeper (Damien) show me how to play it. I tried it and for the first time in my life, I can make short drone (only last several seconds though). Damien told me that the he will send the didgeridoo for free to my home address in Jakarta.

After that I tried to collect as many information about didgeridoo in some public libraries during my vacation in Melbourne and Albury. I can find only very limited books. I can't even find one in some bookstore. Well, Damien did give me one thin manual book, but that book did not satisfy me.

One week later, I arrived back home, and I start searching all information about didgeridoo or didjeridu or yidaki from the Internet. And I was very surprised when I could find a lot of tutorial video and training materials from the Internet. They are much better compared to any book !!

At least we could prove that Internet is a magnificent information source for everything.

I have been exercising for about two weeks now (around 1 hour/day). I can emulate some animal sound, and some simple rhythmic pattern.

There's still a lot to learn, but learning process is also very enjoyable, and I always find new and better ways do make a sound. So I am very happy during this process, and I think this could last very long (I actually plan to perform a music show using didgeridoo sometime in the future....)

Playing didgeridoo also give other benefits. I think I can control my breath much better now, and I think my lung capacity also improving (very useful when your jobs requires you to speak a lot and loud - like my profession :P

Special thanks to Damien who showed me how to make simple drone, and Anne who demostrated to me how to play didgeridoo during my visit to Digby and family for lunch and dinner !