The Didgeridoo:

Lies

A man was blowing on nicely painted pvc pipes, and was going to sell them at a festival, I was instantly fascinated by the sound and asked him if I could try. After two hours of trying I could make two sounds and enjoyed it immensely. The next day I bought myself a plastic pipe and three months later my first real didgeridoo. I basically never stopped playing after this first encounter. This was twelve years ago and I have never stopped learning. One year after my discovery I travelled to Australia to learn more about the origin of this instrument that had captured me. I stayed with an aboriginal clan for a week, but learned more about myself than the instrument, that year of travelling.  Six years later I went to North East Arnhemland to follow a master class at the Garma Festival with Djalu Gurruwiwi (one of the old masters)... here I was close to the source and was taught a lot about the didgeridoo. Actually I should write Yidaki, because this is the name for the instrument in that area.

The instrument

The didgeridoo is a musical instrument traditionally played by Australian Aborigines in songs and ceremonies. It is a natural wind blow instrument made from eucalyptus tree, is about 1 to 1,8 metres long (with exceptions, some are over 3 metres) and is eaten out by white termites.  These termites (also called “white ants”) are without pigment so they can’t handle the sun, that is why they just eat the inside of the tree. Aboriginal people know by the sun and the hill side where these termites are, and go looking for hollow “gum trees” (Australian name for eucalyptus). The bark of the tree tells them if there are termites in the tree, they knock on the tree to listen if it is hollow enough. If this is the case they chop it down and saw it at the right length. Then the hollow log is put in a little stream of water so the natural juices go out of the timber. Nowadays the didgeridoo is a touristy product and this step is normally skipped to speed up the process of making, but without this step the instrument cracks more easily. After this bath and once it is properly dry the other human work starts. Termites do not eat out the tree evenly so often there are less hollow parts, in the old days they where burned out with hot coals. But these days there are chisels, with long chisels they make a nice conical shape inside. This shape amplifies the sound like a soundbox. When the shape is right - this is tested regularly by blowing on it – the bark and the outside are taken away to create a wall of about one centimeter thick. Some paint or some lacquer, maybe a beeswax mouthpiece and here is the Didgeridoo!

Different types

Maybe I should write Yidaki, Jigi Jigi, Magu or Ganbag, because there are about 40 names for this instrument. To make it easy I will keep on using Didgeridoo: this is the name we use here on the other side of the globe. Traditionally the instrument is used in most parts of the Kimberleys, going north to Darwin, going east in the whole of Arnhemland, more east on the coastline of the Gulf of Carpentaria, on Mornington Island, Bourketown and Kowanyama. Now it has become a symbol for all aboriginal people and is played throughout Australia. Basically in non traditional areas a modern style is being created, a great example is David Hudson. In areas where people are playing for centuries (the earliest rock paintings with a didgeridoo are about 2000 years old; scientist believe the didgeridoo has been used for about 2000 years) we can also hear/see great diversities in playing styles and instruments. In Western Arnhemland the main tree used is Woollybut (Eucalyptus Miniata) which has low branches, so often the lowest branch is cut for the ‘Magu’ or ‘Bambu’ (this name implies that the first didgeridoos where of bamboo. Often the Magu is quit narrow, straight and has a big mouthpiece, this makes it very difficult to play toots, this is why the Mago playing style is without toots and is slower than that of North-East Arnhemland; here the Yidaki (the stripe under the D is because the D is pronounced with a retroflex tongue) is normally made of Stringybark (Eucalyptus Tetrodonta) the first branches are very high up the tree so the trunk is used for the didgeridoo. Generally the Yidaki is bigger, heavier and has a more conical shape with a smaller mouthpiece, this makes it possible to use toots. It is played together with ‘Bilma’, big klapsticks or claves. And toots are used. In Numbulwar the name of clapsticks is Wilbig and tongue is Lham, the name for didgeridoo is Lhambilbig (implying it is percussive like klapsticks)! Yidaki means Emuthroat and Jigi Jigi is throat. Nice examples of Western Arnhemland style are ‘the White Cockatoo performings group’ and D*v*d Bl*n*s*. Examples of North-East Arnhemland style are Djalu Gurruwiwi and the traditional pieces of ‘Yothu Yindi’.
With voice and tongue the players produce different sounds and complex rhythmical patterns, interpretate animals and nature. A breathing technique makes it possible to keep a constant tone for hours. This technique, circular breathing, is also being used by Hobo and lots of Jazz Saxophone players. Music, circular breathing and sound vibrations make it is possible to get into a trance.

Traditional Use

A hugh difference is made between ceremonial and party music in traditional aboriginal communities. Traditional music can be divided in three categories; Cult, clan and individually owned songs. The singer in traditional music is the most important because he/she sings the story. There is (was) no written language so all important knowledge, like the law, traditions and dreamings, is past over in this manner. By rhythm and melody the context is much easier to remember, everything of value is past over from generation to generation. Klapsticks are the keepers of time/tempo, the didgeridoo gives accents for the dancers and the dancers make the story visual. The precision of executing the performance is immensely important so the story will not slowly change. A cult song is like a small part of a gigantic map, it is not only a mythological story but is also describes the area where it happened. Such a song is also called ‘Songline’ or ‘Songcycle’ it follows the journeys of the ancestral beings; in these journeys/adventures the ancestors created the landscape out of a shapeless sleepy earth by naming the landmarks, spieces of plants and animals. After giving form to the earth the ancestral being went back to sleep in a place it created, for instance a billabong (waterhole) or a rock, this place became a holy site. These cult songs are special ceremonial songs often guarded with secrecy. The main focus of these cult songs and rituals are intertribal ceremonies often connected with initiation. Aboriginal women in Arnhemland sometimes have a  small part in these ceremonies, dancing some distance from the main event and ceremonial wailing. Men’s songs of a secret nature are not song in the presence of Aboriginal women and uninitiated.
Clan songs are ‘owned’ by tribes/clans and are performed by men recognised as clan song leaders. These songs also can be mythelogical stories. Some songs are  shared by different clans, during ceremonies, members of associated clans usually sit together.
Individually owned songs where ‘found’ by the songman or came to the singer during sleep.

Use outside of Australia

The didgeridoo was first picked up by the ‘New Age scene’ outside of Australia. Here the meditative quality and constant drone where emphasized. But the didgeridoo has much more to offer. A piece was written for string orchestra and didgeridoo and the ‘London Philharmonic Orchestra’ and one of my mentors, Mark Atkins, have performed  this piece all around the world. My first didgeridoo music eye opener was a CD by Alan Dargin, fast and rhythmical, that is the way I wanted to play to! In 1998 (lucky me) he came to give a workshop in Amsterdam, which I joined of course. Two yearss before I discovered a beautiful shop, Aboriginal Art & Instruments, at the Paleisstraat in Amsterdam. In collaboration with the shop I started giving didgeridoo workshops and later I also began to  work in the shop. A didgeridoo centre/community formed first attracting people only of the Netherlands and later of the whole of Europe. At the present moment workshops, jam sessions, lectures, festivals and children's programs are organised.

The didgeridoo does not bring a musical tradition with it here in the west; so it is played without any restrains in all musical styles and ways. The other day I heard a ‘human beat boxer’ beat boxing on a didgeridoo, it sounded great. The last seven years I have often heard the sound of the didgeridoo mixed in ‘house music’, in these year I have been playing with DJ’s a lot. Two years ago I found myself in front of 25.000 people with DJ Tiësto in a hugh soccer stadium in Arnhem. My friend Roland Mathijssen is playing in a folk band, ‘Innerstrenght’. Who does not know ‘Jamiroquai’ or ‘Midnight Oil’. At the moment I play with different formations; Indian raga, funk and percussion bands. ‘3ple-D’ is my own band with Michiel Teijgeler an other didgeridoo player and Terence Samson a percussion player. We play music based on African, Arabian, South American and Indian rhythms. We tour all over Europe and as a didgeridoo teacher I am also invited in places thoughout Europe. The didgeridoo is bringing me to the most crazy and interesting places. Presently I am living in Spain to play and teach for the next two years. The didgeridoo was a hobby but has become a way of life...      

www.liesundertrees.com/nl (Lies Beijerinck)

www.aboriginalart.nl (Didgeridoo shop)

www.mt-yidaki.com (Michiel Teijgeler, with lots of interesting links)

www.didgeweb.com (didgeridoo agenda for the Netherlands and Belgium)

www.remega.nl (Didgeridooworkshops)

 Verder bestaat de mogelijkheid om twee vervolg workshops te volgen, de gevorderden en de extra gevorderden. In de gevorderden zal ritme en compositie ter sprake komen en verschillende manieren van circulaire ademhaling. De extra gevorderden staat in het teken van snelle ritmes, deze zullen in stappen worden behandeld en geanalyseerd. Ook zullen er combinaties gemaakt worden tussen verschillende manieren van circulaire ademhaling en drie manieren om de trompet toon te spelen aan de orde komen.
 

Beginners workshop:
In the first half of our beginners classes a wide variety of basic techniques will be discussed, which are necessary for building a solid foundation for various playing skills, and which will serve as a warming up for circular breathing. These techniques include playing the didgeridoo using the cheek and breathing muscles, which is essential for circular breathing, simple lip and tongue movements, and vocal and throat sounds. After a short break, during which refreshments are served, we will use the entire second half of the workshop for explaining and practising circular breathing in five easy steps.

Advanced Workshop:
When attending Lies's advanced workshop, it is required that you have already mastered circular breathing. During this class, we will focus on basic and more advanced playing techniques in relation to rhythm and composition. We will discuss and practise techniques that involves the use of jaw, diaphragm, stomach and tongue muscles, which will allow you to produce a wide variety of tones and accents, as well as a more powerful and voluminous sound. Later on in the workshop, we will analyse a piece of didgeridoo music, cut it in pieces and discuss and practise its individual elements. Once there is a clear understanding of the rhythm and accents of the composition, we'll put it back together and play it, allowing plenty of room for variation and improvisation. The advanced workshop will not only greatly increase your playing skills, but you will also have a clear insight in composing your own didgeridoo music.

Extra Advanced Workshop:
When attending the extra advanced workshop, it is advisable to have mastered circular breathing using separately the jaw, cheeks, belly/diaphragm and tongue. During this class, we will combine advanced playing techniques, ways of circular breathing and trumpet tones to improve your compositions and increase your playing tempo. Fast rhythms like the wobble (Alan Dargin's one) and the double jaw will be explained in steps, analysed with the circular breathing incorporated. To make these wonderfully fast techniques understandable, we will practice these, discuss the possibilities of accents in these rhythms. The last part of the workshop we will focus on what Lies calls "Funky Stuff", on how to play human beat box like rhythms, in this part three ways of trumpet tones will be discussed and practised. The extra advanced workshop will not only greatly increase your technical abilities as a player but will also make you a more versatile and faster player and will give you an inside on how limitless didgeridoo playing really is.
 

www.liesundertrees.nl

 (Lies Beijerinck)

www.aboriginalart.nl

(Didgeridoo shop)

www.mt-yidaki.com

(Michiel Teijgeler, with lots of interesting links)

www.didgeweb.com

(didgeridoo agenda for the Netherlands and Belgium)

www.remega.nl

 (Didgeridooworkshops)