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CHOOSING A DIDGERIDOO
Checklist for buying a didgeridoo
The information that I am most often asked for from beginners, even before they start playing, is what kind of didgeridoo they should get. This is a very important question and choosing a good quality didgeridoo is essential in giving the best start possible to a beginner.
Too many times have I seen beginners give up playing because of the poor quality of their didgeridoo. With the information on this web site, I hope to give beginner's a good idea on what to look for.
Below is a checklist of selection criteria that summarises the 'Choosing a Didgeridoo' information on this web site. Take it to the didge shop you are going to and use it to confidently assess the quality of your potential didgeridoo.
It will most likely be very difficult to find the perfect didgeridoo out there that will satisfy all of these selection criteria. Just use this guide to help you look for an all-round didgeridoo to get you started on your didgeridoo playing journey.
Remember, when testing a didgeridoo for the characteristics below, its important to consider your gut feeling. Your ‘gut’ will have assessed the quality of your didge subconsciously without you even knowing, and will probably have a fairly accurate answer for you on which didgeridoo to get.
Allow yourself to acknowledge that a didgeridoo you tried may have felt too difficult to play, sounded too muffled, or just didn’t feel right. If you are learning to play didgeridoo on a didge you don’t feel good about, it will not help with your confidence and motivation. Getting a didge that you feel really good about will make you enjoy the learning process and keep you motivated.
After a well-rounded assessment of a didgeridoo’s features as described below, you should have enough of a feeling to know which didgeridoo is the best for you.
Note: I understand there are many good quality didgeridoos out there that would fall outside some of the criteria on this checklist. This checklist is aimed at beginner's though who are looking for an easy to play didgeridoo to get them started.
Checklist for buying a didgeridoo
| Origin | Does it come from a reputable, specialist supplier? Was it made with environmentally sustainable principles in mind? If you are looking for an authentic instrument, was it made by a traditional custodian and maker? |
| Materials | Is the didgeridoo made from eucalyptus or another hardwood? If not, is the didgeridoo made from a material with similar qualities? |
| Decoration | Is the quality of the didgeridoo mostly attributed to its sound rather than its decoration? |
| Sound | Is the sound reasonably loud, clear and bright? Can you hear a variation in sound as you try different playing techniques? Does it sound good when other people play it? |
| Playability & backpressure | Can you make the drone sound easily? Can you maintain the drone sound easily? Do you feel comfortable playing it? |
| Key | Is it in a higher key such as D, E or F? |
| The mouthpiece | Is the internal diameter of the natural mouthpiece under 50mm? Can the wax mouthpiece be easily formed to be around 30mm in diameter? Do your lips create a good seal around the mouthpiece? Could you almost play the didgeridoo without a beeswax mouthpiece? |
| Shape | Is its shape tapering from a narrow mouthpiece to a wider bell end? Is it at least 1.2m long? Does it have good proportions? |
| Density & weight | Is the wall of the didgeridoo reasonably hard, and not soft and spongy? Is it not too thick and not too thin? Will you be able to carry it fairly easily? Is it not too heavy and not too light? |
| Seal & finish | Does the outside have a good quality finish? If it is sealed on the inside, is it a good quality seal and non-toxic? |
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In summary
Make sure to assess the following factors when choosing a new didgeridoo:
Origin
Materials
Decoration
Sound
Playability
Backpressure
Key
The mouthpiece
Shape
Density
Weight
Finish