DIDGERIDOO RHYTHMS

Guide to rhythm playing

Playing good rhythms on the didgeridoo is one of the hardest things to learn. It is easy enough to make a range of sounds on the didgeridoo, but actually putting these together to create engaging rhythms that are great to listen to is a whole new challenge. To help you with your rhythms, I have put together a simple guide.

The guide helps you become aware of the characteristics of rhythms that can be altered to affect their sound and quality. The guide explains these factors and then provides some simple advice on how to use these in making didgeridoo rhythms.

The information below provides a guide only for your rhythm playing. It is not intended to give you accurate instruction on making rhythms. Indeed, there aren't any formal, established methods of teaching rhythms anyway. If there was a theory-based, rote-learning approach to learning, it would not be in the spirit of playing didgeridoo. Learning rhythms is more a journey of self-teaching and discovery, and more creative and expressive rhythms will result in this way.

Of course, didgeridoo rhythms are many and varied and can be highly contrasting, so the guide is not definitive in terms of creating the ‘right’ rhythm. However, being aware of some of these principles will allow you to have an open-minded approach to rhythm making and help you make adjustments if you feel you need to improve your technique or style.

Eventually, with lots of practice, you will get a ‘feel’ for rhythm playing to the point where it will become second nature. When this happens, you will be able to start forging new and exciting paths on your own, personal didgeridoo journey!

A guide to rhythm playing

RHYTHM CHARACTERISTICS GUIDE FOR USE
   
Repetition Repeating your rhythms is very important in creating continuity and cohesiveness. Use repeating rhythms to create a rhythm structure within your solo. This will allow your playing to build and have a sense of purpose. It will help prevent your playing from wandering aimlessly.
   
Variation & contrast Add variation and contrast to the sounds of the underlying rhythm. This will reduce the predictability of the repeated rhythm and keep people interested. Variation and contrast can be created using such things as accents of length and loudness and separation of notes (see below).
   
Length accent Accents refer to the stress of the length or loudness of a sound compared to surrounding sounds. Play sounds within a rhythmic pattern longer than other notes to stress that sound. Accentuating the length of sounds within a rhythmic pattern helps create greater intensity.
   
Loudness accent A sound within a rhythmic pattern can be played louder than other sounds. Use more air and force from your lungs to accentuate the loudness of a sound. This stresses the sound within the rhythmic pattern and also helps to intensify that part of the rhythm.
   
Separation Notes can be made shorter and separated or they can be joined and made longer, to different effect. In general, a rhythm with short, separated sounds will be faster and have more rhythmic energy while one with joined, longer sounds will be slower with less rhythmic energy. Separate or join your drone in different ways to create energy within your rhythm or influence a certain feeling.
   
Mood Allow your rhythms to create a mood and to affect the feelings of the audience. Fast, energetic rhythms will create a different mood to slow, meditative rhythms. Alter or adjust your rhythm to convey the mood you are trying to create.
   
Purpose & direction Make your rhythms 'go somewhere'. You want to give people some sense of reason for your rhythms. You will engage people longer if they are interested in where your rhythms are heading. Give your rhythms movement and direction by having them relate to what has come previously and what is coming next. Think of your rhythms as being part of a story that has a beginning, a middle and an end.
   
Transition Make smooth transitions from one timing pattern to the next. An awkward transition will distract people’s attention from your playing. The change-over between time patterns should complement each other and make sense to the listener in the larger context of your solo.
   
Flexibility Allow your rhythm to be flexible, so you can build or simplify it to enhance or lessen its effect. Transitions between complex patterns and simple patterns will help build the mood and tell a story.
   
Colour Intersperse vocal effects to add some harmonic ‘colour’ into your rhythms and make your rhythms more vibrant.
   
Surprise Surprise your audience with unexpected patterns or sounds that occur on top of your basic rhythm.
   
Saturation This refers to the actual number of sounds and notes in your rhythm. The more saturated or complex your rhythm, the more rhythmic energy it will have. A less saturated rhythm will have less rhythmic energy.
   
Musicality A combination of all of the above principles to produce something that is musical and engaging to an audience. This is the hardest thing to achieve when learning to play didgeridoo. If musicality is your goal, aim to produce solos with rhythm, flow, purpose, energy and movement that will make your audience want to listen from beginning to end.

 

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In summary

Didgeridoo tip All rhythms have characteristics that affect how they sound.

Didgeridoo tip If you are aware of these characteristics, you will be able to use them to produce your desired effect when playing didgeridoo.

Didgeridoo tip While a lot of didgeridoo playing is about random experimentation, if you want to engage an audience, your playing will require more structure and purpose. This is achieved through didgeridoo rhythms.

Didgeridoo tip Although it can be difficult, challenge yourself to keep devising new rhythms to keep you and your audience interested.

Didgeridoo tip Eventually, with practice, you will be able to play your rhythms to the point where it seems spontaneous and natural. This is a very satisfying to experience.