HOW TO PLAY DIDGERIDOO

Basic overtones

The variation in sound created by the different cheek positions you learnt in the previous lessons demonstrates an important thing about playing the didgeridoo, that is, the sound of the didgeridoo changes depending on how you move and shape your mouth.

You mouth movements manipulate the sound and flow of the basic drone to create a variety of different sounds and effects. This is a simple but important concept: you are responsible for making the sounds in the way you move your mouth as you drone. Your didgeridoo only assists you by amplifying these sounds. This is an important thing to remember and will help free up your playing and allow you to experiment more.

An overtone is an additional tone heard over the fundamental drone of your didgeridoo. Overtones are always present and are affected by the volume of air in your mouth cavity and the tension of your vibrating lips. Overtones let you play different sounding drones.

As your tongue moves within your mouth, it changes the volume of air in your mouth cavity. It also changes the tension of your vibrating lips. Both of these factors affect the sound waves that travel down the didgeridoo and in turn the sound or tone of your drone.

The overtone is an important technique and one that will help you achieve some good variations on the basic drone to further expand your repertoire.

Concentrate on the steps below and try to make as many distinct sounds as possible using this method.

How to do basic overtones

STEP 1

The easiest way to change the overtone of your drone is to alternate between a cheeks-out drone and a cheeks-in drone. You have already done this in Step 4 of ‘The cheeks-in drone’ lesson. The overtone should alternate between a high and low tone as your cheeks go in and out.

STEP 2

Most importantly, the tongue can be used to change the overtone. Drone with your cheeks closed, as if mouthing the sound ‘ee’. Now move your tongue back and forth as you drone, as if mouthing ‘ee aw ee aw’. The overtone of the drone will change from high to low as your tongue moves from the ‘ee’ position to the ‘aw’ position.

Remember!

You don’t actually vocalize any of the sounds as shown in the following examples. I just do this to demonstrate how your mouth and tongue should move as you practice each step. So remember, move your mouth as shown, but don’t use your voice.

STEP 3

Mouth the sounds 'ee ah aw' as you drone and you will get three different overtones. Stagger the tongue movements to make each sound more distinct from each other.

STEP 4

Your tongue and mouth makes overtones just like it makes vowel sounds. Expand your range of overtones by mouthing the vowels in this order ‘i e u a o’. You should get five different overtones that go from high to low in that order.

Rhythm practice

Note: All practice rhythms are first played slow using basic circular breathing, then played fast to demonstrate faster breathing styles that you will learn later. Practice all rhythms using the basic, slower style first. Only attempt to play faster once you have completed the relevant lessons shown in later sections.

Try this simple rhythm: 'ee aw ee Oh'. Allow your cheeks to inflate after the ‘ee’ and then circular breathe on the ‘Oh’. Don't worry about the pulsing sound that comes with the breath. This is natural and is an important part of your rhythm making.

Tips

Didgeridoo tip Overtones made by the movement of the tongue sound most clear and sharp when your cheeks are tightly pulled in.

Didgeridoo tip To get a really high overtone, have your cheeks and lips as tight as possible, with your tongue as far forward as possible, while still maintaining a drone.

Didgeridoo tip The more forward and back you push your tongue, the greater contrast you will get between overtones.

Didgeridoo tip Remember, you can change the overtone of your drone by inflating and deflating your cheeks, and moving your tongue back and forth. Use both of these techniques to change the sound of your overtone as you play didgeridoo.

 

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Tips

Didgeridoo tip You will get the best sounds when playing with closed cheeks.

Didgeridoo tip Having a tight tension between your lips as you do this will also help with the clarity and sharpness of the overtone.

Didgeridoo tip The more forward and back you can push your tongue, the greater contrast you will get between the two tones.

Didgeridoo tip To get a really high pitched drone, aim to have your cheeks and lips as tight as possible, with your tongue as far forward as possible, while still maintaining a drone.

Didgeridoo tip If you are still having trouble getting a good contrast between different mouth shapes, go to my page on improving the sound for more help.