Australian musical instrument didgeridoo. Australian music. European ethnographic studies

Didgeridoo on Wikimedia Commons

Yiḏaki(sometimes pronounced as yirdaki) is one of the most commonly used names, although - strictly speaking - the word is used for a specific type of instrument made and used by the Yolngu people. Yolngu people ), living in Arnhem Land. However, after a man from the Mangalili clan whose name sounded similar to yiḏaki, the Yolngu people began to use the synonym mandapul to designate an instrument, out of respect for the deceased.

Exists a large number of other names for the didgeridoo. The most famous ones are described below:

People Region Local name
Enintilyakwa Groot Island ngarrriralkpwina
Yolngu Arnhem Land Mandapul (Yidaki)
Happapoogas Arnhem Land Yiraka
Jinan Arnhem Land Yirtakki
Ivaidya Cobourg Peninsula artawirr
Jawoyn Catherine Gunbarrk
Kakutu Cockatoo garnbak
Ngarluma Ryborn Kurmur
Nailnail Kimberly ngaribi
Warray Adelaide bambu
Mayalai Alligator Rivers martba
Pintupi Central Australia paampu
Aranda Alice Springs Ilpirra

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2010.

    See what "Didgeridoo" is in other dictionaries: Noun, number of synonyms: 1 instrument (541) ASIS synonym dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013…

    Synonym dictionary Didgeridoo, wind musical instrument

    Aboriginal Australians Ethnic music (ethnic, ethno) is the closest analogue of the English term English. world music (music of the peoples of the world, music of the world). This is primarily folk music of various cultures of the world... Wikipedia

    Aboriginal Australians Ethnic music (ethnic, ethno) is the closest analogue of the English term English. world music (music of the peoples of the world, music of the world). This is primarily folk music of various cultures of the world... Wikipedia

    Aboriginal Australians Ethnic music (ethnic, ethno) is the closest analogue of the English term English. world music (music of the peoples of the world, music of the world). This is primarily folk music of various cultures of the world... Wikipedia

    Aboriginal Australians Ethnic music (ethnic, ethno) is the closest analogue of the English term English. world music (music of the peoples of the world, music of the world). This is primarily folk music of various cultures of the world... Wikipedia

    Aboriginal Australians Ethnic music (ethnic, ethno) is the closest analogue of the English term English. world music (music of the peoples of the world, music of the world). This is primarily folk music of various cultures of the world... Wikipedia

    Didgeridoo, a wind musical instrument of the Australian aborigines. Ethnic music (ethnics, ethno) is the closest analogue of the English term English. world music (music of the peoples of the world, music of the world). This is primarily folk music of various cultures of the world... Wikipedia

Performing Australian World Music at the Sydney Museum. Australian folk music is the music of the Australian Aboriginal and Torr Islander peoples... Wikipedia The culture of the Australian Aboriginals varied significantly depending on the territory they lived in. People living in different regions communicated in different languages

Since ancient times, music, songs and dances have been an integral part of the life of literally all peoples of the world, not excluding the indigenous people of Australia. The customs of the Australian aborigines combine consciousness with not always explainable sensations and laws of nature. This is a kind of attempt to stick to the “roots” without losing contact with the outside world and the elements. An example of such unity is the traditional ethnic music that spreads across the continent while playing the didgeridoo. There is an assumption that the didgeridoo is the oldest wind musical instrument on Earth.

More than 2000 years to the music of the didgeridoo

Archaeological research suggests that the didgeridoo has existed on the Australian continent for over 2,000 years. Evidence of this comes from research into rock art in the Northern Territories. On the walls of the caves there are depictions of people playing an instrument. At present, no evidence of its earlier existence has been found.

Didgeridoo through the eyes of the first Europeans

The first documented mention of the strange wind instrument comes from the pen of an explorer named Wilson, who described a playing indigenous man whom he met on the Cobourg Peninsula on the north coast of Australia in 1835. He described the item as being made from bamboo about three feet in length. Despite the fact that the beginning of European settlement of the Australian continent dates back to 1788, Western society was able to become acquainted with this amazing ancient instrument relatively recently. It was not until 1912 that the first audio recording of the didgeridoo was made. Its sound was recorded by Sir Baldwin Spencer using a phonograph and wax cylinders.

European ethnographic studies

In 1922, anthropologist Norman Tyndale conducted an ethnographic study of Groot Island in northeastern Australia. And in 1925, thanks to research in the settlement of Ganbalanye, the word didgeridoo came into use among the inhabitants of the Old World at the suggestion of the scientist Herbert Basedow. In 1926, anthropologist Lloyd Warner began his first explorations at Milinjimbi. The results of ethnographic research were published in the work “ Social studies Aboriginal tribe." The article mentioned a ritual "pipe" that was about four feet long. Information about the music of the continent began to spread throughout the world precisely through the efforts of anthropologists and ethnographers. The research, which began at the beginning of last year, continues to this day.

In 1935, anthropologist Donald Thompson visited the Arnhem Land settlement. His studies of the region remain one of the most important and significant works on the study of Aboriginal culture. He collected a large number of artifacts and objects of unique culture. The historical heritage of the Aboriginal people is exhibited in museums in Melbourne.

First recording of didgeridoo sound

Among researchers of the life and customs of indigenous Australian tribes, the Anglican priest Adolphus Peter Elkin occupied a special place. Elkin became interested in Aboriginal culture and, despite the fact that anthropology was not taught in Australia at that time, in 1922 he wrote a dissertation on the customs of the indigenous population of the continent. In 1974, Adolphus Peter wrote that, starting in 1927, he had the opportunity to observe the ceremonial corroboree dances, which certainly took place accompanied by music, but only after conducting a full analysis collected materials he was able to truly appreciate the diversity, uniqueness and richness of the region's cultural heritage. This part of indigenous culture has had limited distribution in Australia over the last century and has only been observed in the East Kimberley and Northern Territories.

In 1953, through his efforts, the vinyl record “Music of the Tribes of Australia” was released - the first commercial recording of the sound of the didgeridoo, published by the recording company Folkways Records. Currently, love for the instrument has spread throughout the world. The musicians usually demonstrate a traditional playing style and technique.

How was the didgeridoo made?

It is generally accepted that the instrument was distributed exclusively in the north and northeast of the country. But in the last 100 years, didgeridoos have been used in Queensland, western New South Wales and Western Australia. The wood most often used in its manufacture belongs to the myrtle family. The most widely used are eucalyptus oblique and eucalyptus longifolia.

Termites

Termites are primitive insects that are often mistakenly called “white ants,” but in fact they are relatives of the cockroach and invaluable assistants in the manufacture of one of the most ancient wind musical instruments. Some species of termites build underground homes, others build large termite mounds, but both consume wood. In Northern Australia, termites feed on the cores of living trees, which have been used since ancient times by Aboriginal people as hollow tubes for making didgeridoos.

Wood species

Since ancient times, craftsmen have used eucalyptus branches, hollow inside, cleaned by the efforts of termites. In coastal Arnhem Land, Eucalyptus quadruptera and Eucalyptus longifolia were used predominantly. Eucalyptus camaldula was preferred in Northern Australia, closer to Katherine and further south. Tools in the Maningrida area were made from perennial Liviston palms. Having found a suitable hollow branch or tree trunk, the master begins to process it.

As an alternative to termite-eaten eucalyptus trees, there is a technology for making tools from bamboo. The bamboo core is burned using charcoal. Many modern manufacturers in America and Europe make it from various hardwoods, drilled on lathe, made of plastic or metal pipes.

Processing technology

Having made sure of the cavity of the tree, by simply tapping on the trunk, the master left the workpiece of the required length, cleared it of bark using a stone knife or machete, polished the surface, prepared the side in which it was supposed to blow, treating it with beeswax and began testing the properties of the workpiece . The ancient aborigines traditionally used stone axes for cutting and processing wood. Cleaning the core from termite waste products was done by soaking the workpiece in water for several days, followed by cleaning it with a stick. The workpiece should not have through holes or cracks, and therefore, there was a need to check the tightness of the barrel. To do this, plugging the instrument at both ends with your hands, it was held under water for two to three minutes. If air bubbles appeared, it became obvious that there were holes and they were filled with beeswax. The finished product was decorated in every possible way, applying traditional ornaments and patterns for the region.

Tool Application

As research has found, there are no strict requirements for the shape or size of the instrument. The acoustic characteristics of each individual sample depend on the length of the tube and its shape near the conical hole. Based on measurements of sample characteristics carried out in various parts Australia, it becomes obvious that the body of the didgeridoo was made from hollow branches or trunks of wood, ranging in length from a meter to 160 centimeters.

The sound of the didgeridoo

The lowest sound produced by the instrument is in the frequency range from 70 to 100 Hz. The didgeridoo produces a continuous hum. A skilled player can modulate various complex rhythmic effects and even achieve a melodic sound. The didgeridoo is an extremely expressive instrument, capable of evoking a variety of emotions, ranging from dark or sinister to feelings of light-heartedness and joy.

Ceremonial purpose

Traditionally, the instrument was used by tribes as a necessary attribute during ceremonial rituals, as an imitation of the sounds of nature, to communicate with spirits, and to study the surrounding world. The performer uses unique game sound production techniques, among which are squealing, coughing, and grumbling, which are so necessary to resemble the sounds of a particular animal in order to realistically imitate it in a story about a hunt.

Features of sound production

Another unique feature of the didgeridoo is its non-removable mouthpiece. It reaches a diameter of 3-4 centimeters, in exceptional cases it can be larger. When playing, it is necessary that almost the entire surface of the musician’s lips vibrate in order to extract low sounds. The mouthpiece itself is usually made of beeswax or eucalyptus gum, rigidly fixed to the narrow end of the didgeridoo. An experienced performer can produce a steady hum for several minutes. Existing breathing techniques allow the musician to maintain a note without stopping to catch his breath. Circular breathing is known to many clarinetists and saxophonists and is characteristic of a variety of wind instruments around the world.

The musician can add complex rhythmic effects to the drone by manipulating the lips, tongue, cheeks, laryngeal muscles and diaphragm. Some great players can play rhythm and counter-rhythm at the same time. Although the didgeridoo is an instrument designed to produce a single fundamental tone, which depends mainly on the length of the didgeridoo, special playing techniques can produce obvious changes in its pitch. When singing into the instrument, you can achieve a number of harmonic effects, for example, extracting the sound of an entire chord. This technique is often used by musicians who play metal wind instruments.

Didgeridoo and modern times

The didgeridoo is an incredibly versatile instrument that has proven to adapt well to a variety of musical styles. So, in the late 70s and early 80s of the last century, its use spread throughout Europe and America. The sound of an indigenous Australian instrument, combined with European melodic patterns such as guitar, flute, violin or clarinet, has been adopted by musicians in various styles around the world.

Very interesting to collect information about the simplest musical instruments, used by different peoples in their culture and rituals . Such tools are created by nature itself, and by looking at what people have already come up with, you can take a closer look at what is around. We also have a lot that can be used as a musical instrument.

Australian music contains elements of various musical cultures: indigenous, Anglo-Australian, non-British emigrants.

The music of the indigenous people - the aborigines - has retained archaic features, traces of the influence of the music of New Guinea, as well as settlers from the Malay Archipelago (Northern Australia). There are a variety of ritual songs, everyday and epic. In the northern regions, individual singing with one’s own accompaniment is common ( percussion instruments), in the southern and central - group.

Among the musical instruments that were considered sacred or magical: churingi(wooden or stone buzzers), hollow log ubar, which was hit with sticks. Among the ancient idiophones - boomerangs, rolls of skins resembling a drum(southern regions), rattles from fruits and shells, corrugated planks, along which they drive with a stick, Papuan hand drums, covered with leather (Cape York Peninsula); among the brass - didgeridoo(pipe made from rolled bark), yulunggul(made of wood), in the North. Australia - nose flute(from New Guinea).

With the advent of Europeans and the decline in the number of indigenous inhabitants, the distribution area of ​​their music sharply narrowed.

Didgeridoo (Yedaki, didieridoo)

The didgeridoo is not made by man, it is created by nature itself. Australian termites eat the inside of tree trunks and branches.

It is made from a piece of eucalyptus trunk 1-3 meters long, the core of which has been eaten away by termites, the mouthpiece can be treated with black beeswax. The instrument itself is often painted or decorated with images of tribal totems.

All that remains is to find the blanks, and the didgeridoo is almost ready, just a little finishing and decorating. Not every native manages to find a blank, since, as they say, to search, you need to have a special state of consciousness.

The didgeridoo is also made from bamboo. Many instruments are decorated with traditional paintings and images of animal totems.

Didgeridoo is the European-American name for a wind overtone musical instrument of the Aboriginal Australians. In northern Australia, where the didgeridoo originated, it is called Yedaki. The largest didgeridoo reaches a length of 2.5 meters.

The uniqueness of the didgeridoo is that it sounds on just one note. But at the same time, the instrument has a very large range of timbre. Only the human voice, a jew's harp and partly an organ can compare with it.

When playing, the technique of continuous breathing is used. The didgeridoo is played during various rituals and this helps to enter a trance. This instrument was not widely used and was used only in some areas of Northern Australia.

Corroboree dancing

The Aborigines found many joys in everyday life (what we can learn from them!), which helped them create Have a good mood and cheerful disposition. And this is the basis of health and longevity. The joy of being was reflected in music and dances called corrobories, which were usually not associated with rituals and therefore were not constrained by the framework of ritual - as they say, they danced “from the heart” :-).

These dances depicted scenes from everyday life and performed performances imitating natural phenomena and life events.

Music for both corroboree and rituals was performed by simple means. In some tribes, the rhythm was beaten by simply alternating blows on the thighs, in others - by hitting sticks on the ground, sometimes by tapping two boomerangs. Tufts of eucalyptus leaves on the ankles and forearms imitated the rustling of emu feathers.

The most characteristic sounds were the monotonous lamentations of the aborigines themselves and the sounds made by the didieridoo - see description above. The trumpet served as a kind of mouthpiece, amplifying the sound of the voice.

These natives were very respected, because it is not so easy to find a good “trumpet player” who can hum as if without interrupting his breath and in two keys. The songwriter was also a very respected person. He himself took part in performances and composed songs telling about everyday events; his extensive repertoire was also replenished with songs inherited from his ancestors.

The songwriter and “trumpet player” often performed at the invitation of other groups and received compensation for these services. There were also dance leaders. They were responsible for the bulk of the performance of corroboree, which required masterful imitation, especially of the habits of animals.

A modern corroboree may also chronicle skirmishes or represent scenes of early contact with Europeans.

There is such a musical instrument as the Didgeridoo, it is believed that it is one of the oldest and comes from Australia, where it was used by the aborigines for ritual purposes. Is he needed? to modern man the question is controversial. The tribes themselves used it to enter a state of trance, where they communicated with spirits and contemplated various visions sent to them. The instrument has only one note (the so-called “drone”, or buzz), that is, it will not be possible to play “Vladimir Central” or “cranes over the camp” on it; a variety of sounds can be obtained by articulation, blowing and other special techniques for playing the winds. The instrument has a very large range of timbre. Only the human voice, the jew's harp, and partly the organ can compare with it. One of the curious moments when playing this instrument is the so-called “continuous breathing”, which, in addition to the shamanic trance state, gives a good exercise effect for the lungs. The instrument itself is often painted or decorated with images of tribal totems. My version is painted in the form of a psychedelic lizard.
This is what the instrument looks like with and without a case.

The part to which the breath is directed.

Back side.
How the tool is seen “from the eyes”:

More details drawing:

Size length 119 cm, diameter 6 cm, material bamboo, my note is C#. The quality is good, varnished, it is believed that the sound of bamboo is more interesting and deeper than that of wood.


An excellent tool for activities and entertainment, can be used for decoration. The sound can be recorded, but due to the unknown of your acoustics, most likely it will not resemble the real sound. And in connection with the “change in state of consciousness” during the game, it doesn’t seem even more likely.
Definitely worth taking for those who are interested in ethnic or ambient sounds; it will also be useful for those who practice trance states, meditation, yogic pranayama or holotropic breathing.

I'm planning to buy +13 Add to favorites I liked the review +26 +53

There is such a musical instrument as the Didgeridoo, it is believed that it is one of the oldest and comes from Australia, where it was used by the aborigines for ritual purposes. Whether modern man needs it is a controversial question. The tribes themselves used it to enter a state of trance, where they communicated with spirits and contemplated various visions sent to them. The instrument has only one note (the so-called “drone”, or buzz), that is, it will not be possible to play “Vladimir Central” or “cranes over the camp” on it; a variety of sounds can be obtained by articulation, blowing and other special techniques for playing the winds. The instrument has a very large range of timbre. Only the human voice, the jew's harp, and partly the organ can compare with it. One of the curious moments when playing this instrument is the so-called “continuous breathing”, which, in addition to the shamanic trance state, gives a good exercise effect for the lungs. The instrument itself is often painted or decorated with images of tribal totems. My version is painted in the form of a psychedelic lizard.
This is what the instrument looks like with and without a case.

The part to which the breath is directed.

Back side.
How the tool is seen “from the eyes”:

More details drawing:

Size length 119 cm, diameter 6 cm, material bamboo, my note is C#. The quality is good, varnished, it is believed that the sound of bamboo is more interesting and deeper than that of wood.


An excellent tool for activities and entertainment, can be used for decoration. The sound can be recorded, but due to the unknown of your acoustics, most likely it will not resemble the real sound. And in connection with the “change in state of consciousness” during the game, it doesn’t seem even more likely.
Definitely worth taking for those who are interested in ethnic or ambient sounds; it will also be useful for those who practice trance states, meditation, yogic pranayama or holotropic breathing.

I'm planning to buy +13 Add to favorites I liked the review +26 +53