Drum Circle

Those who play and enjoy the didgeridoo know that creating the low, keening sounds on the instrument can relax and inspire you. The instrument, made from hollowed out wood or PVC pipe, is played using breathing techniques that improve as the user gets better through practice. What an avid player of the didgeridoo might not expect is that the instrument and the breathing techniques could help you get a better nights rest and solve the rising problem of sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is an issue for over 18 million people worldwide, although the condition often goes undiagnosed and the number of people suffering from this problem could be as high as 30,000 million. Occurring when the soft palate collapses and the airway is blocked, the individual with apnea stops breathing. Other signs and symptoms of sleep apnea are snoring while sleeping and daytime sleepiness due to an inability to get adequate rest at night. It is a problem that often plagues those who are overweight or the aging population, but it is not known why some have sleep apnea and others do not.

To diagnose this condition, the individual must have a referral from a doctor for a night in a sleep lab. The sleep lab measures the times that breathing has stopped and rates it on a scale from mild to severe. Once the condition is officially diagnosed, there are few ways to treat this problem. The solution generally chosen is a sleep mask. The mask is connected to an air pump, which sends air through the patients nose and keeps air flowing all night. The result is fewer episodes where the individual stops breathing. The mask is bulky and similar to wearing a scuba mask, which results in patients tossing it aside due to how constricting it feels when on. Unfortunately for those who suffer from sleep apnea, the problem does not go away on it’s own. The patient is expected to wear the mask for the rest of their lives, as this has been the most modern and safe way to fix the issue.

A recent British study has focused on a new and non-invasive way of assisting those with sleep apnea, and the surprising alternative has been found to be the didgeridoo. The technique of circular breathing used by those who play the didgeridoo was put to the test by patients with sleep apnea. The theory was that the breathing techniques strengthen the upper airway that collapses when apnea occurs. The result? Those who played for six days a week and 30 minutes per day reduced the amount of times they stopped breathing at night by a significant number. It was also found that their daytime drowsiness decreased.

If you are one of the millions that suffer from sleep apnea, grab yourself a didgeridoo and put it to the test. The instrument that you will come to love to play may just help you get a better nights rest.

Labels: didgeridoo, music.therapy, sleep apnea, the.healing.power.of.the.drum

Very few instruments can make the hair on your arms stand up in the way that a didgeridoo can. Long and low tones escape the base as you blow into it, creating a musical sound that can't be replicated with any other pipe. Although not as popular in modern times, the didgeridoo is the world's oldest wind instrument. A natural wooden trumpet that was traditionally fashioned from eucalyptus trees, the Didgeridoo is still widely used in traditional celebrations today. Some modern didgeridoos are created from PVC pipe, and recently an electronic version was created with the help of blue tooth technology and a little computer know-how.

The type of materials used to create it as well as the length of the instrument affect the sound created by the Didgeridoo. Long pipes produce low sounds, and short pipes are capable of more high-pitched sounds that can sound similar to birdcalls. Using tubes of bamboo, eucalyptus, or teak that was hollowed out by termites or ants, ancient peoples were able to easily craft wooden didgeridoos. As insects hollowed the interiors, no two didgeridoo's were alike and the instruments all had a different sound. The mouthpiece is fitted with beeswax to create a seal when blowing. Today's pipes are made either by hand crafters or machines, and most remain undecorated out of respect for ancient aboriginal ancestry. You control the sound of the pipe, as the player themselves can produce different sounds with a change in lip shape or breathing. Most didgeridoos are currently used in Celtic and Ska music.

The electronic didgeridoo takes the windpipe to an entirely new level. Fitted with a blue tooth accessory and a wireless microphone, the user blows into the PVC pipe and transmits the audio straight into the computer. The electronic didgeridoo looks more like a telescope or a rifle, and the pipe itself is fitted with toggle switches and push button switches enabling the user to adjust the sound and contrast of the pipe while blowing. No longer do you need to huff specifically to create sounds, as the electronic didgeridoo adjusts the melody for you. The sound is part Star Wars, part jungle, and it gives you a flavor of primitive music straight onto your computer.

To make an electronic didgeridoo, you'll need an advanced degree in electronic tinkering. It's a pipe that is unique to the inventor Kyle Evans, the enthusiast who decided to take his PVC didgeridoo to the next level. The electronic didgeridoo is proof positive that when technology meets primitive instrument, the results can be spectacular.

Labels: didgeridoo, djembe in modern music, percussion.instrument, world.percussion

Xavier Rudd is an Australian singer-song writer, voted the world's sexiest vegetarian celebrity in 2007 by PETA. The didgeridoo-playing musician is known for working with voice and several exotic instruments. His following is best in Australia and Canada, where he often plays live festivals.


Rudd frequently features a social message in his music, like Aboriginal rights and green living. In keeping with this theme, Rudd also uses Australian and Canadian indigenous people as back-up vocalists and musicians.

Rudd had great interest in the didgeridoo from a young age, practicing on vacuum cleaner hoses before playing in his first band, Xavier and the Hum. Rudd has been recording music since 2002, with his debut studio album, To Let, which he produced himself. Chris Thompson recorded and mixed the CD.

Xavier Rudd later released Solace in 2004, which hit the charts in Australia, premiering in the top twenty. ARIA classifies Solace as a platinum album, and was released the next year in America under Universal Records. Rudd created an American following by touring the United States, promoting the album.

In 2007, Rudd released Food in the Belly in America, the gold album that earned the player his second ARIA Music Award nomination. In the same year, Xavier Rudd opened for Dave Matthews Band on their North American summer tour and toured with Canadian artist Jeremy Fisher, and released White Moth on the ANTI- label.

His last album release occurred in August 2008, with his fifth studio album, Darker Shades of Blue. While the album is his darkest, Rudd believes that the CD embodied all that he had worked for over the last six years. Tarun Tikoo's Surfer Dude's score was written and composed by Rudd.

Xavier Rudd stands out most for his live performances, rather than his studio performances. In 2007, he performed at Bonnaroo, High Serra, West Coast Blues and the Sydney's MySpace Rock for Darfur show. 2008 found Xavier Rudd on a North American tour ending in Vancouver, Canada, where the majority of Rudd's North American fans live. The same year, Rudd played at both the West Coast Blues & Roots Festival and the East Coast Blues & Roots Festival in Australia. He ended 2008 with a brief European tour. Rudd toured the world after the 2008 release of Dark Shades of Blue. Beginning in Australia, the tour covered Europe, Japan and the United States at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

Because he was born and raised in Australia, the Aboriginals taught him to play the didgeridoo. Rudd's prowess with the didgeridoo actually earned him adoption into an Arnhem Land family, which is an incredible honor. Rudd boasts a group of incredibly talented back-up musicians during his live performances, where he plays a great number of instruments himself - the djembe, the Weissenborn guitar, a few acoustic guitars, his own feet, and of course, the didgeridoo. The singer-songwriter distances himself from other musicians in the genre by playing an incredible number of exotic instruments.


Photo Credit: Robert Brink, Creative Commons License

Labels: didgeridoo, Performers, Xavier Rudd

Of the woodwind family of instruments, the Didgeridoo no doubt is the most fascinating and exotic in its class. The native Aboriginals of Australia crafted the horn, however there is no clear indication of how old it is. The Aborigines has a religious connection with the didgeridoo and believed that is was an integral part of the creation of our world.

Traditionally, the Aboriginals made didgeridoos from hollowed out eucalyptus or bamboo stalks. You can find didgeridoos in a number of materials in today's market, from Agave cactus stalks and any number of woods, as well as from plastic, fiberglass and other man-made materials.
The initial step to play the didgeridoo is to open your mouth wide and move your jaw. Place your lips around the mouthpiece, creating an airlock. The didgeridoo resembles the tuba in this aspect.

Blow smoothly and evenly. Your diaphragm controls the effort to manage enough steady air supply to vibrate your lips. Using a soft breath will let you maintain the noise for as long as possible on a single breath. Change the pressure of your lips until you create the proper noise. The sound you produce is referred to as the drone. Maintaining the drone effect is key to master before attempting more advanced and variations of didgeridoo tones. With enough practice, you will be able to create a nice, full tone.

Circular breathing is one of the most difficult parts of playing the didgeridoo, because it is so different than natural breathing patterns. By learning to circular breathe, you make sure there is air in your lungs at all times. Blow out air through your mouth by squeezing your cheeks, and breathe in short breaths through your nose. By contracting the muscles in your cheeks you breathe out the stored air supply, which inhaling the natural, unconscious way.

After mastering the drone, you can move on to sound effects, like bird calls, grunts, shouts and animal noises. However, this is a complicated process, because most beginners will be tempted to use their lips. It's important to never move your lips while playing the didgeridoo, because the lips need to vibrate around the mouthpiece at all times.

As a result, tones and vibrations are produced without your lips assisting.

These intonations are made by shaping the sounds without actually speaking them. Using the shape of your mouth and the location of your tongue will allow you to imitate the kookaburra and the dingo, as well as many other sounds.

To create the most well known sound on the didgeridoo, which sounds like "Ooo, eee," you'll need to focus on your tongue. Place the tip of the tongue at the top of your front teeth, and slide tip backwards over your palette. This alters the shape of your mouth, which will impact the tone and sound produced by your didgeridoo. Sliding your tongue forward will again change the tonal quality. These sounds will make the sound of your didgeridoo complex and interesting.

Try not to get discouraged if you are unable to create the sound effects as fast as you expected. It takes practice, like any other instrument. As you gain experience playing your didge, you'll get more comfortable with shaping your mouth to improve your sound.

Labels: didgeridoo

Studies continue to show great benefits for senior citizens that take on a hobby of playing music. Performing in relaxed musical groups results in overall physical and emotional well-being in the elderly.

The Music Making and Wellness Project was a study on the affects of musical participation on healthy American seniors. The project's findings were positive, proving that stress, depression and loneliness diminished greatly for those taking music lessons, while the life outlook of the control group didn't change. Interestingly, the participants of the music group has a 90% increase in the production of human growth hormone, which is known to decline as seniors age.

As Ted Turner stated, "Music has a great power for bringing people together. While it may seem that our days are filled with challenges that create more distance between people in our lives, it is important to take time out to participate and enjoy those activities that create bonds and community connection.Music groups seeing the best health results are those with members who encourage one another and practice social skills just as much as musical skills.

You could join a drum circle or a class, as long as there is a focus on involvement and a musical environment. As beginners enter a healthy and positive senior musical group for the first time, the welcome is typically a wonderfully surprising experience as their reason for being there is in line with the rest of the group; to feel better and make friends. Finding a group led by a mentor rather than an instructor will reduce the stress a novice may feel.

Senior music groups aren't about top class performance, they're about creating a sense of community. In the movie The Visitor, a 60-odd year-old widower discovers the djembe, as a result of his friendship with two illegal immigrants who have taken up residence in his abandoned apartment.

The bonds of age or skill don't matter; Walter (Richard Jenkins, who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the movie) finds passion and joy in playing his djembe, both in group circles and by himself. Walter discovered a new culture and a new skill, connecting him to his old life with his classical piano-playing late wife, while at the same time gaining new interests and becoming a more diversified person.

The djembe drum is just one of many instruments that seniors typically experiment with. While some individuals will pick up a familiar instrument that they learned at an earlier point in their lives, many others venture into new areas of music and end up connecting with an instrument they may have never heard of - like a banjo, clarinet or even the didgeridoo. As long as you join a group that is positive, encouraging and sonically matches your instrument, you should be set.

The biggest factor of a healthy music group for seniors is creating an enjoyable environment, playing simple arrangements with a variety of instruments. Whether joining a huge drum circle or a small brass band, the same ideas apply. The melody has a therapeutic way of connecting a group in a community effort to carry the sound which insists stimulation and intellectual challenge without causing stress.

Seniors will be reminded of the importance of working in a group, and will be involved in musical events in the future, making sure that they feel like a part of something. The skills one gains in a band are the skills needed to create any thriving community. At the same time, studies show that musicians, no matter what age, suffer less from depression and have increased strength in the immune system.

Labels: beginner.djembe, didgeridoo, drum.circle, drum.circle.facilitator, drum.magic, drumming, Jana.Broder, the.healing.power.of.the.drum

The eucalyptus didgeridoo is thought to be one of the oldest instruments found throughout history. Experts think that is has been played for over 40,000 years. In drawings found in many caves, the didgeridoo is shown being played by the cavemen. A lot of Aborigines around Australia used the eucalyptus didgeridoo in ceremonies for many years, in times of trouble and happiness. They believe that by playing this instrument, they can more easily induce a calm and relaxed state. This state would then help them get in touch with their shamanistic beliefs.

The original didgeridoo was made out of eucalyptus branches, and the ones that were used were already hollowed out by termites. Since this could take a year or more, the process of making a didgeridoo was long and drawn out. Anyone skilled in the making of this instrument would be able to tell if the log was thick enough just by tapping on it. There is a reason why the instrument was required to be a certain thickness. The walls have to be just right in order to get the right sounds. The length of the eucalyptus didgeridoo helps determine the specific key that the instrument will be in. Shorter lengths make the pitches higher when played, and longer lengths made the pitches lower.

The legend behind the instrument is interesting. The story goes that three men were at a campfire on a cold night, and they needed to put more wood on the dwindling fire. One man picked up a eucalyptus log to throw into the fire, which he realized was quite light, but stopped when he saw that it had termites all through it. He did not want to hurt the bugs, but the others complained of being cold. To solve the problem, the man scooped out the termites and put them into the hollow log. He then blew all the termites out with his mouth, and legend has it that they became the stars, and the very first eucalyptus didgeridoo was born.

Since termites are not necessary to create a didgeridoo today, many other materials have been used to make this instrument. Very mature bamboo is one of the most popular choices for the making of the didgeridoo. Teak and PVC didgeridoos also work very well, and can give the instrument an excellent sound. With the many varieties of eucalyptus didgeridoos available, many people are learning to play them.

Labels: didgeridoo

Didgeridoo music is a type of music that is also commonly identified as didge music or didjeridu music. The origin of didgeridoo music can be traced back to Australia to the aborigines located in the northern most region of the country. This form of music is a naturalistic form of music which is sometimes identified as a drone pipe or trumpet, and on occasion, musicians will refer to this type of music as aerophone music.

The didgeridoo instrument is a long length of wood that is often accompanied by unique and attractive designs. More contemporary didgeridoo instruments are conical or cylindrical in their construction and their measurements can be approximately 3 feet in length or more. The length of the didgeridoo is directly proportional to the type of sound waves that are issued forth from the instrument when it is played, and longer instruments provide a lower or deeper pitch than those didgeridoo instruments used that have a shorter length associated with their construction.

There are a number of performers who have made recordings of didgeridoo music and such recordings are suitable for easy listening, relaxation, and meditation purposes. Sometimes the music is unified with the sounds issued forth from a Tibetan singing bowl or with trance inducing sounds of various percussion instruments.

Performers and Recommended Recordings


Basic Didgeridoo Recording
Didgeridoo & Tibetan Singing Bowl is a meditation track that was released by Inner Splendor Media LLC in the year 2007. The tracks offered combine the sound of the didgeridoo with the gong, percussion, and more, all of which elicit a mysterious, almost eerie sounds perfect for deeply relaxing meditations sessions. If seeking music to play in the background while working, or simply looking for music that will deeply touch the soul, this didgeridoo music CD is ideal.
 
 


Mark Atkins
Mark Atkins is a leading didgeridoo instrumentalist as well as the 1990 Golden Didjeridu competition winner. This didgeridoo music artist has played along with the likes of Hothouse Flowers, the London Philharmonic, and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Didgeridoo Dreamtime offers nine tracks of Atkin's finest compositions including Bullima, Mung-Goon-Garlie, In the Night, Tuckonies, Sugar Bag, Dumble-Murray, Spontaineous Combustion, Devil, and Bungarrow.
 
 


Xavier Rudd
Xavier Rudd is another didgeridoo music performer who is a native to Australia. This artist is well known for his impressive live didgeridoo performances at concerts as well as festivals in the Australian region. Rudd released Dark Shades of Blue in 2008 which includes eleven impressive didgeridoo music tracks including Black Water, Edge of the Moon, The World as We Know It, and Up in Flames among other mystical tracks.
 
 

Resources:
Didgeridoo & Tibetan Singing Bowl


Didgeridoo Dreamtime


Dark Shades of Blue

Labels: didgeridoo

To maintain a continuous tone while playing certain wind instruments without experiencing any interruption is advantageous for musicians to learn and use circular breathing. To accomplish circular breathing, users breathe in through their nose while at the same time blowing out through their mouths. The air being blown out through one's mouth through circular breathing is first stored in the cheeks. Then, it is used by expelling the air through the mouth and into the instrument.

Circular breathing may be accomplished using a variety of methods; however, they all require essentially the same premise. The musician inhales fully, and as they do so, they begin to blow as they exhale. Just before the lungs empty, the remaining bit of air is blown from the lungs into the musician's mouth, inflating the cheeks with air. As the musician uses the air in their cheeks, they simultaneously fill their lungs. This is accomplished by inhaling through their nose prior to the air in their cheeks being used up completely. When this process is accomplished correctly, the air in their mouths will be almost empty as the musician prepares to exhale from their lungs.

The practice of circular breathing has been compared to drinking from a water fountain, and at the same time the mouth has water in it, taking a breath. There are a number of different methods that may be utilized to help musicians implement the basics of circular breathing, depending on the instructor. However, the foundations of circular breathing remain the same. It can be very difficult for many people to learn the basics of circular breathing, especially for many older musicians who, already skilled in many areas, seek to master the art of circular breathing quickly. This practice takes time to learn, and it is not expected that the process be picked up immediately. Since the feeling is inhaling while "exhaling" can seem quite unnatural, it can take time to become comfortable with circular breathing. By becoming aware of the basics of circular breathing, musicians can improve their odds of success using this type of breathing. While circular breathing is used for a variety of instruments around the world, including the launeddas, the arghul, and a number of flutes and oboes, the method is used extensively by those who play the Australian didgeridoo. This style of breathing is not a requirement for playing the didgeridoo, but it is a very beneficial one.

Labels: didgeridoo

The didgeridoo is a wind instrument found among the Aborigine clans of northern Australia. Didgeridoos are usually produced in the more traditionally oriented communities of northern Australia from various hardwoods, especially the Eucalyptus trees that are hollowed out by termites. Didgeridoos can also be made from PVC piping. The mouthpiece is usually made of beeswax or duct tape, but a rubber stopper with a hole cut into it is also acceptable to use for the mouthpiece.

A modern didgeridoo is commonly shaped like a cylinder or cone and measures from 3.2 feet to 9.8 feet in length, with most measuring around 3.9 feet. The length of the didgeridoo is directly related to the sound of the instrument. More specifically, the length of the instrument determines the pitch. A longer didgeridoo will produce a lower pitch or key.

The didgeridoo is played with lips that continuously vibrate to make the droning sound using a special breathing technique called circular breathing. This requires a person to breathe in through the nose while expelling air out of the mouth using the tongue and cheeks. By using circular breathing, a skilled didgeridoo player can fill up his lungs and hold a note for a very long time. There are recordings of some didgeridoo players playing for as long as forty minutes!

The didgeridoo can be played as a solo instrument, but is most often used to accompany dancing and singing in ceremonial rituals. For the Aborigines of northern Australia, the didgeridoo is used to accompany singers and dancers in religious rituals. Only men play the didgeridoo and sing during ceremonial occasions. Women have played the didgeridoo in informal situations, but it is taboo for an Aborigine woman to play the didgeridoo during a ceremony.

The didgeridoo has been used often with modern Celtic music. It is played alongside bagpipes in modern groups. Many ska bands have also used the didgeridoo in their music which has been influenced by ethnic cultures. The droning sound produced by the didgeridoo makes it an integral part of an instrumental ensemble from Celtic groups to modern day bands. A sliding didgeridoo made of plastic allows it to be played in the same manner as a trombone, while a keyed didgeridoo is played like a saxophone.

There are many different ways to play the didgeridoo to produce different musical tones. To produce the basic drone, you puff out your cheeks and push out your lips to blow air through your lips and allow them to vibrate and make a low pitched buzzing sound.

To create rhythms on the didgeridoo, you can bounce air through your buzzing lips, using your stomach muscles like you were expelling a belly laugh. You can also use your tongue to produce the same rhythm by putting the tip of your tongue just behind your upper front teeth and snap downward to mouth the word, "ta-ta-ta-ta." Another interesting rhythm can be produced on the didgeridoo by letting your cheeks puff out, squeezing them together slowly, and then allowing them to puff out again.

Lip shaping can produce various harmonies on the didgeridoo. Changing the shape of the opening between your two buzzing lips like you are whistling will produce a higher pitched sound. By mouthing vowels, you can produce various harmonies while droning.

Many sound effects can be produced while playing the didgeridoo. Slapping your tongue against the back of your mouth to the front of your mouth creates a sound like a bubble bursting. If you open and shut your jaw while droning, you can hear the dramatic harmonious drop in pitch that returns to the original note as you shut your jaw. Experimenting with your vocal chords will also add different pitches to your playing on the didgeridoo.

There is no end to the harmonious music that can be produced with various lip, tongue, and cheek movements on the didgeridoo. It can produce a low droning pitch or a higher melodious pitch, depending on where and how you place your lips on the mouthpiece of the didgeridoo.

Labels: didgeridoo