Why Didgeridoo Prices Vary, and What It Means for Learners

If you are just starting out, one of the first surprises when you shop for a didgeridoo is the price range. Two instruments that look broadly similar can be listed at very different prices. In this part of the Didgeridoo Buyers Guide, Benny from Didgeridoo Breath explains where that difference comes from. Below we look at what it means for someone who is learning to play.

What the video compares

Benny holds up two instruments. At the time of filming, one was priced at $99 and the other at over $2,000. Both are termite-hollowed eucalyptus from the Northern Territory; as Benny puts it, they all are.

The cheaper one was made near Katherine by a group of makers who live close to termite country. They have easy access to suitable trees, so they can cut and send instruments when trunks are ready. The more expensive one comes from a maker who might spend a day or two deep in the forest looking for exactly the right tree, then put a great deal of extra work into the instrument itself.

Where the extra money goes

Benny names two broad factors: the effort that went into making the instrument, and the artwork.

• Work on the sound. Cleaning out the base to make it more resonant, careful tuning so the toot sits in a perfect octave, and general attention to how well it plays.
• Artwork and finish. Dot artwork, or paint applied with ochre using a chewed piece of grass as the brush, along with how the instrument has been reinforced.

What this means while you are learning

• Price does not replace practice. The drone, your breathing and your mouth shapes have to be learned on whatever instrument you play. A good, playable didgeridoo helps, but the skills come from regular practice.
• Playability matters more than decoration. Artwork adds to the price, but another video in this series makes the point that the finish does not change the sound. If your budget is limited, put it towards how the instrument plays.
• Your ear will develop. Benny notes that as you get deeper into the didgeridoo, the things that lift an instrument's price become much more obvious. A modest first instrument lets you build that ear, so you are better placed to judge a high-end one later.
• Listen before you choose. Every didgeridoo is unique, so a sound sample tells you far more than a photo.

A note on fair trade

Benny explains that Didgeridoo Breath buys directly from the artists, and that the listed price reflects what each artist has put into the instrument. Knowing that helps explain why one didgeridoo costs what it does, and why a more expensive one can still be fair value.

Getting started on any instrument

Whatever you end up buying, the early steps are the same: a relaxed, steady drone, comfortable lips and good breathing habits. If you are starting from scratch, the beginner didgeridoo lessons at Didgeridoo Dojo take you through those foundations one step at a time.