Does Didgeridoo Wood Matter When You Are Learning to Play?

One of the questions new players ask most is which wood makes the best didgeridoo. Someone tells them bloodwood is the one to have, and suddenly it feels like the most important decision they will make. In this video from the Didgeridoo Buyers Guide, Benny from Didgeridoo Breath explains why that is not really how it works, especially when you are starting out.

There is no best timber

Benny points out that there are over a thousand types of eucalyptus tree in Australia, and termites favour different ones depending on the part of the country. Every one has its own qualities, and none of them are right or wrong. Bloodwood is a great timber, but insisting on it because someone said it is the best is, in his words, a bit like deciding your favourite colour is red and so you must have a red didgeridoo.

What matters more for your playing

According to Benny, the bigger factors are the craftsmanship of the instrument, its size, and whether it plays the right note for you. For a learner, those translate into a few practical things to focus on:

• A mouthpiece you can seal comfortably. If your lips can rest gently on the rim without air escaping, you can concentrate on the vibration instead of fighting the instrument.
• A size you can hold and sit with. You will practise more often with an instrument that is comfortable to pick up.
• A sound you enjoy. If you like the voice of your didgeridoo, you will want to play it, and regular practice is what moves you forward.

Your ear for timber grows with practice

Benny's main advice for beginners is not to worry too much about the wood. The subtle differences between timbers become meaningful as your ear develops. When you first play, your attention is on the basics: getting a clean drone, keeping it steady, and starting to work on breathing. Later, once those are second nature, you begin to notice the finer character of different instruments.

A simple way to start training your ear

You do not need a collection of instruments to develop this kind of listening. When you hear other players, in lessons, at a jam or in recordings, notice what you like about their sound and whether it is warm, bright, deep or tight. If you ever get to try other didgeridoos, play the same simple drone on each and compare. Over time you will find your own preferences, and that is what Benny means by finding your own path.

Focus on technique first

The instrument you have now is the right one to learn on. Put your energy into your drone, your lip vibration and, when you are ready, circular breathing. If you want a structured way through those foundations, our beginner didgeridoo lessons start from the very beginning and build up one step at a time.