Practising on the Road: A Compact Travel Didgeridoo for Learners

Regular practice is what turns a wobbly drone into a confident one, but a full-length didgeridoo is not always easy to take with you. This short video shows the Didjidoo, a compact travel didgeridoo, and it raises a useful question for learners: how do you keep practising when you are away from home?

A didgeridoo sized for the road

According to the video description, the Didjidoo is a lightweight, reduced-size didgeridoo measuring 34 x 13 x 8 cm. It is handmade in Western Australia by Slap Box Cajons from mahogany with a natural oiled finish. The description lists its key as F# and its toot as C#, and calls it a good instrument for learners, kids and adults alike.

What this means for your practice

For a learner, the biggest benefit of a compact instrument is consistency. Short, frequent sessions tend to build the lip control and breathing habits of the didgeridoo better than occasional long ones. If your main instrument stays at home while you travel for work or holidays, a smaller one can keep those habits going.

A couple of things are worth knowing as you play one:

• The drone and the toot. The drone is the basic note you hold with relaxed, buzzing lips. The toot is the higher, trumpet-like note you get by tightening your lips and blowing harder. Having both listed gives you two clear sounds to practise moving between.
• Expect a different feel. Every didgeridoo responds differently, so if you switch between a compact instrument and a full-size one, give your lips a minute to adjust.
• Keep sessions short and regular. Ten focused minutes in a hotel room or campsite still counts.
• Think about the people around you. A drone carries through thin walls, so in shared accommodation pick your times and keep sessions brief.

A simple exercise for any session

Hold a steady drone for a few breaths, then lift into the toot and drop back to the drone. Repeat it slowly. The exercise asks your lips to change tension and then settle again, which builds the control you will rely on for the techniques that come later. It needs no extra equipment and works in a few spare minutes, which makes it ideal when you are away from home.

A first instrument or a second one

The description suggests the Didjidoo as something to start on, to give as a gift, or for the travelling player. Whichever role it plays for you, the skills you build carry over to any didgeridoo.

Wherever you practise, a clear lesson plan makes the time count. Our beginner didgeridoo lessons work on any instrument, so you can follow them at home or on the road.