Frequently Asked Questions

About Didgeridoos + Didgeridoo Maintenance + Playing the Didgeridoo + Shopping at the Didjshop

Answers to common shopping-related questions are on our main Help Page

Please email us with any other questions you'd like answered.

About Didjeridus

• What determines sound quality in a didjeridu?
• What timbers are suitable for colder climates (ie British weather) and what timbers provide the best sound quality?
• What determines the musical key of a didj?
• What difference does a forked didj make? Can you blow in either branch? Does it sound any different?
• What is the disadvantage of a really low pitched (A#, G) didj?
• How do I decide which is the right key to choose - and was any particular key considered traditional?
• Does having a bell affect the sound - like it does for a brass instrument, and do wood types colour the sound or affect the ease of production of a sound. Does painting affect the response?
• Do certain areas (of Australia) show big differences in didjes based on materials?...Are there any books that overview instruments from around the continent?
• Is there a trade-off between the various sound traits? Does strong back pressure detract from quality of sound? Does a bell shape detract from back pressure?
• How do you compare a back pressure of "3" on a 1 to 5 scale to the back pressure of a 5 foot 1.5" PVC pipe?
• Does the material of the didj really make that much of a difference (manmade material vs natural).
• A friend of me, who works for swimming pool, gave me a long pipe (4 meters) with an internal diameter of 45 mm. On your page you give us the length of pipe for key E, D, or C with an internal diameter of 40 mm. Is it possible for you to give me the same for an internal diameter if 45 mm?
• When travelling in Central Queensland, I was told by both aboriginal men & women that it's wrong & offensive for a woman to play a didge, as it's Men's Business. There seems to be little mention of such a taboo on the web, even on sites run by aboriginal people, so is that just a local belief?
• I made a D tuned didj from a 118 cm pvc pipe and learned the circular breathing; the sound is really exciting, but I would like to know how large it has to be to play an A note ( for a lower sound).
  Plus, I want to paint it because the look of pvc is awful. How can I do that? What kind of paint should I use; will it affect the sound of the didj?
• I recently bought a didj from you and I love it. Later in the year we are going to go on a 3 month trip around various parts of Australia. is there anywhere that a didj is forbidden to be played especially by a non-Aboriginal female? I know that there are parts of Oz that even the black male couldn't play, does that still apply today? I'm talking about camping anywhere along the way.
• I'm confused about the various mouthpiece sizes (3.5mm-7.5mm)and how this affects the playing ability.
  Does the mouthpiece size affect the backpressure? Does a smaller mouthpiece make it easier or harder to relax your lips? Does the mouthpiece size have no bearing on the sound or ease of playing, but more a personal preference? Any information in regard to this aspect of the instrument would be greatly appreciated.
• Is there a danger of the gathering of wood for didges harming the desert environment?
• Can you tell me where the name Didjeridoo came from?
• I was curious to know if Aboriginals esteem certain animals in a spiritual sense. For example, lizards are a common theme on painted didgeridoos. Is there a spiritual connection, or is such an animal depicted simply because it was an important food source for mainly Aboriginals?
• How can I know if didgeridoos that you sell in this store are of good quality?
• I recently purchased a didj from you - made from boxwood. I want to know if this is a variety of eucalyptus or a totally different species of wood from the eucalyptus. I have heard of boxwood and assume it is not eucalyptus. At least in the USA. I don't know if it is any different down there.
• How the length and cross-section of a didgeridoo affect the sound made?
• Do you think it would be possible to have a page which would tell about the ornamentation on the didjes or a small explanation to each decorated didj. I think it would be fun to know why they look the way they do, why the dotted circle, why the lizard etc. If not - do you have a link to a "guide to aboriginal art"?
• I heard that letting wood dry for two years before producing the didge greatly improves the sound of the instrument. What is your position on that?
• I bought a didj from you and it arrived here in France in autumn. Can you tell me which kind of wax is used as mouthpiece. I think it's bees wax, but in europe it is much more soft.

Playing the Didjeridu

• How long will it take me to learn circular breathing?
• Do I have to be able to circular breathe before I can play the didgeridoo?
• I'm learning to play the Didj and have been able to create the Drone - but the only way I am able to do that is by using my tongue between my lips and making a "Raspberry" sound. Is that the right way to play Didj?...
• I'm fascinated by the sound of the didgeridoo, but my efforts have been restricted by poor circular breathing technique. I would greatly appreciate any tips or advice you could offer.
• When you say that a particular didj is tuned can you not change the tuning slightly just by the pressure exerted by blowing and the positioning of your lips?
• A friend told me that someone with a beard would have difficulty playing a didgeridoo because he wouldn't be able to form the proper seal at the mouthpiece as easily. Is that true?
• I'm getting stuck on changing from the air in my mouth to the air in my lungs and also getting enough pressure from mouth to maintain a sound for very long when breathing in.
• I may be putting up my own didj web site soon and have a question. What's the best way to record a didj? Should I use a standard microphone or is there a better pickup device to use?
• I understand the concept of circular breathing. However, I am having difficultly generating a drone with just cheek & mouth pressure. Do you have any suggestions?
• I have recently taken up the didj and want to know what I can do to eliminate the red ring I get around my mouth when playing.
• I recently purchased a bullroarer from you but don't really know how to use it properly. I find the string tangles up and I have to stop to untangle it all. I'm probably doing something fundamentally stupid?
• When the playing speed is 3 can it still be played slowly as easily or nearly as easily as a 1 or 2 speed? Alternatively I could ask if there is the point to buying a didge with a speed of 1 or 2 when 3 can do both?
• How do you make the didj cry (Vocal Shouts).
• I have your video and have learned how to do the circular breathing But I find that it's hard to keep going beyond 15 or 20 breaths. I was wondering at what pace generally is good to inhale, like how often, quite often or play longer and inhale less often. I just can't seem to get it and it's hard to tell on the video how often an in-breath is taken
• With the forked didges you sell, if two people play them at once, is the sound different from just playing two separate didges?
• I bought a bullroarer from you and i am wondering if there is any way i can make it be heard from a long distant away?
• I received my didj today and after watching video and playing for a few minutes my upper lip began to itch and then became very swollen.
• I would like to know what are the musical keys corresponding to? D, C, #D etc.
• I am a musical composer from Canada and am in the process of writing a musical with didgeridoo being an instrument involved. I am interested in knowing the tuning properties of the didgeridoo. Are there didj's tuned to specific pitches? Like say if I wrote for didj, could I ask that it would be in G or A? Thank you so much for your help.
• I have a didge with a low beautiful tone, but it has a very low volume, is there a way to make it sound louder?
• I am not quite sure what the term playing fast and playing slow means with respect to didges. I have ideas but am just not sure.
• How do you sound like a Kookaburra on the Didj?
• I want to know if there's any special position for the mouth to play didjeridoo... because I play with my mouth frontal, but I've seen people who play like blowing with a side of the mouth there is one correct position... or a position that makes easier circular respiration?
• Which is the correct position of the mouth in playing the didgeridoo? Should it be with the front of the mouth, introducing the lips completely into the mouthpiece or with the side of the mouth introducing only part of the lips?
• Please can you tell me if it is safe to continue playing my didge while I'm pregnant?

Didjeridu Maintenance

• I can't play my didjeridoo any more, what's wrong?
• How can I renew a worn out beeswax mouthpiece, and how (or where) can I get a fine bees wax?
• I just got my first didge . It's about 5' 27" and has a crack about a quarter of the way down. Is this common in didges? What can I do about it?
• The finish has worn off the bottom rim of my bell didj. Should I touch it up with marine polyurethane? Also, I want to put my own design on a didj. Should I use acrylics?
• I have an iron bark didjeridoo and I'd love to know how to care for it. I've read many things on how to look after it but I'd appreciate your views.
• I need to know how to stop my didj from cracking. It's going further each day, please help!!!
• Hello. I just bought a didj (#ac140) from you and was wondering about moisture built-up...
• Is it possible to improve the back pressure of a didj by reducing the diameter of the mouth piece with wax?
• I'm bored with my PVC didj and that stretched form. Can I heat the pipe and shape it a bit more like a wood didj? Will it influence the actual sound?
• I have just arrived back from Australia where I purchased a didj. On the flight back home to England the didj has been cracked slightly and I can't get a good sound out of it anymore. What do you recommend to fill the crack with? Is there a certain kind of filler that would work best or a material that I could wrap it with?
• How do I have to store a didj? Standing up, or somewhere flat? I've found an Internet page telling me to keep it standing up so the moisture can drain away, but I was also told by someone else to put it flat, because otherwise the didj could crack (his explanation was that it could start acting like some sort of chimney). So, which is best?
• I was given a didgeridoo and was told to put oil on it. Is this correct?
• I bought a "D" didge from you some yrs ago. It is playing slightly flat; it can be brought up by increasing pressure, but is there a way to alter the beeswax mouth piece to sharpen it? Decrease the internal diameter some? (plays about a 1/4 tone flat)
• I was visiting Australia 2 1/2 years ago and purchased a high quality (beautiful wood) Aboriginal didge. I'm a professional brass player here in America, so I was looking for a good souvenir and a great instrument. Well @#$% if I didn't knock it over a week ago and give it a beautiful "U-shaped" crack down one side, over the top, and back up the other. It's relatively small... isn't a hairline crack, but it is large enough for air to escape, which makes it "unplayable". I wrapped it tightly with a web clamp to encourage it back into place until I can get it repaired. For the time being, it plays great like it used to, but it's quite unsightly. I've visited many web sites trying to learn how to repair it, but I just don't want to screw it up. Someone suggested using saw dust mixed with wood glue. Others said use saw dust and super glue. Even others said DON'T use wood glue because it doesn't expand and contract like the natural wood does (Using this method will lead ! to more cracks in the future). Someone even suggested going to a furniture repair shop since they work with wood all the time. The most logical suggestion said to use marine/boat glue, since it's water resistant and somewhat flexible. It's a beautiful instrument with Aboriginal art, so it's not an option to spread glue over the crack and sand it down. Got any ideas?

About Didgeridoos + Didgeridoo Maintenance + Playing the Didgeridoo + Shopping at the Didjshop

Answers to common shopping-related questions are on our main Help Page

Please email us with any other questions you'd like answered.