 The dijeridu (also spelled in English didjeridu or dijeridoo) is a natural trumpet created by Aborigine communities of northern Australia. It is traditionally made from a long, straight eucalyptus branch that has been hollowed out by termites. About four or five feet long, it is conical; the smaller end is about two inches wide and the other end about three inches wide. The smaller end serves as the mouthpiece.
One of the most amazing aspects of dijeridu technique is the range of expression that skilled players are able to achieve. Though the instrument mostly produces a single pitch, a few overtones are possible through overblowing. Players also use complex rhythms, a whole gamut of timbre changes achieved by changing the mouth position, and pitch bending when they inhale. A few other techniques are used, such as trilling with the tongue and humming pitches into the tube. In essence, this instrument creates a kind of musical speech, similar to the nuances and range of expressions achieved through |
the spoken word. p> This deceptively simple instrument has a variety of functions in Aborigine society. Two of the most important of these are its use in clan songs and in bachelor songs. The clan songs celebrate different families and their lineage or heritage, as well as tell stories deriving from aboriginal oral traditions. When used in the clan songs, the dijeridu, along with clapping sticks, often accompanies dancing. It has always been played by men.
Traditionally, boys of six or seven years of age are separated from their parents to join the bachelors' group; one of the most important components of their education is learning to play the dijeridu. The bachelors' songs, which use the dijeridu as their main accompaniment, are known as "fun" songs which entertain the community Though all boys learn to play this instrument, only a few ever become virtuosi.
Another context for this instrument is in western "classical" repertoire; for example, Pauline Oliveros (1932- ), whose 1989 work Deep Listening captures an improvisation by accordion, dijeridu, trombone, voice, metal pipes, conch shell, and a garden hose, all in the environment of an underground cistern (without water, of course). The nontraditional dijeridu used in this recording was made from an adjustable-length jointed pipe.
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