Didjeridu

Didjeridu, musical instrument, a trumpet used by the Aboriginal people of northern Australia to accompany singing and dancing in rituals and entertainment. In use for about the past 1000 years, the didjeridu is made from an irregular eucalyptus branch about 1 to 1.5 m (about 3.25 to 5 ft) long and has a conical bore that is hollowed by termites. The entire length of the tube is often decorated with totemic designs. At the smaller end there is a mouthpiece fashioned of pliable beeswax. Players produce the fundamental note by loosely vibrating their lips against the mouthpiece. To avoid pausing for breath, players inhale through the nose and store air in their cheeks, a technique known as circular breathing. This technique permits the production of a continuous drone that can be altered by the lips, by the tongue, and by diaphragm pressure to vary the pitch and texture of the instrument's sound. Vocal sounds are integrated to create buzzing, growling, humming, and croaking effects that imitate birds and animals. In recent years the didjeridu has been adopted by non-Aboriginal musicians. See also Aboriginal Australians.