Little Grand daughter wants a Didgeridoo
Yes my youngest Grand daughter wants a Didgeridoo. I came up with one made of PCV pipe. She wanted wood and told be so in no uncertain terms… But she is only 5 so she used nice words.
Anyway, I was listening to some recordings from U-Tube by several Didgeridoo players. She fell in love with the sound. She loves her Piano and can read most music notes. I think she hates playing what the teachers (A Pro and my daughter teach her.)
I’m with her, but never tell her that, so Mom don’t get upset. She loves making up music. Not words, just tunes or whatever she feels she likes to hear.
I have looked around and have noticed that many Didgeridoo’s are not necessarily straight tubes. I think just long for the BASS and a round opening for the lips.
I do NOT have a ear for music or can play any instrument. I just know what I like that my old ears can hear. As in Didgeridoo, Steel Guitar, Obo and Kettle Drums.
I have some long white birch logs that are about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and about 9 feet long that I have had a very long time and never used. Most of the bark seems tight? I think.
Finally my question:
If I split the logs (probably bandsaw) in half to then hollow out, does the sound chamber have to be round for the full length? I ‘think’ the lip inlet and probably the exit should be round but not sure if it is necessary for the full length. The ‘sticks’ are just sort of straight but some strange curves and whatever as all wood does.
To save work/time (she wants it yesterday) how perfect does the sound chamber have to be along it’s length compared to the inlet and outlet? Could most of the length be square or whatever as long as I carve the inner length approximately all the same?
She has a very good ear for sound. I DO NOT! I do have an old 500 MHz Storage Tektronix Oscilloscope and a quality Shure microphone but not sure what to Tune it to.. I guess I would have to seal the wooden half parts during testing for ssomehow during testing but not sure what/when/why to do things during the tuning.
I hope somebody has an idea or two.. It does not have to perfect in my opinion but my grandbaby may have different ideas!
My hat is off the the Aboriginal makers! I am very, very lost here….
PaPa has to look good on this project!
Edited 10/3/2009 12:06 pm by WillGeorge
Replies
Hi Will
Take a look here:http://www.didges.com.au/make-a-didge.htm
Regards from Perth
Derek
Derek
Thank you for the link. Back where I started from..
And I was thinking of adding a 'reed' to the mouthpiece!
Edited 10/3/2009 12:44 pm by WillGeorge
Will,
You have a five-year-old jazz musician on your hands! Nice. And what a grandfather, looking to build a 9-foot musical instrument for a child's whim, albeit a strongly stated whim. She couldn't want a piccolo, no.
Personally, I'd indulge any inclination toward music in the young. Or old, for that matter.
Please post pictures, no matter how it turns out.
--jonnieboy
And my first Daughter played the Trombone! Very expensive at the time for me.. She no longer playes it!
>She fell in love with the sound<
I would have her checked. I hear there is a cure for that. Takes counseling, perhaps some medication but they are having wonderful success if you catch them young.
: )
>do NOT have a ear for music<
Oh that's all right. When it comes to didthreringroos it seems the boys that play 'em don't either but they don't let that slow 'em up one little bit they just keep right on with the infernal
reeerrrreerrrreerrrreeerrrreerrrreerrrreeerrrreerrrreerrr
>very, very lost<
Well like I said doesn't let that slow 'em up.
Double breathing. Blast the double breathing ! Means they don't even stop to take a breath. Instrument from hades !
God ! ! ! Where's me Ork axe !
Thanks for letting me get that out.
I feel better now.
God I hate didgeridoos !
: )
roc
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
Edited 10/3/2009 10:40 pm by roc
I think it also may depend on whether she can make it "sound". It isn't easy, from what I have seen at a display at our zoo.
One thing she might like to make "with" you at some point is a zither. DD made one at camp when she was about 10.
depend on whether she can make it "sound".
She could 'sound' the PVC one I made for her. I found a plan for one on the net.
She liked it but had her heart set on a wooden one. I make all sorts of wooden things for them.
I guess my original post was too 'long winded'.. I was mostly wondering if the sound chamber must be round for the entire length.
I am going to use a half round router bit in a trim router and try my best at making the halves match. My original intent was to try to keep the bark on if possible. I have removed all of the loose bark and covered it with shellac.
I made a short one (about 3 feet long) as a test. With my free hand skills, I found that matching the halves impossible while keeping the outer diameter matching it's original shape. I used a drafting divider to mark out the half parts. Maybe I'll try my shop made Pantograph at 1:1 after cutting one of the halves. I think I will try to mix that blue carpenters chalk with a bit of BLO and paint a finished side and squash it onto a unfinished side and see if I can get a good outline.
I would spend weeks on this. I find woodworking frustration... relaxing...
Anyway, even with the failures, it is FUN to do!
Better a Didgeridoo than a kettle drum, eh? ;-)
My son has at least three of these things. They drive the dogs nuts, but I have to admit they have a very hipnotic sound. He is very musically inclinded and plays sax and has a full (did i say full) set of drums as well. We have a couple cheapies that were done as you sugest and put back together and sound nice. His prize is an original from the outback (not the resturant) that he saved for a long time to buy. Me I can't tell a difference but he swears he can. If I have my choice I'll take that over the drums.
I was married by a judge - I should have asked for a jury.
George Burns
I don't know, I'd let the dogs bite him. Dogs have an excellent ear for sound. I'd trust the dogs' opinion on this one.: )rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
Edited 10/4/2009 2:23 pm by roc
Me I can't tell a difference but he swears he can...
Both of my China Dolls have a gift for Music. Or maybe no gift at all but the parents are both teachers that love little children. A Masters and a PHd something in education. Both girls wanted to do martial arts (Maybe TV). Not sure, but their TV time is allowed but is VERY restricted as to time. Not so much as to what they are allowed to watch. The father is the PHd that teaches teachers.
They have a set of Electronic drums I got for them. They play them but they like the Piano 10 times more than the drums.
Now if one girl would like to learn the Violin! My dream.. My grandfather played one. Surely not a master... BUT I loved the sound as a child.
The girls were told, OK for the martial arts... BUT you have to also take piano lessons. Father plays Piano?
They thrive on learning but they are NEVER forced to do anything except try their best at what THEY wanted to try to do in the first place. OK, and pass the normal school grades. They do well in school but fall into the norm and slightly above. I think sort of like me as a child. School was boring!
EDIT:
Now if I only had a Math Teacher that could have guided me...
Edited 10/5/2009 9:49 am by WillGeorge
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled