The Didgeridoo Bell End Explained: Narrow and Wide Compared

Every didgeridoo has two ends: the mouthpiece, where the player blows, and the bell end, where the sound comes out. The bell end has a large effect on the character of an instrument. In this video Benny from Didgeridoo Breath demonstrates that effect with two didgeridoos in the same key, one narrow and one wide.

What is the bell end?

The bell end is the far end of the didgeridoo, opposite the mouthpiece. On some instruments the tube stays roughly the same width all the way along. On others it widens noticeably towards the end, much like the flared bell of a brass instrument. Traditional didgeridoos are made from eucalyptus trees hollowed out by termites, so the shape of the bell depends largely on the tree each one came from.

The comparison in the video

Benny uses two instruments made by the same artist and tuned to the same note. That keeps the comparison fair: the key and the maker are the same, so the main difference is the shape of the tube.

• The narrow instrument is more or less the same size all the way through. Its sound is described as really tight.
• The wide instrument came from a completely different tree and opens into a broad bell. Its sound is described as big and cavernous, with a lot of resonance.

Played one after the other, the difference is easy to hear even through a recording. Benny calls the wide one a real wall shaker.

Why the bell changes the sound

Two instruments in the same key share the same basic note, but the tone around that note can differ a great deal. In the video the point is simple: the bell end is where the resonance is. A wide bell gives the sound room to open out and boom. A narrow, even tube keeps it focused and tight. Neither is better. They are different voices.

This is also why the key alone is not a full description of a didgeridoo. Two instruments can be listed with the same note while sounding and feeling very different, both to the person playing and to anyone listening.

What this means if you are choosing one

If you want a deep, booming sound, the advice in the video is to look for a didgeridoo with a big bell end. If you prefer a tighter, more focused tone, a narrower instrument may suit you. Either way, the best guide is your ears. Listening to recordings with your speakers turned up, or to the instrument in person, will tell you more than a description can.

Part of a wider series

This video belongs to the Didgeridoo Buyers Guide, a free video series covering the bell end, length, mouthpiece, key and other features of the instrument. The series is hosted by Didgeridoo Dojo, which also teaches the didgeridoo online for anyone who wants to learn to play.