What Is a Travel Didgeridoo? A Look at the Compact Didjidoo

Traditional didgeridoos are long instruments, typically made from eucalyptus hollowed by termites. Alongside them, makers have produced smaller, more portable designs for people who want to play while travelling. This short video shows one example, the Didjidoo, a compact travel didgeridoo made in Western Australia.

What is a travel didgeridoo?

A travel didgeridoo is a reduced-size instrument designed to be easy to carry. The aim is to keep the essential experience of playing, the buzzing drone and the higher toot, in a form that fits in luggage or a backpack. Because the shape and size differ from a traditional instrument, the feel of playing one can differ too.

The example in the video

The video description gives the following details for the Didjidoo:

• Dimensions: 34 x 13 x 8 cm
• Material: mahogany with a natural oiled finish
• Maker: handmade in Western Australia by Slap Box Cajons
• Key: F#, with a toot of C#

It is described as lightweight and suitable for learners, children and adults.

Key and toot explained

Two terms in the specifications are worth explaining. The key is the pitch of the drone, the continuous sound produced by relaxed, vibrating lips. The toot is a higher note produced by tightening the lips and blowing harder, often compared to a trumpet sound. Didgeridoo listings commonly give both so that players know the two main pitches an instrument produces.

How it differs from a traditional didgeridoo

A traditional didgeridoo starts as a eucalyptus branch or trunk hollowed naturally by termites, so its internal shape is irregular and every instrument is one of a kind. A maker-built travel instrument like the Didjidoo is crafted by hand from chosen timber, in this case mahogany, to a set compact size. Both produce a drone from the player’s vibrating lips, but they arrive at it from very different starting points.

Who uses compact didgeridoos?

The description suggests three groups: people starting out, people looking for a gift, and players who travel and want an instrument they can take with them. In general, compact designs appeal to anyone for whom a full-length instrument is impractical to carry or store.

In brief

• A travel didgeridoo is a reduced-size instrument built to be carried easily.
• The key is the pitch of the drone; the toot is a higher note made with firmer lips.
• The Didjidoo is one example, handmade from mahogany in Western Australia.

For those learning to play, whether on a travel instrument or a traditional one, Didgeridoo Dojo offers online lessons.