Buying Your First Didgeridoo: A Simple Way to Narrow the Choice

Choosing a first didgeridoo can feel daunting. Every instrument is different, and descriptions of key, length and timber mean little until you have played for a while. In this short video from the Didgeridoo Buyers Guide, Benny from Didgeridoo Breath suggests a simple way to narrow the choice when you are buying for the first time.

Step one: painted or natural

The first suggestion is to decide whether you want artwork on the instrument or a natural finish. That single choice divides the options roughly in half and makes browsing far more manageable. Neither option affects whether a didgeridoo is suitable for a beginner. It is purely a matter of what you like the look of. Painted instruments carry the work of an artist, while natural ones show the grain and colour of the timber.

Step two: listen to the exact instrument

Because each didgeridoo is made from a naturally hollowed tree, two instruments that look similar can sound quite different. That makes a recording of the specific instrument especially valuable. In the video, Benny explains that the sound samples on his store’s listings are recordings of staff playing that particular didgeridoo, so what you hear is what you get. Wherever you buy, a recording of the actual instrument tells you far more than a general description. Listening to several recordings one after another also helps, because differences between instruments are easier to hear side by side.

Step three: look closely at the photos

If you have chosen a painted instrument, the artwork matters, so take the time to study it. Zoomed-in photos let you see the detail and finish. Photos also give you a sense of the shape of the instrument, including the mouthpiece and the bell end.

Step four: if nothing stands out, let the seller choose

Some first-time buyers listen and look and still cannot decide. Benny’s suggestion for that situation is to leave the choice to people who handle instruments every day. He describes a starter option where a staff member walks through the shop, picks the best instrument they can find in that category, then wraps it and sends it off. For a beginner, an experienced player choosing on your behalf can be a sensible way past indecision.

What matters most for a beginner

A first didgeridoo does not need to be perfect. What helps most is an instrument that is comfortable to play, with a mouthpiece you can seal against easily, and a sound you enjoy enough to keep picking it up. The finer points of timber, bell shape and key become more meaningful once you have learned the basics and developed an ear for the differences.

After you buy

Once the instrument arrives, the next challenge is learning to play it. Didgeridoo Dojo teaches the didgeridoo online, starting from the basic drone, and also hosts the full Didgeridoo Buyers Guide series this video comes from.