Didgeridoo Lessons for Beginners

What you'll learn

Learn to play the didgeridoo with our music short courses in Sydney!

Sydney Community College acknowledges the traditional cultural custodians of the instrument known in English as the “Didgeridoo” or “Didjeridu”. We strongly recommend reading the article "That didjeridu has sent them mad" by Murray Garde with Peter Danaja et Tom Djelkwarrngi Wood as an authoritative background to its traditional use.

If you want to learn about playing the Didgeridoo in Sydney, then this course is for you. Learn to play the didgeridoo in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Enjoy learning the principles and techniques of playing this ancient instrument which is believed to have been developed by First Nations People in what is today called Arnhem Land, between 1500 and 2000 years ago.

Our fantastic tutor played the didgeridoo with Midnight Oil in Australia and the USA and was the frontman for the band 'Gondwana' which launched the first album of contemporary didge music. He has also performed in solo concerts around the world and will share wonderful yarns and anecdotes between blowing sessions on the instrument.

In this didgeridoo course, there is a strong emphasis on exploring the history, cultural and environmental background to set the scene for fully appreciating this remarkable instrument and its capabilities in terms of both its scope of vibrations, audio frequencies and octaves, and its benefits to the player.

Learning outcomes

By the end of these didgeridoo lessons, you should be able to:

• Understand the history and cultural associations of the didgeridoo
• Understand the scope of the didgeridoo as an instrument
• Understand the concept, benefits and practice of circular breathing
• Play basic rhythms

Course content

What will be covered in this didgeridoo course?

• The history and cultural associations with the didgeridoo
• The scope of the instrument and its range of possibilities
• Breathing techniques
• Playing techniques including sniff, squeeze and push
• Variations to achieve different sounds and rhythms

Intended audience

Who is this didgeridoo course for?

This didgeridoo course is designed for everyone. No experience is necessary.

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

Corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd, Rozelle (in the grounds of St. Joseph’s Church).

Course materials

What to bring to class

• If you already have a didgeridoo, bring it with you. But please be aware that some didgeridoos are sold as souvenirs and are not good sound instruments.
• If you do not already own a didgeridoo, you may want to request to borrow an instrument or purchase one for $100 from your tutor Charlie.

If you want to borrow or order a didgeridoo, send us an email at at least one week before the course starts.

Please note, we can supply a small number of didgeridoos and didgeribones for use during the class sessions, but you will need your own to practice between classes.