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Didgeridoo - Pro Performer skills

Name: Didgeridoo - Pro Performer skills
Rating: 4.9 (17 reviews)

Taking your Didgeridoo playing to Pro level and beyond with professional teacher and performer Jonny (Jonathan) Cope

Created byJonathan (Jonny) Cope

Last updated 5/2021

English

What you'll learn

Advanced Didgeridoo playing techniques
Performance ideas and tips
What gear to use - microphones / stands / etc.
How to teach others
Types of didges and options
Promoting yourself and getting gigs
Earning money as a Pro player
Traditional style playing

Course content

13 sections • 70 lectures • 10h 9m total length

Introduction1:03
Hello from your instructor - professional Didgeridoo player and teacher Jonny (Jonathan) Cope!
This course if for those who already play didgeridoo pretty well but want to take their playing to pro level and beyond.
I've been a professional didgeridoo player and teacher for over twenty years. I've played both solo and with groups in some pretty amazing places and situations and recordings of my work feature in a range of TV & Film productions.
As a teacher I've taught many thousands of people how to play this great instrument. My best-selling range of tuition materials (book, CD and DVD) have been bought by over 30,000 people! So I'm pretty confident I know what I'm talking about and that I can help YOU learn the didgeridoo too! I also have a range of course here on Udemy - perhaps you are working through them!
In fact I'm so confident that I can help you these courses have a 30 day money back gaurentee. If you don't think they are helping you can jump out and get a full refund.
By signing up for this course you will get instant access to a huge range of tuition that you can even dip into on the move as Udemy supply apps for iOS and Andriod phones and tablets.
Although there is plenty to keep you going for many weeks or months it doesn't end there! - the course will continue to expand as I add more material. Now all this work needs to get paid for so the course price will slowly increase to cover this extra material BUT NOT IF YOU JUMP IN NOW!
By signing up you are paying for 'lifetime' access so all the extra content costs you not one penny extra!!
So dive in NOW and learn to play one of the coolest instruments out there with me, Jonny Cope.
Skills test - are you ready?7:27
Is this course right for you?
This lecture will look at a 'skills test' to check your playing is were it needs to be to rerally get the best from this course.
Getting the most out of these lectures.
Take a quick look at all the features Udemy offer to help you get the most from these lectures including a few not so easy to find sections with extra content.
My hope is that, once you enroll on this course, you will take one lecture per week so that you have plenty of time to practice and perfect each technique before moving on. Most folks have busy lives so I find with my 1-2-1 students that this interval is about right for most. If you have more or less free time you may want to speed or slow the pace a little but PLEASE try not to rush through. It's not a contest and I really want to help you playing to improve so a good control of each technique is pretty vital to that process. It's easy to think 'oh yeah I know that already' or 'I've got that down' but check in with each section and be sure you reproduce the examples well (and feel free to be better than me!) before taking the next lecture.
This is especially important if you already have some skills. I have worked with all levels of players over the years and it is the more advanced ones that sometimes struggle to add a new technique to their repetoire. Take the time to really understand and control each technique and you won't look back! Some stuff might seem basic or straight-forward but give it a try before moving on. I hope my style of teaching is pretty comprehensive as I've worked with so many different folks at different levels and I pride myself on the ability to really break things down into their simplest components for easy understanding.
Pulse Breathing / Circular Breathing8:37
So, if you're working on this course you should already have CB pretty well locked down but I'm going to help you understand how to use it well. I'm also going to turn your world upside-down by introducing a radically different way of approaching CB - 'Pulse' breathing!
Pulse Breathing pt.26:34
Fine-tune pulse breathing by solidifying diaphragm, jaw, and steady tongue; master trigger pops and rhythm before adding dynamics, using metronome or foot tapping to stay on time.
PB pt.35:18
Develop didgeridoo breathing control by isolating the diaphragm and jaw movements, exploring range of motion, pacing, and rhythm to build stamina for fast passages.
PB pt.44:32
Polish your didgeridoo skills by integrating jaw, cheek, and diaphragm control to craft rhythms, breath shapes, and dynamic phrases through guided practice.
PB extra work 17:53
Taking PB a bit further
PB extra work 28:21
Common problems with PB and how to fix them.

Toots!8:51
Toots / horn notes / trumpet notes - didge players have lots of different names for this effect and it can be tricky to really master.
These exercises will help you do it.
Toots pt.27:25
Learn the spit or p.i.p change technique in didgeridoo toots, using a subtle tongue stopper to trigger a clean drone and smoother transitions across the overtone scale.
Toots pt.38:23
Master didgeridoo toots pt.3 with advanced tongue and dental techniques, breathing control, two-to-three beat rhythms, and precise second-breath execution.
Toots pt.49:35
Learn to change didgeridoo pitch by adjusting pressure, jaw, and lip, and using controlled breathing to maintain fluidity across high and low notes through guided practice.
Toots pt.55:20
Explore didgeridoo toots pt.5 with breath control, tongue tapping, and rhythmic development, mastering staccato accents, breathing patterns, and playful homeworks to deepen practice.
Toots pt.63:32
Explore advanced didgeridoo techniques for pro performers, adding effects with pressure, voice, tongue, and harmonic slides on a drone, while using diaphragm-driven tones, cheeks, and tongue patterns for sustained phrases.

Tongue tapping pt.17:05
Using your tongue in a dynamic way is one of the key techniques to really bring your playing to life. Just a few simple tongue 'taps' will make your didge playing sound way more complicated and rich. Even if you have been using this technique I hope some of my suggestions will expand it further for you.
TT pt.26:35
Explore didgeridoo time tapping variations using onomatopoeia to remember rhythms, with tongue-tapping consonant sounds and breath-marked notes. Learn a jaw dropper technique and build variations with controlled tempo and pace.
TT pt.39:31
Develop a fluid, rapid, bouncing didgeridoo rhythm by combining tapping, breath control, and precise tongue and cheek pressure, then vocalize phrases, vary pitch, and add rhythmic swing.

Rhythm 112:36
I'm going to regularly add new rhythms and then break them down to see how the are built and help you to master them.
Make this pattern using a repeating vocal 'grunt' - think saying 'grow', then 'growandgrow', etc.
Rhythm 28:14
'Dow Dow Dit Dow - Dow Dit' and repeat. Try the same sounds in your own patterns too.
Rhythm X - building blocks15:25
Let's look at some rhythmical building blocks. We can use the alphabet and specifically some of the vowels sounds and some 'plosives' and consonants.
Vowels - A E I O U can be used with flat cheeks and no voice to create harmonics.
Consonants can be used to trigger effects. The most effective being - D G J K L P T.
G & K are special as the trigger a glottal closure.
By combining Consonant / Vowel we can build 'seed' sounds to create patterns and rhythms:
DA DO DI
TA TO TI
TUKA TIKI
We can use the sounds of 'OH' or 'OW' to trigger or mark a circular breath.
TUKA TIKI TUKATOW incorporates an in-breath at the end of the cycle.
There are a huge range of possible combinations.
I suggest writing some out and then trying them. You could even write some onto small cards or bits of paper and try putting them in different orders to try them out.

Mouthpieces6:34
Why are mouthpieces important? How does the shape change the sound? What is good and what is less so?
Typical sizes (interior diameter):
Min 26mm Max 32mm
Try to avoid beeswax if possible as it's hard to keep clean, changes shape too easily.
Once I know what size I like I make them from moulding putty which sets hard - search for Milliput.
Posture8:15
Good posture is really important if you want to get the most from your didgeridoo playing.
Didgeridoos - where to get good ones?9:03
Where to find good instruments.
Inspiration9:49
Look for inspiration to become a better player & musician.
Care for your gear!8:14
How to look after your didgeridoo(s).
When and how to practice?8:59
The more you put in the more you get back out.
I find I need to invest a minimum of 1 hour a week to keep my skills tip-top.
Plan on much more if you are working on new skills.
Play every day if you can.
If you have gigs planned play double the time you expect your gig to last for good stamina.
Holding your didge6:42
Hand-held or using stands
Didgeridoo origins & cultural care7:04
Look into the origins of the didgeridoo and keep some respect for the Aboriginal peoples who use various forms of Yidaki / Mago, etc.
Didge keys11:06
When to use tuned didges and how to get the most out of each tuning.
Low didges suit slower playing and will have lower back pressure
Higher didges are great for faster playing with higher back pressure
If you use a very tapered conical didge, especially man-made resin construction, you can ignore the previous two statements! You may be able to access multi-drone style playing
Lower didges are good for sound healing use
Active slide didges can be great for stage perfoming if you are confident in using them
Slide didges are very useful for recording work and to help be in tune with other music
Playing / practicing on the move5:26
How to keep practicing wherever you are, even without a didgeridoo!

Starting performing.7:39
Start sharing your playing with a wider audience.
Grow your confidence with larger crowds
Get feedback from friends and family
Always try to present the very best of what you can do
'Busking'12:04
Playing outdoors can be a great way to boost confidence in front of crowds of people, you might even earn some money. I got a great deal of experience from my days spent playing near shops or crowds and always thought of it as 'paid for practice'.
Have some cards with you to hand out to anyone who wants to connect with you, I got paid studio work from doing this.
Be careful of any local laws, especially if you are trying to sell CDs.
You may need a battery powered PA but turn it down if anyone complains.
If you do get money in your 'hat' empty it regularly to encourage more donations and deter thieves.
Stage gigs7:51
Getting stage gigs and how to plan for them.
Stage gigs pt.29:14
See example Tech sheets for typical gig set list and tech spec for the stage manager / sound engineer.
Consider adding a sketch of stage layout if anything more than simply you + didgeridoo.
See list of festivals that feature didgeridoo.
Performance gear - other instruments.7:43
Adding other instruments.
Playing with other musicians.8:27
Playing alongside other people, especially if they are playing other instruments can be a great way to improve your playing skills.
The 'Pro' gig - what to expect.10:29
The good and the bad.
Other considerations12:54
Lots to think about as you become more professional and get more work.
Some ideas:
Good quality business cards
Promo CD with a few tracks
Good video promo on YouTube or similar
Up to date website
Regular social media posts to grow your fan base
The more work you can get out there in 'public' land the easier it is for people to find you

Work 1 - Diaphragm10:41
This series of exercises I've called 'Work' and should form the basis of your regular practice - everyday / every week. Even if you consider yourself an advanced player I would encourage you to watch these, try them out, and be happy that you have total control over the elements explained in each lesson. Then practice these often.
Good control of the diaphragm is essential to good didge playing and is the foundation stone onto which all else is built.
Work 2 - Cheeks5:31
Using the cheeks for various effects.
Work 3 - Jaw / embouchure9:12
Using the jaw - to support CB / Pulse or for rhythmical effects or to drop the tone.
Work 4 - Voice13:54
Get the most out of your voice, a very under-used technique in my opinion. I can be easy to use in your playing and can be really effective. It is one of the easy ways to make it sound like there are multiple things happening in your playing.
Work 5 - Tongue6:18
The tongue really unlocks fast rhythms and sounds very impressive. Practice will be needed to build speed and control.
Work 6 - putting them together8:01
Starting to piece the basic blocks together as a way to build fluency but also trigger rhythms.
Building speed and flexibility5:07
Even if you prefer slower playing, learning to play fast can really help your control over techniques and helps build stamina. Being able to control the speed and dynamics of your playing will make it sound more impressive.

Requirements

For Didgeridoo players who have mastered techniques but want to go further

Description

This is part four of a growing range of courses that will teach you how to play this wonderful instrument!

This course will assume you have completed parts one, two and three of my Didgeridoo course on Udemy, or maybe you have taken other courses and have reached a good level of playing.

To get the most out of this course you will need to have very good control over your drone, other sounds and effects and, of course, circular breathing. You will need to be able to create rhythms and be confident in your playing.

In this series of lectures we will look at taking your playing on to the next level - professional performer!

I want to show you how to create engaging sounds, rhythms and music that people will want to listen to and buy!

I want to help you promote yourself to get paid work at festivals / private functions / studios and more.

You could even become a Didgeridoo teacher and pass on your skills whilst earning money doing so, I'll show you how.

As ever we achieve all this with clear Lectures / Videos. This is a bit different from my other courses for a good reason. Yes I will still be asking to push your skills to the very top level with exercises but I will also be spending quite a bit of time just talking. So many of the video lectures require that you take a break from your practice / playing and just watch them. I want to share all the ideas & tips I've picked up in my 25 years of playing, recording, teaching and performing.

Important: I will be adding new content to this course on a monthly basis so check back often, even if you have finished watching all you can see on the course. Look in section headings for those marked 'Monthly updates' as these will get added lectures.

It's all available to stream for PC or MAC and there is an iPad and iPhone app ready to go!

(Android app is coming soon).

Keeping track of which videos(lectures) you have already watched is so easy.

Udemy has a great way of keeping track of your completed lessons(lectures).

The entire course is organised in step-by-step and easy to follow layout that you follow at your own pace.

Who this course is for:

Didgeridoo players looking to move up to Pro-level skillls

Didgeridoo - Pro Performer skills

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction8 lectures • 50min

Toots! (monthly additions)6 lectures • 43min

Tongue tapping. (monthly additions)3 lectures • 23min

Rhythms and extra skills. (monthly additions)3 lectures • 36min

'Traditional' Aboriginal playing styles. (monthly additions)5 lectures • 31min

Didgeridoo sound therapy2 lectures • 44min

Studio recording2 lectures • 32min

Useful information10 lectures • 1hr 21min

Professional performing8 lectures • 1hr 16min

WORK!7 lectures • 59min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: