| Name and Country |
How difficult do you think it would be to learn circular breathing (or thought it was before you learned to do it)? |
How easy or difficult was it for you to actually learn circular breathing? |
Please comment on learning to play circular breathing (eg. what helped you the most, what problems did you experience?) |
| Paul from USA |
Medium |
It was quite easy to learn |
I put water in my mouth and expelled it as I breathed then just held air in my mouth as I breathed. |
| Paul White from United Kingdom |
Medium |
It was very easy to learn |
Not concentrate too much on it actually. I was just playing anything fast and furious and having fun and found I had not run out of air! I had breathed without realising it!!! |
| Pedro from Brazil |
Difficult |
It was quite easy to learn |
On the beginning I found it quite difficult to understand the mechanism of circular breathing. the mind barrier was the most difficult to brake. but once I saw it was possible then practicing breathing bubbles through a straw and breathing while spitting water out helped quite a lot. what took most time to learn was how to maintain the breathing and not the breathing itself. |
| Peg Adams from USA |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
Time and letting go of the result |
| Perry from Canada |
Difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
My didge is a C and takes too much of my wind. Back-pressure is not great. |
| Peter Hatt from USA |
Medium |
Medium easy or difficult |
At first it was silly...a friend of mine had a didjeridoo. Now I LOVE it! I have two didjes and found your web page looking to purchase a third! |
| Peter from Netherlands |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
A lot of practice |
| Philip from Australia |
Difficult |
Medium easy or difficult |
Control of lips throat and tongue meditation and breathing exercises very helpful thought it was physically impossible at first (ie. Breathing in AND out simultaneously) |
| Philip from USA |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
Persistence! |
| Philippe Groleau from Canada |
Difficult |
Medium easy or difficult |
With a straw in a glass with water the water level( or straw deepness into water) should approximately equals the back pressure of your didgeridoo. The problem with this technique is the mouth shape and lips vibration are not like playing the didj. The trick is keeping constant bubbles. Also watch for the spills!!!! |
| Anonymous from Canada |
Very difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
I'm still learning. I refuse to give up. |
| Pj from USA |
Medium |
It was quite easy to learn |
Once I understood the mechanics of circular breathing I learned to do it in a relatively short amount of time. It's all a matter of developing the coordination. Doing two things at once that your body is not used to. Also practicing pushing air slowly out of my mouth while breathing in through my nose whenever I could. |
| Anonymous from Canada |
Medium |
Medium easy or difficult |
Using a straw in a glass and keeping the bubbles going. |
| Rhys from New Zealand |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
Chur good question...I took a big of tab of acid and sat down in a quiet place and pushed myself to get it over a few hours. I had been playing 6 months solid before getting it talk about frustrated not being able to circular breathe. playing with other good players helped a lot and learning to be a musician was huge as I had little feel and timing so combining melody and rhythm was a mind fuk. I started learning drum around the time I got circular breathing started late at the age of 19 and it healed the shit outta me and still does work on getting ya mouth to do all sorts of crazy things and weird sounds as well then try everything ya can down a didj having an insane range and a well worked diaphragm will make you strong |
| Rich from USA |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
What helped me the most was talking to the wife of someone who tried to help me. What he said really didn't. But she told me that he would sit there for him hours and hours day after day until he got it. When I realized that I didn't feel so bad committed the time and eventually got it. |
| Richard Macias from USA |
Medium |
I never tried |
I have never tried it but I am a very fast learner even at my age 55 I have seen videos and am very confident I can play very very well plus I am one that feels the the music with in my being and can trance very easy |
| Rick from USA |
Very difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
I practiced everyday for two months for at least an hour at a time or more. All I did was listen to my friend that played and listened to his Aboriginal CDs he had. No TV! It was very hard for him to explain to me and he worked a lot. So my time was limited with him for mentoring. Then I sat down one day and I wanted to play the didj so bad! I thought of how much my great grandmother (who was a Sioux Native) would love to hear me play the didj! I began to play and I tried really hard to get everything in sync. I began to cry because I didn't want to fail! That's when it happened...it was the best feeling ever! |
| Anonymous from Germany |
Easy |
It was quite easy to learn |
As a professional brass player it was easier to me than to the normal Didgeridoo learner |
| Robert Johnson from USA |
Difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
I am still very new to this I have owned my didgeridoo for five days now. I am currently trying to practice squeezing my cheeks making a terrible sound and breathing in with my nose. Easier to do just practicing but once I try to play my didgeridoo and attempt it I fail terribly. But I will get it down with more practice. |
| Anonymous |
Medium |
It was quite easy to learn |
I am a trumpet player which helped me a lot. I already had the experience of controlling my breathing and my embouchure was already trained. What helped me was listening to someone else do it. |
| Anonymous |
Very easy |
It was very easy to learn |
I WATCH VIDEOS AND LISTEN MUCH AND TRY WITH ALTERNATIVE PIPES AND TUBES |
| Ron from USA |
Medium |
It was quite easy to learn |
Easier than I thought it would be but I've played other wind instruments over the years so it's something I'd been familiar with for quite a while. |
| Ross Courville from USA |
Medium |
Medium easy or difficult |
What helped me the most was the straw in the glass trick. it is a mind control more then a physical control of the breath once you train yourself then it is done. |
| Anonymous |
Difficult |
Medium easy or difficult |
Practice and YouTube vids |
| Russell Stewart from Canada |
Medium |
Medium easy or difficult |
I took up playing the didgeridoo after being severely injured in a motor vehicle collision in which I was struck head on by an impaired driver in October 2010. I had always wanted to learn and the injury down time gave me the free time needed to practice not to mention provided therapeutic healing both psychological and physical. Of course the first hurdle was circular breathing. I began to achieve the skill after about 1 month of daily practice. The hardest thing to overcome was to train the brain to operate the diaphragm/lungs and nose separately from the mouth. |
| Ryan from Canada |
Very difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
Breaking the motions into steps and practicing them with the instrument to your mouth as well as away from the instrument. |
| Anonymous from Netherlands |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
It's just I couldn't I've tried and tried but I could breath in while breathing out but after a friend taught me again and again and again well I can do it now |
| Sami from Finland |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
You must always remember just relaxing and then it sound good listener feel everything what you get out in your inside |
| Samuel Sheats from USA |
Difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
Still have to stop and take a breath |
| Anonymous |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
It helped to fill up my mouth with air and use my cheeks to push the air out while sniffing in air with my nose. Its hard to apply to the didge though. |
| Scott from Canada |
Difficult |
Medium easy or difficult |
I am still working on it and incorporating rhythm. |
| Scott from USA |
Very difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
I have just started to learn/play the didj. I am currently able to circular breath but not with the didj. I am very pleased with my progress. |
| Scott Rose from Australia |
Difficult |
Medium easy or difficult |
Trouble relaxing the lip enough to play a low drone and clear tone; I learnt to play by practicing using a straw in a glass of water for circular breathing... also using the (plastic) didge in a bucket of water |
| Seth Thompson from USA |
Easy |
It was very easy to learn |
The control of the muscles in one's mouth has a lot to do with it |
| Shai Vered from Israel |
Medium |
It was quite easy to learn |
Trying none stop for a couple of days helped me the most. |
| Simone from Italy |
Difficult |
It was quite easy to learn |
Trying with tempo |
| Sonya from Canada |
Medium |
It was quite easy to learn |
BLowing into a straw in a glass of water while breathing in through my nose helped me understand the concept. Then lying on my back on a bed and playing for three hours I was able to master it. |
| Stan from USA |
Difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
Classically trained trumpet player. I still can't figure out blowing out while breathing in! |
| Anonymous |
Difficult |
Medium easy or difficult |
Just practice a lot it has to become second nature |
| Anonymous from Germany |
Very difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
Can't eliminate the little break between rest of air in my mouth and opening my larynx over the new breath |
| Anonymous |
Very difficult |
It was very easy to learn |
Thinking about it like blowing up a float or air mattress suck in through your nose and out through your mouth only you have to use your cheeks like parachutes yourself.. lol.. |
| Stephen from USA |
Medium |
Medium easy or difficult |
Learned as a trombone player many years ago. |
| Stephen from USA |
Difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
The video was helpful as far as I got |
| Steve from United Kingdom |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
I tried lots of different methods of learning - I probably found blowing through a straw into water was the most useful. |
| Steve Mccarthy from USA |
Difficult |
I never tried |
I still have not had the chance to try |
| Steve from USA |
Medium |
It was rather difficult to learn |
Had trouble because I wan not persistent. If I had practiced more I may have learned sooner. |
| Susan from USA |
Easy |
It was quite easy to learn |
Finding a tone and carrying it until I could breath at the same time. |
| Tammy from USA |
Medium |
Medium easy or difficult |
I wasn't able to play until I learned to relax while still focusing. I had bought a Didgeridoo and a local festival for my son because I fell in love with how beautiful it was. He was a natural at playing it. He is only 14. I had an elderly gentlemen from work who plays with his tribe and for meditation purposes help me. He was the one that helped with learning to relax. |
| Teemu from Finland |
Medium |
It was quite easy to learn |
I sat down to play didj and I just learnt the breathing From the instrument and mother earth. |
| Teresa from Canada |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
- not removing my mouth from the didj - trying to remove the gap -phrasing Di- to- low (breathe) - blowing air on my hand while sniffing |
| Anonymous |
Medium |
Medium easy or difficult |
I am just learning. I have looked a several videos about it. I took the common thread and just went to practice. |
| Anonymous |
Difficult |
Medium easy or difficult |
Relaxation during circular breathing is the most difficult thing for me to master. Continuing to work on this. |
| Anonymous |
Difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
Can do it only I need to improve as it sounds like a fart around the time I am doing it |
| Timur Paltuyev from Kazakhstan |
Medium |
Medium easy or difficult |
I use the water to learn circular breathing I Fill my mouth with water and blow it out and in that moment try to breath in with my nose after 4 litres I finally get to it first time |
| Tom from USA |
Difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
I've only just begun. I'm able to circular breath without the didgeridoo but cannot yet do so with it. |
| Anonymous |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
I would listen to cd's with guys playing the didjeridoo and without a didge imitate the circular breathing whilst they played I also watched a lot of youtube. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
I've heard and tried to start by using a straw but with a smaller opening I've found its harder to practice on my PVC didge |
| Tony from Australia |
Difficult |
Medium easy or difficult |
Practiced each night for 40 mins for 6 weeks |
| Tore Kenneth from Norway |
Difficult |
Medium easy or difficult |
Internet instruction video Difficult to know what exact (over)tone to aim for while blowing the PVC tube - pressing pitch issue. |
| Trevor from USA |
Easy |
I never tried |
I play the flute and it being a wind instrument figure it can't be super difficult to learn proper breathing to play the Didj. |
| Troy Hoyt from USA |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
It just took about 20 hours of playing my didge before I could keep a continuous drone. I am still getting better each day! |
| Ugo Grasso from Italy |
Medium |
It was quite easy to learn |
Most of all Someone told me about a trick:blowing in a bottomless full plastic bottle to visualize the breathing. And I was at the time harvesting olives and practiced among olive trees whom I believe taught me!!! |
| Vic Cherikoff from Australia |
Easy |
It was very easy to learn |
I worked out how to expel water from my mouth using my cheeks and tongue while inhaling. |
| Waylon from USA |
Difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
Still in beginner stage |
| Wayne from USA |
Difficult |
It was quite easy to learn |
After watching this on a couple of DVDs I understood the requirements. It's actually easier than I thought it would be. |
| Willibrord Arts from Netherlands |
Difficult |
It was quite easy to learn |
People taught me |
| Anonymous |
Difficult |
It was rather difficult to learn |
The sound did not go fluently I ran out of oxygen |
| Anonymous |
Difficult |
I tried, but still can't circular breathe |
I'm just playing and trying I have not taken any particularly serious steps as of yet |
