Favorite key/drone!

topic posted Tue, September 16, 2008 - 11:31 PM by  Brad
Share/Save/Bookmark
Advertisement
Ok, I want to know:
What is your favorite key/keys to play in and why?

My favorites are D#, C# and A#(low haha) I just love to jam in D# and C# always lets me grab quicker toots imo, but A# = meditation/healing for me. I always find myself "acidently" building these notes first. You guys?

(and yes I know "key" is a misnomer so "drone" if you care :-)
posted by:
Brad
Arizona
Advertisement
Advertisement
  • Re: Favorite key/drone!

    Wed, September 17, 2008 - 7:39 AM
    yes c and c# are awsome. get the best vocals and earthy drones.

    mostly i play on higher keys - generally f# cos i'm always busking and the higher keys are more hearable on the streets of babilon :)
    i just recently bought a reallllllly big f# from the didge shop in amsterdam. it's the loudest didge i've ever heard. a bit heavy cos it has very think walls and takes a lot of energy, but funtastic.
    haven't really played much on keys lower than C. but for sure - very healing sounds and great for toots! i guess if my playing takes me to a more concert based level with pa systems then i'll get into the lower keys :)

    i'm still looking for that perfect traditional G. played one at the a-dam didge shop a few years back - it was perfekt but very pricy - but still worth the price :::)
  • Re: Favorite key/drone!

    Wed, September 17, 2008 - 8:18 AM
    Nice stick Afghan!

    My favorite key is the "mystery spot" between E and F. There's a sweet spot in between where a tuner will fluctuate right between them, and since there is no Fb or E#, it's hard to identify. Just seems to sing for me. Great for rhythmic playing while keeping enough bass in the drone.

    I also love C# and B for the lower more meditative playing.

    Also, I tend to not want to play in D very much for whatever reason.

    Allan
    • Re: Favorite key/drone!

      Wed, September 17, 2008 - 9:51 AM
      Yeah, it wierd how some drone just don't apeal to me either. I Dislike "G" and "F#" quite a bit.
      They sound just buzzy to me and I find them difficult to be articulate with. I think it has a lot to do
      with peoples vioces and how low or high the are maybe?
  • Re: Favorite key/drone!

    Wed, September 17, 2008 - 10:13 AM
    Favorites tend to shift over time I think. At least it has with us. We used to busk with F's, but now its E's & C#'s (E's for faster & more audible rhythms, C# for low contrast and more meditative stuff, while we use D's for "brain massages." It's interesting how the same rhythm & tempo can be played on 2 different keys (not at the same time) and how different they feel. We rarely play the high F's any more, but I sure would like to find a low F.
    I have high A and G's but I only use those & the F's if needed musically. The low A & G rumblers have been climbing on our list of favorites. Gee, guess that almost covers the spectrum;-)
    We still call them "keys" tho:-)

    Per
    • Re: Favorite key/drone!

      Wed, September 17, 2008 - 8:51 PM
      I like E since its a blues key and I jam around with a friend who plays a 12 string. E has a nice feel. F is good if you want to rip real fast. G is just yucky.
      • Re: Favorite key/drone!

        Thu, September 18, 2008 - 2:42 AM
        I like E, possibly because the didj of have in E is the best one I have in terms of playability. It's fast and loud with perfect backpressure for my body type. I have been looking for a nice F like the one you found Afghan - looks sweet. It'll find me when the time is right:)
        • Re: Favorite key/drone!

          Thu, September 18, 2008 - 4:45 AM
          ha, yeah it's funny how most decent didge players don't really go for the higher keys - especially G. I don't know i love it, but sure it's difficult to find a G with enough character to make it sound like something more than just a mosquito :) if it has the right amount of bass and good vocals it's a great key i reckon. i enjoy that ripping traditional sound.
          My mate bought a didge from that shop in adam that is in that secret key between E and F - amazing!!!! i've never heard such cosmic harmonix, what a player it is.

          i just dl a torrent from a guy who recorded myself and my mate playing in cologne by the dom cathedral in july - huge avi file - 3gigs, but the guy did a good job with the audio considering it's done on a camcorder. i play that F#
          if anyone feels like dl it....
          thepiratebay.org/torrent/4392979

          if u do dl it, let me know what u think.

          robin check out the didge shop in amsterdam - they have a good selection of good musical instruments. They can get a bit pricey, even though their prices have come down a bit generally. my one was not to heavy on the pocket due to it's weight. 7kgs!!! a bitch to travel with, but worth the sacrifice hehe. i planning on triming about a 1cm off the walls.
          www.aboriginalart.nl/php/didg.php
          • Re: Favorite key/drone!

            Thu, September 18, 2008 - 8:55 AM
            Thanks afghan. I know that shop - hit it up many times when I lived in Adam. Glad to hear their prices are coming down a bit. There was a woman who worked there - great player, can't remember her name. Do you know if she still works there?
            • Re: Favorite key/drone!

              Thu, September 18, 2008 - 11:11 AM
              Yeah i think competition in the didge market is on the rise dramatically... so prices should be dropping, although who knows right. 20 years ago u could probably pick up a djalu gem for the equivalent of today's value of 200USD, now they're in 000 range...

              I don't know who she could be - each time i'm there it's always Yogi at the shop - nice guy.
        • Re: Favorite key/drone!

          Thu, September 18, 2008 - 6:38 AM
          Not wanting to be too commercial, but I have a couple ripping F's (both big bells) that I am willing to part with, but they ain't gonna be cheap. One is a euc that I bought from inlakesh maybe 10 years ago and the other is a Jason Strazzabosco agave. Contact me offlist if interested.

          Per
          • Re: Favorite key/drone!

            Wed, September 24, 2008 - 12:09 AM
            I have a bamboo E is fun to buzz with but i'd say i like to play my low B. Of course part of that is i get to rub it with a glove as a rythmn, it lights up =)

Recent topics in "Didjeridoo"

Topic Author Replies Last Post
the other tribe LogRhythm 12 December 21, 2009
Speaking From Spaces Performance Pam 2 November 10, 2009
Didgeridoo Bore Grooves whiteknight 9 November 3, 2009
new here: circular breathing question.. Unsubscribed 7 November 3, 2009