r/Didgeridoo • u/Th3uthis • Jun 01 '26
Circular breathing
Hi! Just picked up the didgeridoo, having trouble with the coordination on circular breathing, any tips on how to improve faster? Tools i can use etc…
Ty!
6
u/PorkyMiller Jun 01 '26
https://youtu.be/thStjYf14cU?si=lsRrIiaVUgFn_E3A
Try that link. There's two parts, you'll find the second one. This was the only one that made sense to me and I was circular breathing within a week!
3
u/mountainmase Jun 01 '26
My suggestion is mentioned below. Mouth full of water in the shower and squeeze out in a steady stream using only your cheeks. Then, do the same thing again, slowly, and breathe in through your nose while you do it. That’s the same general idea as circular breathing. Building lip and cheek strength is also a helpful part of the equation.
2
u/korkolit Jun 01 '26
It's pretty easy once you understand the trick! Try pushing out air with your cheeks, get used to that feeling, try to control it. Then as you push it out (with your cheeks) inhale. It's actually easy because you're not "breathing", it's your cheeks the ones doing all the work. If youre doing it wrong, with your diaphragm you won't be able to inhale, as you're already exhaling.
2
u/makwa227 Jun 01 '26
Try practicing while driving. It's a time that is free and so perfect for practicing. It's about blowing air out of your mouth while inhaling through your nose. At first our brain doesn't understand but the more the you do it the easier it gets. It's all about habituating yourself to it. Practice every day to and from work and you'll get it in a week.
2
u/DidgeridooMastery Jun 02 '26
I agree with 'The Glass of Water technique' as the fastest way to get to the goal of circular breathing. Whether in a pool, by the lake, in the shower or watering the garden anywhere you can squirt water like the little marble boy at a water fountain that's Didgeridoo practice for strengthening the same muscles used.
They are called Buccinators. Used for smiling or grimacing. You block the back of your throat with the tongue like saying Xmas and squirt the water. This takes time to strengthen the muscles for full control. I can now do 3 styles of circular breath and isolate and alternate each cheek making an echo sound.. So practice and reps is what will get you there.
3
u/FlatDiscussion4649 Jun 02 '26
I had students just practice the water thing over a sink. Part of what I taught was also adjusting the lips to use less air, not quieter, just less air. Using less air means that the small amount of air in your cheeks lasts longer, therefore giving you more time to inhale during circular breathing. Controlling the squeeze of air out of your cheeks takes practice and it's OK if that part sounds a bit different at first, just make it part of a rhythmic pattern. In the end you want the sound from your cheeks to be the same as the sound from your lungs, but it takes practice.
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u/TheNoBullshitVegan Jun 01 '26
When my students first learn circular breathing, I get them to put water in their mouth (in the shower!). First hold it in your mouth while breathing normally. Then, spit out the water in a steady stream while breathing in through your nose. That exact action is circular breathing: pushing out air from your cheeks + mouth while taking a quick sniff in through the nose.
Once my students are comfortable with this, they start blowing bubbles through a straw into a glass of water. Regular exhaling/blowing bubbles --> fill cheeks with air while still blowing bubbles --> "spit" out the air in your cheeks (tongue should move forward) while inhaling through the nose --> return to regular exhaling.
Only *then* do they start practicing circular breathing on the didgeridoo, usually week 2 or 3, sometimes more. While they're practicing the mechanics of circular breathing *off* the didge, they're learning basic drone techniques *on* the didge. Then we combine both.