We live in a perpetually vibrating universe and are significantly influenced by sound or music vibration. One of the reasons for this is that our bodies consist largely of water and that sound travels almost 5 times faster through water than it does through air. The art and science of sound/music therapy is both ancient and modern.

With a 40 000 year old history the didgeridoo is arguably the most ancient of musical instruments. Its haunting sounds cannot go unnoticed since they have an immediate effect on the mind, body and spirit. Bruce Copley is widely recognised as a master didgeridoo player whose revolutionary techniques are liberally evolving this ancient monotone drone tube into a versatile multi-octave musical instrument.

Using an astonishing array of didgeridoo, conch shell and kudu horn techniques, vocal overtone harmonics, bells, gongs, mouth harps, monochords and the amazing Hang drum, Bruce’s Rat Race Exterminators ensemble create soundscapes that transcend time and space. These extraordinary sound journeys (30 – 120 minutes) relax, refresh, revitalise and reintegrate the minds, bodies and hearts of all those who hear and feel its vibrations.

Below: Bruce Copley playing "dual didge" at the Dreamtime Didgeridoo Festival in Berlin in June 2002

 Reinventing the Didgeridoo

 For thousands of years the Australian didgeridoo has undergone very few changes in its traditional design and playing technique. In recent years a handful of players and designers seeking to go beyond the limited monotone sound of the didgeridoo, have used technology to greatly extend the sound and scope of this ancient instrument. Electronic synthesisers, the face bass, the slide didge, the keyed didge and the cello didge are a few examples. In contrast to the many TECHNOLOGICAL advances that have been made, didgeridoo PLAYING TECHNIQUES have lagged far behind.  DR BRUCE COPLEY a South African player who has recently made his appearance on the international didge scene has in the space of only 8 years, pushed the didge where it has never been before, pushed it into its wildest edge of edges and literally EVOLVED AND REINVENTED this ancient wind instrument. What follows are a listing of some of the extraordinary skills and applications that have emerged from Bruce’s ongoing playful and serious exploration of the didgeridoo which he describes as the greatest teacher he has ever had. While Bruce strongly urges players to push their own boundaries, he also points out that some of the techniques described below are potentially dangerous and are only mastered after hundreds of hours of practice. For further information contact Bruce at bruce@aahalearning.com 

 *        HARMONIC DIDGE

A FOUR OCTAVE RANGE(A1 to C5) comprising about 20 different musical notes on a conventional 1.8-meter wooden didge with controlled CIRCULAR BREATHING and OVERTONES through this entire range. In conventional terminology this means 8 sustained TOOT notes above the fundamental drone tone.

*         FIRE DIDGE

Using the ancient fire stick technique a coal ember is created from the didge wood and placed with kindling into the end of the didgeridoo. By playing a very rapid rhythm, the ember ignites and becomes a fire that sounds out of the didge.  

*        DUAL DIDGE

         Playing TWO DIDGES SIMULTANEOUSLY AND CONTINUOUSLY using circular breathing and matched or unmatched didges. Done over a THREE OCTAVE NOTE RANGE and combined with clear overtones and vocal harmonies.

*         HEXAGONAL RHYTHM DIDGE

Using a special stand to play 2 didges simultaneously (different rhythm on each) and at the same time playing another  4 different rhythms using both hands (drum and marimba) and both feet (bells and shakers).

*        TALKING DIDGE

Clear and concise speaking and storytelling through the use of ventriloquist skills while maintaining both DRONE AND OVERTONE sounds.

*        LIGHTNING DIDGE

A rhythmic and continuous playing frequency of 6-8 PULES/SEC and a circular breathing rate of 185 BREATHS/MIN for extended periods of time.

*        RAINBOW SINGING DIDGE

Using conventional singing, overtone singing, circular singing, whistling and Mongolian and Tibetan chanting to create no less than 8 TO 10 SIMULTANEOUS SOUNDS AND OVERTONES.

*        MONEY DIDGE  

*        CROCODILE DIDGE  See Video

Using a high pitched frequency the didge can instantly move large crocodiles who are resting or moving on land to dash for the safety of nearby water……….a very effective crocodile repellent.

*        RUNNING DIDGE

Continuous  single or dual didge rhythmic playing with circular breathing while running distances of  4 TO 8 KM AT AN AVERAGE SPEED
 OF 12KM/HR.

*        SPORTING DIDGE

A great deal of fun and mirth can be experienced by playing the didge while swimming breaststroke, cycling, exercising, walking, spinning, doing aerobics, dancing and playing squash.

*         UNDERWATER DIDGE

By placing the end of the didge under the water in a swimming pool and playing high frequency notes, it is possible to create a mystical sound effect and a powerful liquid sound massage for anyone in the water.   

FIRE DIDGE

An extraordinary discovery by Dr Bruce Copley

                               Smoking Didge                                     Blazing Didge

  In December 2004 Arthur Albertson who has close ties with the Bushmen in the central Kalahari, taught me to make the ORIGINAL FIRE using the ancient hand twirling stick friction method. After many weeks of blistered and bleeding hands, sweating, cursing and laughing I managed to master this skill first discovered by our ancestors 1.5 million years ago.

The idea occurred to me that an ember placed in kindling that was then wedged into the bell end of a didgeridoo could possibly be blown into flame by playing the didgeridoo.  I then set about experimenting but try as I may, the ember would just  not  burst into flame when I used the fundamental drone tone. After many months of smoke but no fire I tried using higher toot notes and was delighted to discover that  when I sustained a note that was 2 notes above the  fundamental  drone tone, I was able to get the kindling to burst into flame. My very first  successful attempt at creating fire in the Australian didgeridoo is captured in the 2 photos above.  The entire process takes about 5 minutes of intense circular breathing and very high air flow down the instrument. The kindling starts smoking lightly at first and then as the smoke thickens it is necessary to increase the flow even further in order to ignite the kindling. What is very interesting is that without hitting the right note, it is not possible to create a flame even if the air flow is very high and intense. This may be similar to the phenomenon of SONOLUMINESCENCE or the transformation of sound to light that Jonathan Goldman the American sound therapist was able to achieve using vocal harmonics or overtone chanting. It is reputed that Quartz Crystal has the capacity to glow when it is vibrated at a certain frequency.  My e-mail address is bruce@aahalearning.com