Top 4 Australian Musical Instruments You Must Know
Australia is one of the most vibrant and diverse countries in the world. The nation is known for its rich traditional musical instruments used by indigenous people. Many new-age instruments are inspired from the
Aboriginal culture.
From Clapstick to Didgeridoo, all has their unique sound, vibrancy and history. Today, we are sharing a comprehensive guide to help you learn about the top Australian musical instrument that every music lover should know.
Let’s Get Started!
1. Gumleaf: Blow to Create Melodious Sound
This unique musical instrument dates back to Aboriginal culture. All you need to do is to press a leaf between your hand and lips and blow the air to create a sound. This creates the vibration and produces a high-pitched sound. Isn’t amazing that you will just need a leaf to play the music?
You can find various gum leaf players in Australia like Herb Pattern, who have won various awards.
Key Highlights of Gumleaf:
- An instrument made from the eucalyptus leaf.
- Creates buzzing sound
- Use it create multiple type of sound
- Needs extensive training
- Used in traditional Aboriginal storytelling
2. Didgeridoo: The Oldest Australian Musical Instrument
It is a traditional instrument of Aboriginal Australians, particularly from Central and Northern regions. It was introduced 1,500 years ago and creates beautiful sound.
Didgeridoo is cylindrical or conical in shape and 3 to 10 feet long. You can play this instrument by blowing air down one end using circular breathing technique. It produces a fascinating drone like sound.
Key Highlights:
- The oldest Australian musical instrument
- Made with eucalyptus wood
- Produces Deep and droning sound
- Young students in Australia are again learning this instrument
You can easily find compact Didgeridoo from the best online music store in Australia.
3. Clapsticks: A Simple but Impactful Instrument
These are traditional percussion instrument used by the Aboriginal community. It is also known as Clappers, Musicsticks and Bilmas and made up of wood pieces to create a sharp and vibrant sound.
Clapsticks come in pairs and one is slightly bigger than the other. There are multiple ways to play the instrument. You can either hold both sticks in one hand and struck together to create a sound or hold one stick in each hand and strike one stick to the other in a rhythmic way to create a sound. You should learn to
play musical instruments, especially aboriginal ones.
Key Highlights:
- It comes in various types and sizes to create a perfect sound
- Some clapsticks are even decorated with painted designs
- It sounds better when the guitar is playing in the background.
4. Wobble Board: The Unique Instrument
The wobble board is one of the most unique Australian musical instruments. It was invented by an Australian musician, Rolf Harris. The board is made of a thin hard composite piece and is played by holding both ends and blending each inwards and outwards. This produces distinctive sound:
Key Highlights
- A traditional instrument made from a thin wooden piece.
- Creates a funky wobbling sound
- Used in Contemporary Australian music
You can buy these traditional instruments from the
online music store in Australia at the most reasonable price.
Wrapping up
These are the most traditional Australian musical instruments. These have rich history and will become the future of many enthusiastic young musicians. They can incorporate them in their today’s music and promote their cultural instruments.
