Rate the sound qualities of didgeridoos,
buy the didgeridoo you like regardless

How to decide which didgeridoo to buy? You can browse, unprepared, for a didgeridoo, buy the first one that catches your eyes and end up with a fantastic instrument, with perfect didgeridoo sound. Although, it is better to make a wish-list about the qualities you looking for in a didgeridoo. Buy the one which matches those qualities and satisfaction is assured. Every didgeridoo, among the plenitude in a didgeridoo place, sounds different.

What makes the unusual mixture of didgeridoo sounds is the very strong and varied interactions among

•   the basic sound and the overtones of the didgeridoo,
•   the buzzing vibrations of the player's lips and
•   the vocals produced in the player's vocal tract.

Most of the criteria to judge didgeridoo sound are relative; no wander, when out of the three above mentioned interacting factors two are the players attributes. The didgeridoo is like an extension to the vocal tract of the player. Didgeridoo playing is very similar to singing.

To compare didgeridoo sounds, you need a couple of didgeridoos, but that should not be a problem in a didgeridoo place.

•   Back Pressure: the didgeridoo on which you can play longer with the same breath of air has a higher back pressure. When other qualities equal always buy the didgeridoo with the higher back pressure, especially if you are a learner.
•   Sound Clarity: some didgeridoo sounds distinct, spirited, stimulating while other didgeridoo sounds rather subdued, cushioned. You don't have to be an expert for these comparisons, as the difference will be obvious when you hear instruments from both end of the scale.
•   Resonance sounds very scientific, but when applied to didgeridoo sound, the Dreamtime factor will make it more-less subjective: some didgeridoos will resonate strongly sometimes with visible, but always with noticeable, perceptible vibrations. Others have a more smoothed, flattened respond to the sounds you evoke. The resonance would be the relative width of the representing frequency amplitude curve at its pick.(huh!) The stronger the resonance the didgeridoo sound is clearer and louder.
•   Overtones differentiate one didgeridoo from the other, especially a real one from bored or plastic pipes. The richness of overtones coming from the inner configurations gives the colour of the didgeridoo sound called timbre. In termite bored didgeridoos the resonant frequencies are not harmonic like in regular shape plastic pipe or brass instruments. Usually the first overtone is a 10th or 11th higher than the basic frequency.(It is, usually, less then a full octave.)
•   Responsiveness: the ability of the didgeridoo (and the player) to produce different overtones and/or vocals at the same time.

The list of judging criterion is not final, the scale is open-ended and personal. Make up your on list of the qualities you look for in a didgeridoo. Buy the didgeridoo you like on its own, regardless of your list. Have in mind: every didgeridoo has its own spirit, its unique didgeridoo sound you should be familiar with and bring out the best in it to your liking and fancy.

If you not a didgeridoo player already, which is the case for most people reading this page, you can still judge the instruments to some extent.

•   Tap on the mouthpiece with your open palm. If the sound you hearing is a clear ringing sound than the instrument has a good resonance. If the sound of didgeridoo is cushioned out, muffled than it is not a good buy.
•   Put the mouthpiece to your ears and you will hear the resonant frequencies of the background noise in the didgeridoo place amplified in the instrument, compare it to other didgeridoos and buy the louder, clearer sounding one.