FAQ

What is the bambooval?

It is a flute designed after the Bulgarian/Macedonian/Serbian kaval. While it is similar to the original kaval, each bambooval is unique. I never place the finger holes in the same locations. This adds to the character of the bambooval. As with the kaval, you will be able to play higher registers and lower registers. It is a very versatile flute. Playing the kaval requires considerable practice. First, the instrument must be held at a 45 degree angle. You play with your lips at the side of the hole for the mouth. At the most, there are seven holes for the bambooval (although I have made bamboovals with as few as four holes). There is also one additional thumb hole at the bottom. It takes consistent practice to produce a sound. To make higher pitch sounds, do not open your lips as much so you can reduce the passage of air. The lower registers with deeper sounds are the hardest to produce. To produce the lower register, you must be very relaxed. You also must avoid tensing your shoulders. Your lips are more relaxed and more open. You may have to breathe more softly as well.

I have tried to play the bambooval, but it produces no sound. Why?

You may be blowing directly into the bambooval mouthpiece. You will produce no sound because the passage of air must be at a forty five degree angle to the side of the bambooval. That means your lips only touch one side of the edge of the bamboo kaval. Blow straight ahead, but only let your lips touch the mouthpiece at the side you are playing. For instance, if you are holding the bambooval on the left side, then cover the left side only of the blowing hole. If you are holding the bambooval at a forty five degree angle to the right, then touch the right side of your lips to the bambooval.

I have trouble paying the lower notes. Why?

You need to be certain that you are covering all of the holes. A trick is to cover the holes towards the end of the bamboo kaval with the part of your finger before the last joint on your finger tips. Bend your fingertips a little past the hole on the last four holes. You will find that it is easier to produce a sound if you follow this advice.

I have trouble playing the lowest register. Why?

You need to soften your breath and widen your embouchure when playing the lowest register.

Generally, on all wind blowing instruments like flutes, you blow harder when playing higher notes, and you also make the stream of air less wide. When blowing notes, try to be more relaxed and experiment with the sound. It may take many hours of playing before you become a master at playing the kaval. It is worth it, though, because you have a very versatile instrument with eight holes that produce eight different notes (and typically the bamboo kavals I produce play at least three different registers). My advice is not to give up and experiment.

How do I place my fingers on the bambooval/kaval?

If you are holding the bamboval to the left, then the first three fingers of your right hand cover the first three holes of the bambooval. Your right thumb should cover the bottom hole below. Your left hand should cover the last four holes. When you are beginning, you will have to make sure that you cover each hole effectively in order to produce sounds. If you are covering all of the holes, you will not produce a good sound unless you have all of the holes covered. Note that you do not play the kaval like the flute. Your fingertips should not cover the hole. Instead, try to hold the bambooval by covering the holes with last third of your finger. That allows your fingers to be straighter and more relaxed. It is very uncomfortable playing the bamboo kaval or the bambooval while covering the holes with your fingertips because there are so many holes (8 total!). By the way, the last holes at the end of the kaval are not for decoration. Their purpose is to ensure that the kaval produces a beautiful, melodious sound. It is a very long instrument, so the placement of these holes perfect the sound.

How can I tell what notes my bambooval produces?

You need to buy a device that indicates the notes played. Because the bambooval is a meditative instrument, it is not designed to produce perfect pitch. The thickness of the bore of bamboo varies, which produces a different effect when the instrument is played. Bamboo also has nodes, or segments, which affect the sound the instrument produces. There is therefore no way to mass produce the Bambooval. It is a unique instrument. It is best played by meditating. Follow the sound and listen to the instrument. Experiment by making different sounds, by making slight changes in embouchure (mouth placement), or in the angle that you hold the bambooval (45 degrees is the norm--forty five degrees from your line of vision if you are looking directly forward). Do not hold the bottom end of the bambooval straight--keep the end of the bambooval lower than your chest. Get the notes you produce to have a conversation with one another. There is no better way to pass time than to make your own music.

Q: How do I play the didgeridoo? How do I learn circular breathing?	A: Relax your cheeks. Breathe from your belly. Place your lips in the center of the didge and let your lips be loose as they vibrate. Do not hunch your shoulders. Follow the sound and let the sound speak to you (this is a meditative approach). Do not be afraid to learn through trial and error. The more you have relaxed lips, the longer you can produce a meditative sound. I recommend taking a straw and blowing into a cup of water. Fill up your cheeks with air and make a vibrating noise with you lips. Relax your cheeks and let the air come out of your mouth; at the same time, inhale very quickly through your nose to fill up your cheeks again. This is very hard at the beginning, but you will learn the technique with time and dedication.
Q: What do you do to clean the mouthpiece?	A: I disinfect the mouthpiece with alcohol to insure that it is a 100% germ free. No one likes to play a didgeridoo with germs.
Q: How long does it take to master playing the didgeridoo?	A: An entire lifetime. Treat each playing session as a time to meditate and to relax after a hard day's work.
Q: The beeswax on the mouthpiece is crumbling. What should I do?	A: Take a lighter and heat the beeswax. Press firmly and spread it around the mouthspiece. Do not heat the beeswax too much. If the mouthpiece is too big for you, then I suggest going to Michael Arts Supplies and purchase some more beeswax. You can melt the beeswax onto the mouthpiece to make it smaller. If, on the other hand, the mouthpiece is too small, then you need to take some of the beeswax off. If the mouthpiece is still to small, take some sandpaper (beginning with coarse grit and then proceeding to finer grit) and sand the didgeridoo. Do not make the opening too wide because you cannot replace the opening once you have made it too wide. Everyone's mouth is different, so it is impossible to tailor the didgeridoo for every single person.
Q: My didgeridoo is different from the one in the picture. Why?	Every handcrafted instrument is different. Instead of trying to copy the sound of another instrument, try to bring out the unique character of your didge while you play. A longer didgeridoo typically produces a lower pitch, while a shorter didgeridoo produces a higher pitch. A didgeridoo that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom will produce a lower pitch, and vice versa. With bamboo didgeridoos, the structure of the nodes and various irregularities on the inside make each didgeridoo create a unique sound.

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