Skip to content
Language : English
Log inStart for free

5 wind instruments using circular breathing

Gauthier Aubé 2 min read

If the Aborigines of Australia were certainly among the first to discover the circular breathing technique, the didgeridoo is far from being the only one to use this breathing technique. I propose you a small discovery of traditional instruments also using this good old circular breathing!

The zorna

The zorna is a widespread instrument in the Middle East and Eastern countries. It is an instrument of the oboe family which has the particularity of not having a piston.

The launeddas

The launeddas (or konsertu) is a wind instrument from Sardinia. It has the particularity of having three pipes that resonate together. It is comparable to the horn-muse, to the difference ready, that the air supply is in the lungs of the musician.

Arghul

The arghul is an instrument from Egypt with a single reed which is not unlike the double flute of Rajasthan ! Like this one, it produces two simultaneous sounds: a continuous sound (or drone) and the melody.

The duduk

The duduk is an Armenian instrument with double reed. In 2005, the duduk and its music were proclaimed by UNESCO as the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

The double flute of Rajasthan

And the famous Rajasthan double flute for the regulars of “Le rêve de l’Aborigène” (see also: 15 years of memories from the french festival “The Aboriginal dream” ). Here played by Pierre-Yves Voisin (for Djoliba) whom I had asked at the time to record for my album “Terre inconnue”.

Conclusion: the drone, you want some here!

You will have noticed that most of these instruments use a very pinched drone for circular breathing. So, with the exception of the double flute, all other instruments require some pressure to sound them. The didgeridoo remains the only one to make the player’s lips vibrate, the others using a reed or a double reed. Of course, this list is far from exhaustive! And if you have a curious mind, you will find on Wikipedia’s circular breathing page a list of the many instruments playing with circular breathing.

And if you know of other wind instruments of this kind, give the names in the comments. It’s always rewarding to discover instruments!

Free course

Learn circular breathing in a few days

Explanations that are clear, practical (!) and progressive. You’ll be surprised to see it’s simpler than it looks!

  • 7 videos in 4 steps

5/5225 Google reviews

9917members

Read next

8 responses to “5 wind instruments using circular breathing”

  1. Krishnamoorthy Avatar
    Krishnamoorthy

    Hello Gauthier I am keen to learn the circular breathing technique. Do you teach it? If so, please email me back so we can discuss lessons. Krishnamoorthy.

    1. Gauthier Aubé Avatar
      Gauthier Aubé

      Hi Krishnamoorthy,
      Unfortunately I’m not giving one to one lessons. However, you can learn with my free lesson about circular breathing, you will find it here.
      Hope it will help you!

  2. Nikolans Avatar
    Nikolans

    Hi Gauthier,
    I would have loved to add the Hulusi (Chinese oboe) or the pungi used by snake charmers!

    Automatically translated from French · See the original

    Bonjour Gauthier,
    J’aurais bien ajouté le Hulusi (hautbois chinois) ou le pungi qu’utilise les charmeurs de serpent !

    1. Gauthier Aubé Avatar
      Gauthier Aubé

      Thanks Nikolans for these two instruments. The Hulusi came back up in the Facebook comments. I think I’m going to have to write another article about it one of these days. 🙂

      Automatically translated from French · See the original

      Merci Nikolans pour ces deux instruments. Le Hulusi est revenu dans les commentaires Facebook. Je crois que je vais devoir refaire un autre article un de ces jours. 🙂

  3. Gautier Avatar
    Gautier

    Say, I played oboe and I’d like to try the duduk, does anyone know if I could rent one and if so, where? I live in Lorient but I often go to Paris and right now I’m traveling. Pls, thanks.

    Automatically translated from French · See the original

    Dites j’ai fait du hautbois et je voudrais essayer le doudouk, est ce que quelques’un sait si je pourrais en louer un et si oui, ou? J’habite Lorient mais je passe souvent a Paris et la je suis en voyage. Svp, merci.

    1. Gauthier Aubé Avatar
      Gauthier Aubé

      Hi Gautier,
      As for instrument rentals, I won’t be able to help you with that… I’m more specialized in the didgeridoo! 🙂
      I think if you search the web you should find some info!

      Automatically translated from French · See the original

      Bonjour Gautier,
      Pour ce qui est de la location d’instrument je ne vais pas pouvoir vous aider… Je suis plus spécialisé dans le didgeridoo ! 🙂
      Je pense qu’en recherchant sur le web vous devriez trouver des infos !

  4. Didjounne Avatar
    Didjounne

    A video for the duduk, and it grooves hard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deiviXjkshg

    😀

    Automatically translated from French · See the original

    Une vidéo pour le duduk , et qui groove à mort . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deiviXjkshg

    😀

    1. Gauthier Aubé Avatar
      Gauthier Aubé

      Thanks Flo for the link! It makes me want to listen to Hadouk trio again, I haven’t listened to them in ages!

      Automatically translated from French · See the original

      Merci Flo pour le lien ! Ça me re-donne envie d’écouter Hadouk trio, je ne les ai pas écouté depuis un bail !

Leave a Reply