Love in the Mud: Clay Didgeridoos    
 Clay Didgeridoos3 comments
Thursday, February 12th 2004, by Amara & Thomas Alban

It seems I've always been interested in the didgeridoo. I had heard just brief references to it in television and world music in my younger years. The sound is captivating and of course, unique. The first time I experienced it live was in Atlanta, Ga in the early '90's. This cat was a really good player, don't remember his name. He had a stack of painted PVC didgeridoos he was selling on the street for $75 - $120. That struck me as absolutely nuts! I don't care what one could do with the tube, it's still just a tube and the art wasn't that kickin'.

Went right home and "built" one, partly out of spite. Saw him a few more times and he helped me get started playing. That was over ten years ago and when I started working in clay and realized I could make a tube by throwing a series of "donut" forms on the wheel and piecing them together, I thought "any tube will do!" And there it was, my first clay didge.

The clay didges have been in development for about three years now and it's been a wonderful tour of sound and form. Most challenging has been how subtle changes in length, width, bell shape, pinches, so many factors can make big changes in sound. It can be baffling. Just when I think I start understanding what does what, I'm usually surprised and find something totally different. But, just like in other realms of my work, the "surprises" usually work out to be better than what I've planned. The trick is integrating those surprises in the next time!

More on the process in future posts.

--Thomas


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3 comments

12 Feb 2004 @ 22:55 by Ashanti @196.21.43.5 : Stunning!
Nothing to beat the sounds of s didge - your experiments are intriguing, keep us posted! :-)  

19 Dec 2005 @ 02:39 by charles @68.70.70.91 : thomas your work is excellent.
i put a down payment on one of thomas' gorgeous clay didges today.cannot wait to pay it off and take it home.if in the yucca valley area ,a visit to their store will be appreciated by himself and his friendly wife.two great people with great art work.many artist's work featured beyond just didge's.a very fine establishment with upful and right feelings as you walk through the door.a personal thanks to thomas for creating the most mystical sounding instrument i ever heard.greetings to you both.  

19 Feb 2006 @ 06:57 by charles @68.70.70.91 : i love it!
thank you so much! she sounds beautiful! 'bout time i payed it off so i could play at my leiser.peace you two.keep up the good work. i truly wish the whole world could hear your creation thomas. i am not sure if amara helped create or not but thank you also.peace.puff on ! see ya soon.  

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