About
I am Niels de Lang, musician – raised in the countryside, born in Amsterdam in 1966. For decades I have been working with great pleasure to introduce as many people as possible, young and old, to the didgeridoo.
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Who am I?
I am Niels de Lang, musician - raised in the countryside, born in Amsterdam in 1966. For decades, I have taken great pleasure in introducing as many people as possible, young and old, to the didgeridoo.
How? By making making making music on this instrument as simple and fun as I can and making the didgeridoo accessible and affordable
Because the more people experience pleasure and satisfaction on this amazing instrument, the more positive impact we can have on the world together.
Music and happy people have more to offer the world.
You happy = we happy. Simple.
My life
I live in Hoorn, a beautiful, small town near the IJsselmeer and not without reason....
I love water sports such as kitesurfing, windsurfing, swimming and sailing. Being near or on the water gives me a wonderful feeling of freedom and connection with nature. The nice thing is that my children also share these passions.
I live minimalistic and care not much for luxury. Just give me a bus camper to drive into adventure. That makes me happy.
By seeking a good balance in what I do as much as possible, I experience a pleasant peace in my life. This helps you make better choices and also keeps you a nice person for others.
The didgeridoo has certainly helped me to find that balance.
What I do
Since 1990, I have inspired hundreds of thousands of people by making music and giving workshops and courses on the didgeridoo. I am still active with my bands as a didgeridoo player and guitarist and have played at numerous festivals and theatres at home and abroad.
Besides lessons and workshops for schools and companies, in 2004 I successfully developed the one-day workshop Didgeridoo & Circular Breathing for beginners, snorers and (sleep) apnoea patients.
Tens of thousands of people use the didgeridoo as an alternative way to relieve symptoms such as snoring, apnoea, hyperventilation and shortness of breath and to contribute to their own health & well-being. Everyone wants to live a healthy life.
So there are GPs, therapists, ENT and pulmonologists who refer their (apnoea) patients to Australian Treasures' one-day workshops. Because it works.
With a global brand, Australian Treasures is a leader in everything to do with the didgeridoo and playing the didgeridoo. Of course fair-traded because that makes us and the world better off!
My Inspiration
As a child, partly due to musical parents, I was already into music, playing songs on the ukulele by the age of 6. Then guitar and didgeridoo followed. Since then, music has always been the common thread in my life. I found it fascinating that making music never gets boring and that it can greatly enrich your life and the lives of others.
I get my inspiration from good listening, music, piles of books and biographies, but mostly by getting started and experimenting myself.
Then I find out which things work best, and try to shape those techniques according to my own understanding.
Because the better it works, the more results you get.
Why make it difficult when it can be easy
How do we make learning something new fun and effortless?
At Australian Treasures, we learn, no nonsense, in small, clear steps. That way, we bypass impatience and get more done with less effort.
Soon you get into the right flow and enjoy the progress. How wonderful is that!
Frequently asked questions
Read our frequently asked questions. Get in touch if you can't find your question!
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Why is the didgeridoo important to aboriginal culture?
The didgeridoo is an Aboriginal instrument that has traditionally been important in Aboriginal ceremonies. The didgeridoo was mainly part of the Aboriginal culture to tell their stories and to get in touch with the spirit world.
Is the didgeridoo the same as other wind instruments?
The didgeridoo is different from other wind instruments. You blow through a large opening and have to give resistance with your mouth/lips. The didgeridoo has one tone, it is not a melody instrument. On the didgeridoo, you use the circular breathing technique. The didgeridoo produces many more vibrations than other wind instruments
Can the didgeridoo cure sleep apnea?
Research has shown that playing the didgeridoo helps treat mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea. Both sleep apnea patients and their partners became less sleepy during the day and had less sleep disturbances at night.
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Does a compact travel didgeridoo or spiral didgeridoo sound the same as a normal didgeridoo?
Yes it has the same low tone as a normal didge. The long tube that guarantees a low tone is 'rolled up' into a spiral, so to speak. Or, as with the special travel didge, 'folded' into a zigzag shape inside a wooden box. Moreover, you can easily take these didjes to lessons, performances or when you travel and still want to do your didge exercises!
How do you play a didgeridoo?
On the didgeridoo you blow on a mouthpiece, possibly with beeswax, with an opening of about 3 cm diameter. Placing your mouth against the mouthpiece and vibrating your lips produces the basic didgeridoo tone. Didgeridoo playing is not difficult. Most get a sound out of the didgeridoo within 10 minutes
Can and should women play the didgeridoo?
According to Aboriginal tradition, women were not allowed to play didgeridoo. It would make them sterile. Now the didgeridoo was a real men's instrument according to their own tradition. Of course women are allowed to play didgeridoo just like women are allowed to play other musical instruments!
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What does circular breathing mean?
Circular breathing is a breathing technique that allows you to continuously exhale while inhaling through your nose. With the didgeridoo this continuous exhalation can be made audible. There is a constant exhalation through which an infinite tone sounds. With good control, a long continuous tone of 15 minutes can be played with ease!
Where can I buy a beginner didgeridoo and the course?
When purchasing the didgeridoo lessons, you can also purchase a didgeridoo and, for example, a didgeridoo bag. This will be sent to your address together with the login code for the course! The course is available in no less than 7 languages and we ship the course and didgeridoo worldwide! You can purchase the course at workshops.australiantreasures.com
How is the didgeridoo played?
On the didgeridoo you blow on a mouthpiece with an opening of about 3 cm diameter. Putting your mouth against the mouthpiece and vibrating your lips produces the didgeridoo's basic tone.
What did others think?
Our workshops have helped many people with
circular breathing and have been able to reduce snoring as a result.
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Participated in one of the workshops. Was a great experience!
Willy Veld (participant in one-day workshop) -
Practising outside in the garden, I suddenly had an audience of 2 little birds, they didn't stay long, circular blowing through a straw is going great and it's already going smoother and better through the didgeridoo. Thanks Niels, your workshop provides a simple, effective approach that works very well and it feels healthy, didgeridoo playing.
Greetings, Heleen (participant of the one-day workshop) -
Everything was perfect! I was able to track the shipment at all times and the package has been delivered in excellent condition. The items match the description. Thank you!
Ambra Focchi
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Hi all, how nice that there are so many didge fans! I've been doing it for six months now and it's going really well. I even have a bucket of water with PVC pipe next to my bed so I can practice circular breathing every day... I am still very grateful that I did the Didgeridoo & Circular Breathing workshop with Niels.
Sharon (participant one-day workshop) -
Everything perfect. the product respond to the description, shipping is monitored from the start to the end, packaging is also good... 5 stars deserved.
Alessandro Maurizi -
Playing didgeridoo makes you fit! I am very tired after a day's work. But after practising on the didgeridoo, I have energy again! What a great instrument this is. I never thought blowing on a didgeridoo would take so little effort. Super happy.
Saskia vd Plas (participant of the one-day workshop)
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Hi Niels,
In November I went on a course with you in Beets, which was an enjoyable experience and left me with great memories, but more importantly I got rid of my apnoea nicely!In my conversation this morning with the pulmonologist, I mentioned that I took the course with you and that I use CBD oil daily. Whether it is the combination or because of either, I don't know, but I am nicely rid of it. From 30 apnoeas to 1!But I was also surprised by the doctor's attitude, because he was more than interested and asked me if I would email your details and for the address where I get my CBD. Because as he indicated, I regularly experience people who cannot get used to the cpap, so maybe we can help them with this.I think this is a development I'd like to share with you and should more applications come to you from the south, you'll know what it might be due to. Always nice to hear. Right?
Greetings Henk Poos (participant in one-day workshop) -
Nice didges. Got four, two from other sellers and two from Australian Treasures. It's a heavy piece of wood (the one on the far left is from Australian Treasures, new. The second from the right also. The one one the far right is bamboo. The two on the left eucalyptus and the one with the colouring.. I am not sure, but it's quite light)
Pieter Rodgers -
If I play vigorously for an evening, for half an hour or so, I can get on with it for several days. Less trouble with some apnoea symptoms in the nose/throat and a lot more air! I have yet to figure out an optimum. Feeling fitter in the throat helps anyway. Greetings everyone
Bas (one-day workshop participant)
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