Introduction
You’ve acquired your duduk and now wish to practice in order to improve your playing. This blog article presents the various learning methods available to help you progress: online lessons, in-person classes, pre-recorded tutorials, or independent learning.
Lessons with a Teacher
As passionate advocates for the duduk and its music, we sincerely recommend learning with an experienced teacher. The duduk is a nuanced instrument, and mastering its technique can be challenging, especially for beginners.
We encourage you to prioritize in-person lessons if there are teachers available near you. However, since duduk instructors remain relatively rare, online lessons are a highly effective alternative thanks to modern tools.
To find a teacher, feel free to consult our dedicated blog article, which lists duduk instructors by location to help you find the option best suited to your needs and learning style.
Independent Learning
If you prefer an autonomous learning approach, here are a few tips.
Start by exploring online tutorials: La Maison du Duduk is currently developing a series of educational resources designed to guide you step by step in your learning journey.
We are committed to offering a variety of formats tailored to different learning profiles, so you can enjoy a well-rounded and accessible experience.
Exercise with a Drone (Dam)
One of the best ways to progress on the duduk is to play along with a drone, known as Dam in Armenian. The Dam holds a stable reference note, providing a tonal anchor that allows you to improvise or work on melodic phrases over it.
Why Is This Useful?
The Dam acts as an intonation reference.
If your playing sounds off or out of tune against this constant note, it may indicate that you need to adjust:
- The pressure of your lips on the reed
- The position of the tuning ring
- Or, possibly, that your instrument is not properly adjusted or suited to your level
By finding the right balance, you’ll learn to play accurately and consistently, while also improving your improvisational skills and building endurance during longer practice sessions.
How to Practice with a Dam
The idea is to play a drone track (Dam) on YouTube or another platform, tuned to the appropriate key for your duduk and the emotion you wish to convey.
If you want to play in minor mode (melancholic or introspective):
- Find the tonic of the minor scale relative to your duduk’s key.
- Exemple : Duduk in A → drone in B (because B minor is the relative minor of A major), Duduk in F → drone in G (G minor is the relative minor of F major)
The tonic of the minor scale corresponds to the second note of the major scale.
If you want to play in major mode (more joyful or bright):
- Use a drone in the same key as your duduk.
- Exemple : Duduk in A → drone in A, Duduk in C → drone in C
Recommended Resources
Here are a few drone (Dam) tracks available for free on YouTube, suitable for various keys and moods:
Drone in B – ideal for minor mode when playing a duduk in A
Drone in A – ideal for major mode when playing a duduk in A
