All it takes to master the didgeridoo is a smile, according to Ernest Brimm of Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park.

Tjapukai has introduced free didgeridoo lessons at the award-winning Cairns cultural park to give guests even more opportunities to learn about Indigenous Australia.

Chief Executive Officer Geoff Olson said interactive experiences were the key to people appreciating another culture and more would be introduced as Tjapukai moved ahead with its multi-million redevelopment.

Scheduled to start next year, the work will be carried out in sections so Tjapukai can continue to offer its existing performances, educational experiences and interaction with the Aboriginal people.

Mr Brimm has given many an impromptu lesson to visitors, but now he can be found on duty between Tjapukai’s Dance Theatre and Cultural Village where guests can linger longer for invaluable tips.

“You’ve got to smile at the didgeridoo and control your breathing rather than puffing your cheeks up like a balloon which makes you dizzy,” he said.

“Men find it easier than women, not just because the didgeridoo is traditionally a male instrument, but because you need to vibrate your lips to make a sound like you are driving a toy car and they’ve usually had more practice at this.”

The Djabugay man is the first to point out that he is no maestro and struggles with the circular breathing necessary for a good didgeridoo player.

“I didn’t learn to play until I was about 10, I was much more interested in the boomerang,” he said.

However, Mr Brimm’s late start means he is more adept at explaining how to get your mouth around the haunting sound of the didgeridoo.

“Just like learning to ride a bike, once you discover the sound you can make with the didgeridoo you have to practise until it no longer comes from your head but is within your heart.”

Surrounded by guests from Australia, Taiwan and the US, Mr Brimm has them smiling into their didgeridoos as they take turns following his instructions. The sounds vary, but the smiles remain.