A lot of people would love to beatbox as well as S&B. Learning this musical modality may seem like a daunting task at first, but beatboxing is not that different from speaking normally. You just need to start developing your sense of rhythm, and you'll have to accentuate the pronunciation of certain lyrics and vowels until you can speak in beatbox language. First start with basic sounds and rhythms, then move on to more sophisticated combinations as you improve your sound art.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Basic Beatbox Techniques
Step 1. Understand that there are many sounds to master
To get started, you need to learn the three basic beatbox sounds: the classical drum {b}, the cymbals {t}, and the classical drum snare {p} or {pf}. Practice mixing these sounds with an eight-beat rhythm like this: { b t pft / b t pft } or { b t pft t / b b pft }. Pay attention to timing. Start slowly and increase your speed afterwards.
Step 2. Practice classic drum {b}
The easiest way to make the classic drum is to say the letter "b". To make it louder and more impactful, you need to do the so-called lip wobble. This is nothing more than letting the air vibrate through your lips, putting your tongue between your lips and blowing it out, more or less like a whistle would, but vibrating your lips. Once you do this, you will feel a gentle wobble in them.
- Make the b sound as if you were pronouncing the banana “b”.
- This time close your lips and let the pressure build.
- Control the opening of your lips enough to let them vibrate for a short time.
Step 3. Then try to duplicate the dishes {t}
Make a simple "ts" sound, but keep your teeth closed or softly closed. Move the tip of the tongue forward, placing it behind your front teeth to make a fine cymbal sound, or to the traditional t position to make a loud cymbal sound.
Exhale longer to create the open cymbal sound
Step 4. Try making straight or advanced cymbal sounds
Make cymbals in a row by making a "tktktktk" sound using the middle back of your tongue to make the "k". It is possible to make the cymbal open by stopping breathing on the "ts" cymbal so that it becomes more "tssss", which is a more realistic open sound. Another way to produce a realistic loud cymbal sound is to make the “ts” sound with your teeth closed and clenched.
Step 5. Try making the classic drum snare {p}
The simplest way to make the classic drum snare is to pronounce the letter “p”; but this sound is very silent. To make it louder you can do several things: the first is to vibrate the lips, which is when you push the air out of the lips, making them vibrate. The second is to exhale while making the “f” sound.
- To make the “p” sound more interesting and drum-like, most beatboxers add a second (continuous) fricative sound to the initial “p”: pf ps psh bk.
- The {pf} vibration is similar to the drum, with the difference that you see the front of your lips instead of the side and you squeeze them tighter.
- Pull your lips a little bit so they're kind of hidden, like you don't have teeth.
- Build up some air pressure behind the hidden lips.
- Swing your lips outward (not literally) and just before returning them to their normal position (not hidden), let out the air by making a “p” sound.
- Immediately after releasing the breath and the “p” sound, press your lower lip into the lower teeth to make the “ffff” sound.
Part 2 of 5: Intermediate Beatbox Techniques
Step 1. Practice until you are ready for intermediate techniques
Once you've mastered the three basic beatbox sounds, it's time to move on to middling techniques. They may be a little more difficult, but practice makes perfect.
Step 2. Develop a good drum sound
Do this by pressing your lips together and building up pressure with your tongue to the jaw, pushing the tongue forward from the back of the mouth and closing the jaw open at the same time. Let the lips part at the side for just a moment so that air can escape, and this should create the drum sound. The goal is to add pressure with the lungs, but not so much that it creates a windy sound afterwards.
- If you're not making enough drum sound, you need to relax your lips a little. If you're not getting any drum sound, you need to tighten your lips more or pay attention to letting the air out through the side.
- Another way to try is to say "pu". Then take out the "uh" so it can only be heard is the initial "p", coming out a little wheezing. Try as much as possible not to let any “u” sounds come out, as well as breathing sounds or air noise.
- Once you're comfortable with the exercise, you can press your lips together a little and force a large amount of air past them to make an even louder drum sound.
Step 3. Explore other ways to make the drumstick sound
Bring your tongue to the back of your mouth and create pressure with it and your lungs. Use your tongue if you want speed, or your lungs if you want to breathe while making sound.
Pronounce "pff", causing the efes to stop one millisecond after the "p." If you lift the corners of your mouth and press your lips together as you make the initial “p”, it will sound more realistic. Use the same technique to change the apparent pitch of the drumstick drum sound
Step 4. Add the artificial drum sound to the melody
First say "ish". Then try saying “ish” without the “sh” at the end, saying again just the first letter. Do it well stacato (short) and the result will be a kind of growl in the back of your throat. Force a little when pronouncing so that the initial letter is accented.
Once you get used to this exercise, add the "sh" at the end and it will result in a synthesized drumstick drum sound. You can also train the grunt movement to look like it's coming from the top of the throat to make the sound louder, or to look like it's coming from the back of the throat to get a bass drum sound
Step 5. Add a spit snare
It is a spit-like sound often used in trap beats. You can produce other sounds while spit snare, which increases your repertoire of possibilities. However, it's hard to learn this beat. Be patient.
- There are three variations of the spit snare: upper lip, middle lip, and lower lip. They don't vary much in sound and there aren't big differences in execution, but some people find one easier to make than the other. Try to find one you like.
- Pick a lip and fill it with air. Then start letting out your breath slowly. When you can do this, force all the air out and you'll produce a spit snare.
Step 6. Don't forget the dish
This is one of the easiest sounds to make. Whisper (don't speak normally) "chish". So do it again, but this time grit your teeth and take out the vowel, going straight from “ch” to “sh” with little or no transition, and you get the basic cymbal sound.
Step 7. Make room for the reverse plate
Place the tip of your tongue so that it touches where your upper teeth meet the roof of your mouth. Leaving 1 cm of separation between the lips, inhale forcefully through the mouth. Notice how the air hits and passes through your teeth and tongue and makes a fast-flowing sound. Then breathe forcefully again and this time close your lips as you inhale; the feeling must be that they are fitting and closing.
Step 8. Don't forget to breathe
You'd be surprised how many beatboxers pass out because they forget that their lungs need oxygen. A good idea is to start by incorporating your breath into the beat. Eventually you will gain a lot of breathing capacity with practice.
- An intermediate level technique is to inhale during the tongue drum, as this sound requires the least amount of breathing capacity. An expert would practice breathing while producing each sound independently (see previous step), thus separating the breath from the beat, which allows for various bass sounds, drum sounds, and even some double cymbals done without pausing.
- As an alternative to breathing exercises, there are many sounds that can be made by breathing in, such as drum and clapping variations.
Step 9. Develop your inner sounds technique
What amazes people the most is how beatboxers can make sounds for a long time without stopping for breath. The answer is to make a sound and breathe at the same time! These sounds are called interiors. And you'll find that actually the best sounds are made that way.
There are many ways to make inner sounds. Just about any sound that can be made externally can be made internally – although it takes a little practice to get it right
Step 10. Hold the microphone right
Microphone control technique is very important for performing or if you just want to amplify the sound coming out of your mouth. And there are different ways to hold the microphone. Even though you can simply hold the mic as you would if you were singing, some beatboxers find that placing the mic between the ring and middle fingers, holding the first two fingers on top of the sphere and the thumb on the bottom results in a more impactful sound and sharp.
- Try not to breathe into the microphone while beatboxing.
- Many beatboxers give poor performances because they hold the microphone the wrong way and, because of this, fail to maximize the power and clarity of the sound they produce.
Part 3 of 5: Advanced Beatbox Techniques
Step 1. Keep practicing until you are ready for the advanced sounds
Once you've acquired basic and intermediate skills, it's time to acquire some advanced techniques. Don't worry if you have difficulty getting them right the first time. With practice, you'll be able to do them all eventually.
Step 2. Develop the bass drum sound (X)
It should be used in place of a floor drum it takes ½-1 beat to do this. To make the bass drum, start as if you were going to do the floor drum, then relax your lips so they vibrate as you suck in air. Touch the tip of the tongue to the gum from the inside of the lower teeth and push forward to do the technique.
Step 3. Practice the low techno (U) technique
This is done by making a “wof” sound, as if he had been punched in the stomach. Do this with your mouth closed. You should be able to feel the sound in your chest.
Step 4. Add a techno drumstick drum to your sounds (G)
This is done in the same way as bass techno, but position your mouth as if you were going to make a “shh” sound, there will still be the bass sound underneath.
Step 5. Don't forget the basic scratching
It is done by reversing the airflow of any of the above techniques. Scratching is a commonly misunderstood technique; it involves different movements with the tongue and lips, depending on the instrument you are trying to “scratch”. For a better understanding, record yourself by making a beat. Then use a music program, like Windows Sound Recorder, and listen in reverse.
- Learning to imitate these reverse sounds literally doubles the techniques you know. Also try making the sound and its reverse immediately afterwards (eg a bass sound followed by its reverse in quick succession to make the sound scratchy.
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Winch type scratch:
- Put your thumb up. Open your hand and place your fingers 90 degrees to the left.
- Press your lips together. Place your hand on your lips with them facing outward and just beside the slit of your thumb.
- Suck air. This should create a DJ-like warp.
Step 6. Practice the jazz sounds
Blow slowly with your mouth while trying to keep the letter “f” pronounced. Blowing a little harder on beats two and four will create accents.
Step 7. Add a double drum beat
Whisper the word “hah” and then day again without letting the “hah” out. Press the “C” more and you get a double beat.
Step 8. Use the Tongue Bass
It is an easy and very versatile technique. Just draw the tip of your tongue back toward your throat as you say your "Rs." As you learn to do this, add more pressure to the tongue movement to create the bass sound.
To master the technique, start by placing your tongue on the hard part of the roof of your mouth, before your teeth, and breathe. There are many variations of this technique. Some use teeth, for example
Step 9. Add a click bearing (kkkk)
This is a very difficult technique to do at first, but once you learn it, you will be able to use it all the time. To begin, position your tongue so that one side is just above where your upper teeth meet your gums. Then pull the back of the tongue back into the throat for a quick roll.
Step 10. Practice humming the base and beatboxing at the same time
This technique is not as difficult as singing, but once you start, it's easy to get lost. To get started, first notice that there are two ways to hum: one coming from the throat (say "ahh") and the other through the nose ("mmmmmm"), which is harder to get used to, but much more versatile.
- The key to humming and beatboxing at the same time is to start with a base or melody in mind. Listen to rap music, whether it's hummed or not (eg listen to Parliament Funkadelic's "Flashlight" song and practice humming the melody. Finally, try beatboxing on top; James Brown has great melodies too.
- Browse through your library of basic songs and melodies to hum. Then try putting one of your beats or others on top. You need to learn how to hum a melody or base for a variety of reasons, especially if you plan to learn to sing. This is the area of beatbox that needs originality!
- If you've tried to beatbox and hum at the same time, you've probably noticed that you've lost some of your proficiency in certain beat techniques (the techno bass and techno drum are very limited, as the click roll is almost useless, very hard to hear.
- If you're in a beatbox battle, don't forget that even if your stamina and speed are important, using new and interesting melodies and bases will always please the audience the most.
Step 11. You will have to practice humming in as well
It's an advanced technique that isn't used much in the beatbox realm. There are many resources available on how to sing / hum inside. For beatbox purposes, when you really need to breathe, it might be a good idea to hum inward. It is always possible to continue humming the same melody, but the pitch (note) will change drastically.
With practice, it's possible to correct this pitch a bit, but many beatbox experts who use hum inward decide to change the melody when they switch from humming outside to humming inside
Step 12. Adding trumpet sounds is a good way to add some pizzazz
Hum a falsetto (high pitch, like Mickey Mouse). Now, lift the back of your tongue to make the sound thinner and sharper. Add a loose lip oscillation (classic floor drum) in front of each note. Close your eyes, let it go and pretend you're Louis Armstrong!
Step 13. Practice singing and beatboxing at the same time
The key is to align consonant sounds with bass and vowel sounds with alto. Don't mind if you hit the cymbal sound, as even the best beatboxers have a problem with this.
Step 14. Another Advanced Variation is to create a low, distorted beat that doesn't have a specific pitch
Start by pretending to clear your throat or grunt like an animal. The sound will come out scratchy, so adjust your mouth until you reach a steady tone. Once you get such a tone, to make the bass, change the shape of your mouth to alter the timbre while maintaining the pitch.
- You can change the pitch by changing how each part of your throat vibrates. The bass sounds are good examples of how effective this variation is. The bass vocal uses your throat muscles and your voice at the same time. By finding harmony between the two sounds, you'll be able to sing and beatbox more easily.
- Caution: Doing this for long periods of time can cause temporary inflammation.
Part 4 of 5: Singing and beatboxing
Step 1. Sing and beatbox
Singing and beatboxing at the same time may seem like an impossible task (especially at first), but it's actually quite easy. Below is a sample to help you get started. You can use this same basic technique and then adapt it to any song.
(b) if your (pff)mother (b)(b)am(b)(pff)besses (b)besses(pff) ("If Your Mother Only Knew", by Rahzel)
Step 2. Listen to music
Listen to a song you want to beatbox a few times to find out where the beat goes. In the examples below, beats are marked.
Step 3. Sing a song a few times with the words
This will help you get familiar with the song.
Step 4. Try to match the beats to the lyrics
Most songs will have beat in front of the words. In this case:
- "If" - Since "if" starts with a consonant, it's easy to find a high-pitched sound right before it, as if you're saying "ese". But realize that the initial “e” needs to be low, and if necessary, separate the beats from the words a bit when starting.
- "Mother" - The word "mother" begins with a consonant. In this case, you can remove the “m” and replace it with “pff”, as they sound very similar when everything is said together; or you can scramble the word so that the beat comes first and the lyrics are a little late. If you choose the first one, you will get "pffãe" as a result. Notice that the upper teeth touch the lower lip, which is what creates the “m” sound. If you can handle this, it will sound so much better.
- "Sou" - For the double beat in "sou", you can hum the pitch while doing "s-s-sou," and already enter "b pff-besse besse" while humming the pitch. For the “I am”, you may notice that the sound breaks if you hit the second bass beat. To remedy this, hum through your nose. This can be done by pushing the back of the tongue up to close against the soft palate. This hum now comes out of your nose and is not interrupted by what is done in your mouth.
- "Knew" - The word "knew" echoes and falls silent.
Step 5. Adapt this skill
These steps can be adapted to any beat song. Keep practicing with different songs and you'll soon be able to improvise more easily.
Part 5 of 5: Templates
Modified drum score
The first line is the drumstick drum sound. It can be of tongue, lips or any other type. Next is the cymbal line, and the third is the bass line. Another line can be added at the end for mixed sounds, which should be defined below in the score, and only apply to this pattern. Here is an example: S |----|K---|----|K---||----|K---|----|K---| H |--T-|--T-|--T-|--T-||----|----|----|----| B |B---|----|B---|----||B---|----|B---|----| V |----|----|----|----||--Q-|--Q-|--Q-|--Q-| Q = "What?" vocalized
Beats are separated by single lines, slashes and double lines. Here are some key symbols:
Serious
- JB = bass drum
- B = strong bass drum
- b = soft bass drum
- X = past bass drum
- U = bass techno drum
Acute
- K = acute with tongue (without lung)
- C = acute with tongue (with lung)
- P = Pff or acute lip
- G = high techno
Dish
- T = "Ts" high
- S = "Tssss" high open
- t = front of successful dishes
- k = back of successful dishes
Others
Kkkk = bearing
basic beat
This is the basic beat. All beginners should start here and then improve.
S |----|K---|----|K---||----|K---|----|K---| H |--T-|--T-|--T-|--T-||--T-|--T-|--T-|--T-| B |B---|----|B---|----||B---|----|B---|----|
double dish
This one sounds nice and is a good exercise to speed up your cymbals without using successive sounds.
S |----|K---|----|K---||----|K---|----|K---| H |--TT|--TT|--TT|--TT||--TT|--TT|--TT|--TT| B |B---|----|B---|----||B---|----|B---|----|
Modified double plate
This is a more advanced beat that should only be practiced if you can do the double cymbal perfectly. She changes the rhythm on the double plate to make it more interesting.
S |----|K---|----|K---||----|K---|----|K---| H |--TT|----|TT--|--TT||--TT|----|TT--|--TT| B |B---|--B-|--B-|----||B---|--B-|--B-|-B--|
advanced beat
This is a very advanced beat. Only try it if you've mastered the above sequences, as well as the next cymbal (tktktk).
S |----|K---|----|K---||----|K---|----|K---| H |-tk-|-tk-|tk-t|-tkt||-tk-|-tk-|tkSS|--tk| B |B--b|---B|--B-|----||B--b|---B|--B-|----|
Techno beat
S |----|G---|----|G---||----|G---|----|G---| H |--tk|--tk|--tk|--tk||--tk|--tk|--tk|--tk| B |U---|----|U---|----||U---|----|U---|----|
Basic drum and bass beat
S |--P-|-P--| |S |-P--P|-P----P-| H |----|----|{3x}|H |-----|-.tk.t-t| B |B---|B---| |B |B-BB-|B--. B---|
Simple and cool beat
This beat has 16 sounds. It was split into four beats. Sounds really cool when done quickly.
|B t t t |K t t K |t k t B |K t t K | 1--------2--------3-------4--------
Beat of the song "This is Why I'm Hot" by MIMS
Where it says D, make a quick double bass.
S |--K-|--K-|--K-|--K-| H |-t-t|t--t|-t-t|t--t| B |B---|-D--|B---|-D--|
Hip Hop Classic Beat
S |----|K---|----|K---| H |-tt-|-t-t|tt-t|-ttt| B |B--B|--B-|--B-|----|
Beat of the song “Drop It Like It’s Hot” by Snoop Dogg
On the t line, you can make clicks with your tongue. The number three represents a relatively open mouth, to get a louder, more open sound. One represents an O-shaped mouth, to make a low click with the tongue, and two is in the middle between these. The beat is pretty hard and you can practice doing just the bass and treble until you're ready to add tongue clicks. Also, you can add a hum saying “Snoooop” loudly using the throat. Listen to the music to see what it should look like. v|snoooooooooooooooo t|--3--2--|1--2----| S|----k---|----k---| B|b--b--b-|--b-----| v|ooooooooooooooooooop t|--1--2--|3--2----| S|----k---|----k---| B|b--b--b-|--b-----|
Create your own sequences
Don't be afraid to use weird-sounding beats. Play with different sounding locations as long as they flow.
Tips
- Practice whenever possible. Since you don't need anything but your body, you can practice at home, at work, at school, on the bus, or any other suitable place. One of the best places to practice is in the bathroom, because the acoustics are good and the beats sound better.
- Drink water periodically to avoid drying out your mouth.
- Always practice with consistent timing. This means that you should try to maintain the same speed during a sequence.
- Some types of lip balm can be very good for beatboxing for a long time without having to suffer from dryness. This is also healthy for them.
- If you start beatboxing or are trying a hard beat, always start practicing with faint sounds. This way it's easier to do everything smoothly on the beat. After a while you'll get the timing right and then you'll be able to focus on amplifying and clearing the sounds. This is easier in your head, because you already know these sounds, even though they are faint at first.
- Try to find other beatboxers to train together. It's fun and you can learn from your friends.
- You need to know how to beatbox while exhaling and without exhaling. This can help you sing and beatbox at the same time.
- Try beatboxing in front of the mirror to see what your face looks like when you practice, and know when to cover it up a little.
- Try covering your mouth and nose for a louder or more acoustic sound when beatboxing with a microphone.
- Listen to songs by famous beatboxers like Killa Kela, Rahzel, Speiler, Roxorloops, Black Mamba, Ben K., Salomie The Homie, S&B, Biz Markie, Doug E. Fresh, Matisyahu, Max B, Blake Lewis (American Idol finalist), Bow-Legged Gorilla or even Bobby McFerrin (the singer of "Don't Worry Be Happy", who created an entire song using just his voice remixed on different tracks to create many different “instruments”).
Notices
- When you're just starting out, you'll probably feel a little silly. But if you persist, you'll find that you're going to have a lot of fun and make great music at the same time.
- Hydrate well before starting because the sound coming from a dry throat is easy to notice. Remember, you'll get the hang of it eventually.
- Don't drink coffee while beatboxing, as coffee dries out your mouth and throat. The same goes for teas. Drink water.
- Try to limit yourself at first, as the muscles in your face get used to the exercise just like everyone else. If you are feeling exhausted, take a break.
- Your mouth will probably not be used to the sudden new pressure it's receiving. Your jaw will be sore at first and your lips may feel tingling or numb, like when you've been sitting on one foot for a long time.
- You will also run out of air. Discover how to breathe better.
