How To Make Basic Beat-Box Sounds
- May 28, 2009
- 20,526 Views
Voice Over Artist
Brandon Jones
Writer
Gloria_Cooksey
Try beat boxing to make percussion sounds using only your mouth.
You Will Need
- Rhythm
- A mouth
Step 1: Create a kick drum
Make the kick drum sound by expelling pressurized air through your mouth. At the same time, pronounce the letter b without using your voice box. The effect should be punchy while you mouth the “b” sound and expel air simultaneously. Use only the air in your mouth.
Vary the b sound by mouthing the letters “bf,” “bs” and “bsh” intermittently; combine for an interesting rhythm.
Step 2: Create the hi-hat
Clench your teeth and expel short bursts of air while making the “t” sound. This is called hi-hat. Keep your tongue against the roof of your mouth and the back of your teeth, maintaining the pressure inside your mouth. Use your tongue to regulate air flow.
Experiment with variations like “ts,” or by drawing the air for longer periods of time to create a “tssss” sound.
Step 3: Be a snare drum
Build on the kick drum sound to mimic a snare drum. Expel pressurized air using the same technique, only mouth the letter “p” instead of the kick drum’s “b.”
Vary the snare drum with “ps,” “psh,” or “pf” sounds. Emphasize the variations by elongating the sounds: for example, “psssshh” or “pssssffff.”
Step 4: Crash like a cymbal
Use the word ’’chish’’ to replicate the crash cymbal. Repeat through clenched teeth, without the vowel sound, for a duller crash. Keep your teeth clenched.
Step 5: Make a reverse cymbal sound
Keep your tongue pressed against the roof of your mouth where your upper teeth meet your palate. Clench your teeth and inhale quickly to create a reverse cymbal. Close your mouth to stop the sound.
Step 6: Get hip-hop inspiration
Listen to old school hip-hop and try to replicate those beats.
Step 7: Develop your sound
Develop your own unique sounds by putting all the elements together. Timing and breathing techniques are the secret to impressive beat boxing. Have fun!
Standard Beatbox Notation (SBN) is a special set of musical notations created specifically for writing beat box songs.
Something wrong? Report this How-To
Video is in Hot Howcast How-to's (17 videos)
How To See Rome Like a Local
- 1,939 views
- KeithMcKellar
How To Put a Curse on the Yankees
- 3,262 views
- craigstaggs
How To Improve Your Home's Curb Appeal
- 1,325 views
- imageunseen
Comments (9)
awesome vid!!! yo yo
over 2 years ago by jason
Oh my gosh! You fly! :D
over 2 years ago by deliciousbeam
Wow, Michael Sanchez knocked this out of the park! Great vid and great voiceover work!!
over 2 years ago by BCipolla
Great video, everything was done very well.
over 2 years ago by MKF
I love it! Simple but very creative. Great camera presence.
over 2 years ago by MorganC
Beat-boxing is one of those things I would guess would be really difficult to teach in a short video. This is just the basics, but the video does a FANTASTIC job. I think I love everything about it – the music, the clean look, the beat-boxing, and of course, the transition at the end! Awesome video!
over 2 years ago by HeatherMenicucci
Cool vid. Gonna try this.
over 2 years ago by kpfingaz
i am lost when i try to combine all the sounds haha)))thnx for the vid)
11 months ago by Bolla_Asanaliev
So many steps??
http://www.ausheepskins.net
2 months ago by Moncler__Best
Sign in or create an account to post a comment. Or, sign in using your Facebook to comment
and share your activity with your friends