If you’re hoping to become a beatboxing pro, there’s no better place to begin than–well, the beginning! If you haven’t already, check out How to Beatbox, Part 1 to learn how to make a classic snare drum beat. Of course, you don’t want to stop at the beginning now, do you? There are still many sounds you’ll want to learn in order to know how to beatbox properly.
One of these sounds is known as the kick drum. This is yet another one of the necessary sounds you’ll need in order to beatbox. Here’s how to do it:
How to Make the ‘Kick Drum’
The kick drum is made primarily of the ‘B’ sound. Have you ever “blown a raspberry”? If so, you’re one step closer to mastering the kick drum. Like the snare drum, the kick drum needs to have a fast, punchy sound, so you’ll want to make the B sound while pressing your lips together. Let them vibrate for a short time as you release the air.
Practice this several times before moving on to the Hi-Hat.
How to Make the ‘Hi-Hat’
The hi-hat is made primarily of the ‘T’ sound. There are two kinds of hi-hat sounds, closed and open.
The closed hi-hat is made by making a ‘T’ or ‘Ts’ sound with your teeth closed. Next, move the tip of your tongue forward behind your teeth and make a quick ‘T’ sound. This is the closed hi-hat.
The open hi-hat is made by having your teeth lightly closed and moving your tongue into a similar position as that of the closed hi-hat. The difference here is that you breath out longer as you release the ‘T’ sound in order to create a more “open” sound.
Another, simpler, way to make the T sound is by clenching your teeth tightly and releasing the air.
Now that you know how to make a snare drum sound, a kick drum, and a hi-hat, you’re that much closer to learning how to beatbox. Stay tuned for future articles, which will cover how to make bass drum sounds, plus other important beatboxing tips. Happy hobbies!
