The beatbox beginner tutorial

Your first complete beat – in 30 minutes

This is where it starts. You need no instrument, no prior knowledge and no ability to read music. Your new instrument is you. By the end of this lesson you can play a full two-part routine – the same one Ivory has performed live in front of an audience.

The order follows the one we have used in school workshops for years: breathing first, then spoken rhythm, then the individual sounds, then the beat.

1. Breathing

Beatboxers are masters of controlled breathing. It is the foundation of everything. Three sounds – two outward, one inward:

F   – out breath, short and powerful (trains your diaphragm)
He  – out breath
Hi  – in breath

ll:  F - He - Hi - #  :ll
ll:  F - F F - He - Hi - F - He - Hi  :ll

The “F F” has to come fast, one after the other – practise that on its own a few times. And sit or stand upright so your lungs have room.

If you get dizzy, take a break. That happens at the start and is completely normal.

2. The spoken rhythm

Before any sounds, you speak the rhythm. That locks in the framework without you having to concentrate on the tones at the same time.

ll:  Bum - Ba Bum - Ba - Hi - Bum - Ba - Hi  :ll

Use your hands, tap along – it keeps you in time far more easily.

3. The hi-hat

Lift the tip of your tongue slightly and place it behind your front teeth. Then make a “Ts” and emphasise it strongly.

ll:  Ts - Ts - Ts - Ts  :ll        closed hi-hat – short
ll:  Tsss - Tsss - Tsss  :ll       open hi-hat – stretch out the S
ll:  Ts - Tsss - Ts - Tsss  :ll    both alternating

4. The K snare

Say the letter “K” with force and pressure – as short and sharp as you can. First with a vowel to find it, then without.

ll:  Ka - Ka - Ka - Ka  :ll
ll:  K - K - K - K  :ll
ll:  Ts - Ts Ts - K - Hi - Ts - K - Hi  :ll

5. The kick drum

The strongest sound in the beat. You emphasise the letter “B” as hard as you can. The lip position is roughly a duck face: purse your mouth slightly and tense your lips. When you say the “B”, you release that tension – like a small explosion.

ll:  B - B - B - B  :ll
ll:  Buh - Bah - Beh - Hi  :ll      vowels help you find the position
ll:  B - B - B - B Hi  :ll          in a loop, breathe in after every fourth kick
ll:  B B - B B - B B - B B  :ll     the double kick

Avoid the “fish” – rolling your lips inwards. And do not worry if it does not sound powerful straight away: lip strength comes with practice.

6. The beat, part one

ll:  B - B B - K - Ts - B - K - Hi  :ll

Cup your hand behind your ear. Suddenly you hear your own sounds far more clearly and can actually work on them.

7. The lip bass – and part two

Part two needs a new sound: the lip bass. Keep your lips loose and let the air flow out so that they vibrate. Singers use it as a warm-up because it loosens vocal cords and lips at the same time.

ll:  Brrr - Brrr - Brrr - Brrr  :ll
ll:  Brrr - Brrr Brrr - K - Ts - Brrr - K - Hi  :ll

The finished routine

Both parts together make a routine. After part one you say “Turn it up!”, after part two “Turn it down!”.

ll:  B - B B - K - Ts - B - K - Hi  :ll             3x
ll:  B - B B - K - Hi - Turn it up!  :ll            1x
ll:  Brrr - Brrr Brrr - K - Ts - Brrr - K - Hi  :ll 3x
ll:  Brrr - Brrr Brrr - Hi - Turn it down!  :ll     1x
                                        85 → 100 BPM

The more often and the longer you play the beat, the more solid it gets. One of the most popular practice spots, by the way, is the shower – show your shower head what you can do.

Frequently asked questions

How do I learn to beatbox as a complete beginner?

In this order: breathing, spoken rhythm, then the three basic sounds – hi-hat, K snare and kick drum – then the beat. That is exactly how this lesson is built: around 30 minutes to your first complete beat.

Which sounds do I need for my first beat?

Three: the hi-hat (Ts), the K snare (K) and the kick drum (B). Part two adds the lip bass (Brrr).

How do you make a kick drum when beatboxing?

Purse your lips into a light duck face and tense them, then say the letter “B” forcefully while releasing that tension. Do not roll your lips inwards.

I get dizzy while practising – is that normal?

Yes, especially during the breathing exercises at the start. Take a short break and carry on. It settles once your breathing adapts to the technique.

Do I need to be able to read music?

No. Our notation shows intuitively which sound comes when, when to breathe in and out, and how many repeats to play. It runs alongside every course video.