Where to go from here?
Lesson time: (3min 7sec)
Dana McKeon shows you where to take your beatboxing next - building your own beat patterns, improvising and turning the core sounds into muscle memory.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Learn the Fundamentals of Beatboxing
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Welcome Back to Beatboxing!
Hey, guys, welcome back!
Creating Your Own Beat Patterns
Once you've practiced a few patterns and gotten really used to the different sounds in beatboxing, you can start to use these fundamentals to create your own beat patterns. This is especially useful when you try to improvise.
Key Situations for Improvisation
- Jamming with friends
- Beatboxing to a song
- Playing an instrument while beatboxing
To improvise effectively, you need to be familiar with the different sounds. It becomes muscle memory.
Muscle Memory and Improvisation
- Stop Thinking: Ideally, you want to reach a level where you're not consciously thinking about the muscles you're using to create sounds.
- Hear and Create: You should be able to hear the sound in your head, and it will naturally come out through your mouth.
When you achieve this, you know you're on your way to becoming a good improviser.
The Practice Equation
Practice Tips
- Consistency: Practice, practice, practice!
- Use Spare Minutes: Any spare minute you've got during the day is a good time to go through certain sounds and try different beat patterns.
Experimentation
-
Throw in Variations:
- Open hi-hat
- Cymbal crash
- Different types of snare sounds
With these techniques, you're well on your way to becoming original and unique.
Exploring New Techniques
Once you're comfortable, you can begin to incorporate more advanced elements such as:
- Sound effects
- Humming while beatboxing
- Singing while beatboxing (one of my favorite things to do)
Focusing on Breathing
To master these techniques, focus on creating sounds using only the air inside your mouth. This approach opens enough space for you to breathe through your nose, broadening your variety of options.
Endless Possibilities
Eventually, you can create beats that include:
- Different kinds of sounds
- Sound effects
- Humming along to a beat
There's an unlimited range of possibilities with beatboxing.
Final Encouragement
So keep practicing! Get to that point where you can start to be really creative.
About the instructor
Dana McKeon is a top-ranking beatboxer, recording and performing artist, songwriter and guitarist. She is Malta's international beatbox pioneer and the island's official representative at the Beatbox World Championships, where she secured her spot in the Worldwide Top 5 (Solo Female Category) during her very first competition. Dana also holds two Female Vice-Champion titles from the UK Beatbox Championships. A versatile touring artist, Dana has owned the stage at a plethora of international live gigs including MTV Music Week, The London Paralympics, Lovebox Festival, The O2 London and British Royal Family events. As a support act, she has opened shows for the likes of Rudimental, Stormzy, James Arthur, John Newman and Beardyman. Her songwriting and production credits include chart-topping radio hits in Europe, airplay on BBC Radio and toplining for various DJs and artists. Dana's music features on countless TV spots and short films, including Netflix, BBC, CBS, NBC, ABC, Universal, MTV, Global, iTV, Bravo, Lifetime, Arena and BT Sport. In her course she breaks the art form down to its building blocks: the core sounds, beat patterns and techniques you need to start beatboxing with confidence, taught straight from a world-ranked champion. read more