When do I breathe?
Lesson time: (3min 2sec)
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Learn the Fundamentals of Beatboxing
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Lesson transcript:
Welcome Back to Beatboxing!
Hey guys, welcome back!
Now that you've been practicing and getting more familiar with the different sounds, I just want to address a really common question: When do I breathe?
Breathing Techniques in Beatboxing
There are two different ways of breathing while beatboxing. Some people are amazed at how beatboxers can keep going and wonder about their stamina. Are they holding their breath during all this? Of course not! You can't hold your breath for a 10-minute routine. But there are some tricks for how to breathe.
1. Basic Breathing Technique
The simplest way is to:
- Breathe in and out through your nose
- Breathe in and out through your mouth
These can happen at different rates and times, or even slightly simultaneously.
Let me show you how:
- First, take a deep breath in and out through your nose alone.
- Don't forget to place your hand above your abs so that you can feel the effect of your diaphragm and check how much is actually working.
- Take a deep breath in, your arm goes up.
- Deep breath out, your arm goes down.
Now that you're breathing in and out through your nose, I want you to practice something:
- Open and close your mouth while you're breathing in and out through your nose.
Once you've tried that, you'll realize that you can breathe in and out while still using the muscles of your mouth. This allows you to create sounds, like the kick drum, while breathing in and out through your nose.
2. Sound-Based Breathing Technique
The second way is to use the sounds themselves as a way of breathing in and out.
- Do you remember the inward case snare? You're breathing in while you're making that noise.
- Also, for sounds like the kick drum or hi-hats, you can sometimes blow air out while creating that sound.
It sounds like this:
- Breathing out while creating the kick drum sound
- Breathing in while creating the snare sound
These are a couple of different ways of breathing while beatboxing.
Find What Works for You
Just figure out what you're most comfortable with, depending on the sounds you're creating, and go from there.
Have fun with it!
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