Need Help? Ask Your Beatboxing Mentor
Work with a beatboxing mentor to learn basic sounds, practice rhythms, record short beats, and receive constructive feedback to improve.
Step-by-step guide to work with a beatboxing mentor
How To Beatbox The Basics (10 Beginner Sounds)
Step 1
Ask an adult to help you find a beatboxing mentor online or nearby.
Step 2
Schedule a 20 to 30 minute session with your mentor.
Step 3
Warm up your mouth for two minutes by humming and doing gentle lip buzzes.
Step 4
During the session ask your mentor to show you three basic beatboxing sounds: kick drum hi-hat and snare.
Step 5
Practice the kick drum sound for five minutes.
Step 6
Practice the hi-hat sound for five minutes.
Step 7
Practice the snare sound for five minutes.
Step 8
Put the three sounds together into a simple four beat rhythm and play it slowly four times.
Step 9
Record a 30 second beat using your computer or phone.
Step 10
Listen to your recording and write one thing you like and one thing to improve in your notebook.
Step 11
Ask your mentor for one specific tip and practice that tip for five minutes.
Step 12
Re-record a new 30 second version using the tip you practiced.
Step 13
Share your finished creation on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we can't find a beatboxing mentor or don't have a phone/computer to record?
If you can't find a mentor, follow step-by-step beatboxing tutorial videos with an adult present to time a practice session, and if you don't have a phone or computer, ask an adult to borrow a tablet or use a simple voice recorder to capture your 30-second beat.
My snare/kick/hi-hat doesn't sound right during the five-minute practice—what should I try?
If a sound isn't working during its five-minute practice, repeat the two-minute humming and lip-buzz warm-up, slow the sound down while watching your mentor demo in the 20–30 minute session, and isolate the troublesome sound before combining the three sounds.
How can I adapt the activity for younger or older kids?
For younger kids (ages 5–8) shorten the mentor meeting to 10–15 minutes, cut practice per sound to about one minute and combine simpler two-beat rhythms, while older kids (12+) can extend each five-minute sound practice to eight minutes, create more complex four-beat patterns, and record a longer 60-second version to share on DIY.org.
How can we extend or personalize the activity after re-recording the improved 30-second version?
Use the specific tip your mentor gave and practiced for five minutes, then layer extra takes with a free looping app or add a vocal melody to personalize the beat before sharing the finished creation on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to work with a beatboxing mentor
Learn How to Beatbox | Activities for Kids | GoNoodle
4 Videos
Learn How to Beatbox | Activities for Kids | GoNoodle
How to Beatbox for Kids! 🎤 Fun & Easy Beatboxing with Aunt Jazz Using Letter Sounds!
How to BEATBOX (for KIDS)! 3 EASY Beatbox Exercises ANYONE Can Do!
How To Beatbox For Beginners: Learn The Basics (Part 1)
Facts about beatboxing for kids
🥁 Beatboxers can imitate an entire drum kit—bass, snare and hi-hats—using only their mouth and breath control.
🎧 Loop stations let a single beatboxer layer multiple recorded loops live so they sound like a whole band.
🌐 Many beatboxers learn and share techniques online—YouTube and social media helped spread beatboxing globally.
🏆 The Beatbox World Championship gathers top beatboxers from around the world to battle and showcase new techniques.
🧑🎤 Doug E. Fresh is often called the “original human beatbox” for popularizing vocal percussion in 1980s hip hop.
How do I work with a beatboxing mentor to learn basic sounds and practice rhythms?
What materials do I need to learn beatboxing with a mentor?
What ages is beatboxing mentoring suitable for?
What are the benefits of working with a beatboxing mentor?
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