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How to Make a Turntable Beatbox Sound

Although the art of beatboxing became popular in the 1990s with hip-hop music, its roots can be traced back to the vocal percussion techniques used by the French troubadours in the 12th century. The term "beatbox" refers to an electric drum machine, like the Roland TR-808 used in hip-hop and electronic music genres. While a vocal percussionist imitates the sound of real drums, a beatboxer imitates the variety of sounds found in a drum machine and synthesizer, including the "turntable scratch."

Instructions

    • 1

      Purse your lips to form an exaggerated kiss. Open them just enough to allow you to breathe in through your mouth.

    • 2

      Place your index finger in front of your lips, pointing upward.

    • 3

      Speak while inhaling. Experiment with different words to achieve a turntable-scratch sound. Most beatboxers use syllables like "too," "too-eee" and "too-kee."

    • 4

      Experiment with low and high pitches as well as the length of your sounds. A high-pitched, inhaled whistle can produce a scratching sound by saying "hoooooooo-eet."

    • 5

      Cup your other hand over your mouth if you don't have a microphone to enhance the sound.

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