Introduction

This is the most common way of making a kick drum sound in human beatboxing. It was the method first used by beatboxers such as Doug E. Fresh and Buffy from The Fat Boys.

Method

The simplest way to make the classic kick drum is to say the letter 'b'. Here is an audio example:

As you can hear from the audio example, the kick drum doesn't sound very powerful. To make it sound louder and punchier, you need to do what we call a lip oscillation. This is where you let air vibrate through your lips - a bit like 'blow a raspberry'. Once you can do this, you make a very short lip oscillation. Listen to this example:

1. Make the b sound as if you are saying b from the word bogus.
2. This time, with your lips closed, let the pressure build up.
3. You need to control the release of you lips just enough to let them vibrate for a short amount of time.

Variations

Voiced

bng bn bo bu

With added fricative sound

Added fricative and voiced

bfng bush bus
This video demonstrates both a voiced bm or unvoiced b classic kick drum sound with some other variations such as bsh, bf and bs.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

	classic_kick.wmv (1.4Mb)
	classic_kick.mp4 (1.4Mb)

In Context

This sound is good for forming one of the staple sounds as part of a kick, hi-hat and snare beat. Here is an example:

And here's the pattern:

and in Standard Beatbox Notation : [ bo _ t b / kch _ bo _ / t b t b / kch _ ts _ ]