This is the long-anticipated tutorial DVD from The Magnets vocal percussionist and beatboxer Andy Frost. Andy has been with The Magnets vocal group for over five years and is an accomplished drummer in his own right.

The case doesn't look terribly inspiring but it has a handy Chapter listing on the back. From this list it looks like the content is going to be a good spread of basic vocal percussion sounds and techniques.

When you load the DVD you are presented with a neat menu screen with three pages that should be simple to navigate. For some reason the forward and back buttons didn't work with a mouse click but the controller worked fine - however, this DVD isn't about flashy graphics, it's about the video and learning to beatbox, so let's get into it. The DVD plays from start to finish so no need to select individual chapters as with TyTe's Learn to Beatbox Vol.1 DVD. This is a progressive teaching DVD and is designed to be watched from start to finish rather than as a reference work.

The introductory example starts off with Andy tuning his indivudal drums and then launching into a long and technically proficient solo. He then gives us the well known basic sounds - kick, snare and hi-hats - with which to compile a beat pattern. Andy's explanations are clear and easy to follow and you get a clear view of what his mouth is doing. The tutorials are interspersed with a couple of superb live perfomances from Andy and The Magnets and other musicians. This is a great idea and really encourages the Vocal Percussionist to use their skills with other vocalists and instrumentalists. I would have liked to have seen more of the performances as this is where Andy's style comes into its own - next time please! After the basic sounds, Andy moves through percussive sounds, shakers, toms, crash cymbals, rim clicks (rimshots), bass lines over the drum sounds, and other snare sounds. Andy uses throat sounds with classic snare drums to create some interesting variations. After this, he then shows you how fill out slow beat patterns by inserting different sounds in-between, such as hi-hats, toms, etc. He then takes you through making simple drum rolls and shows you exercises to practice. Andy is used to performing shows that last for up to two hours and he demonstrates breathing techniques to be able you to maintain flow for long periods. He also shows some different microphone techniques as well as doing lyrics at the same time as the beat pattern and a simple delay effect. A handy addition to the DVD is Andy's recommendation of microphones to use for vocal percussion.

It is unlikely that a seasoned beatboxer will learn anything new from this DVD but it is ideal for learner wanting to start right at the beginning. Andy comes at beatboxing from an a cappella and drummer perspective so the emphasis, quite rightly, is on rhythm rather than a range of sounds. He has succeeded in keeping things simple and this is one of the DVD's greatest strengths. The quality of the video is superb and there are no camcorders here - it's all professionally filmed and edited. The DVD is available from http://www.andyfrostbeatbox.com priced at £19.99 and it is also available from mic(ism). The price is pretty steep for a beatboxing DVD but the price reflects the fact that you are buying one of the top names in professional UK Vocal Percussion. DVD Running time : 50 mins

Sources/references/links

Andy Frost's myspace
The Magnet's website