Content is King

I hate to quote William Gates but it's true. And I guess what you really want to know is what to do! OK - here goes... I do all my workshops in modules or chunks. I can then fill the time with a specific number of these modules or chunks depending on the crowd, time and space.

Welcome

Welcome the crowd. Gather them around you if they are spread out. Say who you are and what the workshop is about. Watch out for late-comers and welcome them in otherwise they will hang by the door! Use the space, be confident and engage the crowd. A workshop is a performance! They are there to be entertained as well as to learn.

Performance

I always start the workshop with a short performance. Something that has a wow factor and better still, something that engages the audience. I start my workshops by doing a heavy beat pattern, then I point my finger at members of the audience and as I do so I make a high-pitched sound. I point to different people and make different sounds with the beat continuing. Then I get to one person (usually someone in the front row who looks like they're naughty/popular or whatever) and when I point to them I make a farting sound and stop as if they have broken my finger! (Okay, so you might have to see it to fully understand) The point is that you do something that captures everyone's attention and preferably makes them laugh.

What is beatboxing?

This is quite a talky module so I keep it very short. It's better for more corporate workshops.

I start off with talking about what beatboxing is (beat box aka drum machine) and then go on to where it came from.

History of Beatboxing

Not the most exciting of modules but a good time filler.

I start with Darren Robinson and give an example, then I go on to Doug E. Fresh (the clicks), and so on through to Rahzel (singing and vocal scratching), Killa Kela (drum and bass) and the Internet revolution.

Making a simple beat

For this I will teach three sounds and get them to put them together to make a simple beat.

These days whenever I teach people to make a sound, I get them all to shout a word. For example, "Everyone say cabbage", 'CABBAGE' "Everyone say Cabba", 'CABBA' "Everyone say Cab", 'CAB' "Everyone say Ca", 'CA' "Everyone say K", 'K' "Well done, you've all made a snare sound - give yourself a round of applause." You might think that this is silly or simple, but that's the point! It's supposed to be fun and engage everyone. You can also make jokes about people spitting on the head of the person in front, etc. Just as long as it's fun.

Inward Sounds

A useful module is to beatbox using an inward snare and ask the crowd how I'm not running out of breath! They usually give a range of answers such as breathing in through your nose, circular breathing, taking a very big breath, etc. Eventually someone gets it and then you can slow the beat down and show them your breathing. You can then teach them how to make a few - yes, I even get them to have a go at a hollow snare! I must be brave...