No instrument? No problem: Beatbox

Very few Iowans get the chance to regularly visit the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City but, thanks to coronavirus pandemic, anyone anywhere can watch shows that would normally be performed exclusively on a grand stage in Manhattan.

For months, the Lincoln Center has streamed #ConcertsForKids on its website, lincolncenter.org. Larger-than life musicians have shown off their jazzy funk music, a mother-daughter team has performed Bharatanatyam (classical South Indian dance) and a musician who rocked with Lizzo on Saturday Night Live performed her original music.

One trio that was featured this summer was a band called Infinitus. The band is made up of three friends who play string instruments — the violin, viola and cello — and beatbox.

All you need to beatbox is your own mouth. Beatboxing often involves making the sounds you might hear from a drum set — a bass drum (lower, bum sounds), high hat (higher pitched tss sounds) and a snare (a harder k sound). If you want a beatboxing lesson, try this one online: cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/learn-how-to-beatbox.

Check out Infinitus' video, and watch how they use beatboxing to set the rhythm (the pacing or speed) of their songs. Can you mimic the sounds they use? You'll probably get spit everywhere, but that's OK. What other noises can you make with your body (we know what you're thinking ...) that could be music? Ask a sibling or friend to duet with you, or ask two and form your own trio. Whistling, clapping and stomping can all elevate beatboxing into something of a symphony.

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