Flutistic Advantages of Beatboxing

Hello,

Since my return from the NFA Convention, I have been including a bit of beatboxing in my daily practice routine, and I am beginning to include it in lessons and studio masterclasses because of the unexpected benefits I have experienced!

Thanks to Greg Patillo's informative class at the NFA convention and Susan Maclagan's copious notes from the class which she posted on the flute lists, at last I have a real plan to learn this skill and integrate it into my playing.

These are the unexpected benefits I have noticed so far:

Relaxed embouchure: it is impossible to over tighten lips when beatboxing.

Ingrained rhythmic pulse: try this with your students who have rhythmic changes. They learn to breathe in rhythm and to account for each subdivision of longer notes by assigning a syllable to each part of the beat.

It's really fun!

For those who want to learn about the history of beatboxing, check out these articles (There's even a picture of an original beatbox!)

http://www.humanbeatbox.com/history/p2_articleid/27
http://www.humanbeatbox.com/plugins/p2_news/printarticle.php?p2_articleid=28
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatboxing

For more about Greg Patillo and to hear and see his playing visit Greg's Myspace.

More about beatboxing to come!

Best,
Catherine