At some point in your internet-watching career, you may have pondered if you could becoming a beatboxer if you put your mind to it.<\/p>\n
According to the skilled mouth musicians I spoke to in a recent interview, the answer is “yes.” But the process\u00a0involves some silliness, and\u00a0you can’t feel too self-conscious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The West Coast Groove was established in 2015, and started as a “very small group” of beatbox obsessives.\u00a0Today, the collective has 50 active members.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It’s a pretty cool progression to see, and to be here from the beginning to where we are now, it’s just very fulfilling for me to see the community grow,” founder\u00a0Jonathon Calvez, known by the beatboxing name CiMaX,\u00a0tells Vancouver Is Awesome.<\/p>\n
Calvez is the\u00a0Vice Canadian Beatbox Champion and the Canadian Tag Team Champion.<\/p>\n
Co-founder Jackson Wu\u00a0goes by the beatbox name Shyang\u00a0and says the\u00a0community grew from a few beatbox enthusiasts “meeting in\u00a0libraries, food courts, malls\u00a0and public spaces around Metro Vancouver to share a niche art form that most people had never seen in person.”<\/p>\n
Having a space where the vocalists can come together and collaborate\u00a0is important for such a niche hobby.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“What has always fascinated me is that despite beatboxing’s global popularity online, most local scenes are still built almost entirely through grassroots community efforts. There are no formal pathways into beatboxing \u2014\u00a0people discover it through friends, community gatherings, mentorship\u00a0and local events,” Wu says.<\/p>\n
What are the fundamentals of beatboxing?<\/p>\n
The three fundamentals of beatboxing are the drums, the bass\u00a0(which usually doubles as the melody)\u00a0and then finding your “special sound,” according to Calvez. His sound is something I can’t even write out, but when he\u00a0put it all together, it sounded beyond what a human being is capable of producing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To get into beatboxing, those three fundamental sounds can be acquired within a month or two, he says. Of course, passionate newcomers to the craft could pick them up much faster, as Wu experienced in his early days. When he was starting out, not all his friends were a fan of his non-stop beat box practice.<\/p>\n
“At first when you start doing it, you might realize that it doesn’t sound like some of the beatboxers that you are seeing\u00a0online. But that should not deter you from continuing your practice, because at a certain point, you will start to level up,” he explains.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And once you solidify a signature sound, there’s no limit on how complex and unique you can get \u2014 and that’s something that’s rather addictive, Wu says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Things to do in Vancouver: Annual beatbox championship<\/p>\n
This month, the best beatboxers from across the province will gather at the\u00a0seventh-annual Vancouver Beatbox Championship, which will see 16 beatboxers battle for\u00a0a grand prize of $1,000.\u00a0For the first time, the tournament is open to\u00a0international competitors, bringing the best\u00a0mouth percussionists together from across the continent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Expect extremely high-level beatboxing,” Wu says.<\/p>\n
On\u00a0July 31, the Beat & Greet kicks off at 7 p.m. with “showcases, judge fantasy battles, jams, and a chance to meet beatboxers from around the world.” You can also listen to the showcase showdown with 20 competitors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It’s a chance for a more intimate setting before the big competition, where you can meet competitors and judges.\u00a0Participants will have two minutes on stage to share their best material.<\/p>\n
The second day,\u00a0Aug. 1,\u00a0will see the best-of-the-best vie for the coveted championship title, kicking off at 4 p.m.<\/p>\n
Vancouver Beatbox Championship<\/p>\n
When: Friday, July 31, from 7 to 10 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 1, from 4 to 9 p.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Where:\u00a0The Beaumont Studios – 316 W\u00a05th Ave., Vancouver<\/p>\n
Cost: Beat and Greet – ($10.99 + $0.99 fee).\u00a0VBC Battle Frontier GA (Aug. 1) ($29.00 + $0.99 fee)<\/p>\n
Watch CiMaX and Shyang\u00a0beatbox\u00a0on TikTok<\/p>\n
\n@vancouverisawesome<\/a> On July 31 and Aug. 1, some of the top talent on the West Coast will clash at the Vancouver Beatbox Championships. We caught up with CiMaX and shyang to learn what it takes to become a beatbox master and make some cash in the process. #vancouver<\/a> #beatbox<\/a> #vancouverisawesome<\/a> \u266c original sound – Vancouver Is Awesome<\/a>
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