Acoustico-Physiological coordination in the Human Beatbox: A pilot study on the beatboxed Classic Kick Drum

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This paper presents a pilot study of physiological, acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics of the beatboxed classic kick drum by a single artist excerpted from our database of his beatboxing repertoire. We recorded 25 repetitions with synchronized aerodynamic (intraoral pressure, oral airflow) acoustic, electroglottographic and laryngoscopic data. Results show that the classic kick drum is produced either as a bilabial voiceless glottalic egressive plosive or as a bilabial voiceless glottalic egressive affricate. Laryngoscopic data show a glottal adduction, a slight supraglottal constriction and a laryngeal raising. We also observed an occlusion, a high amplitude burst and low frequencies in the spectrum. We discuss the coordination of the gestures involved in the classic kick production based on the multi-instrumental recording. Future analysis of the beatboxed database will help us understand beatboxing physiology and the extent of the vocal tract capacities.