Flute beatboxing

Flute beatboxing (also known as fluteboxing) represents an innovation in the extended technique of the flute, or conversely, an extension in innovative sound resonators for beatboxing. Involving the production of distinct and stereoscopic flute tones (producing two separate sounds by humming while blowing into the flute) combined with vocal percussion and aural prestidigitation (slight-of-ear), flute beatboxing enables the use of the flute as a rhythmic instrument.

Most beatbox historians credit RadioActive as the original flute-beatboxer (using a pan flute, and performing with the Spearhead around the world), and Tim Barsky with being the original innovator in the field of flute beatboxing on a classical Boehm system flute. Both artists came out of the Bay Area hip-hop scene, where beatboxing has flourished since its inception.

In recent years the technique has been shaped into an art form by Nathan "Flutebox" Lee and Chrys Pyro. Nathan remains one of the few that can master the playing style, playing with such groups as The Prodigy, Asian Dub Foundation and his own band The Clinic.

Greg Pattillo has developed a system of essentially traditional notation for flute beatboxing with one staff for the flute and one - similar to that for drum kits since beatboxing is based on the three sounds of the hi-hat, snare rimshot, and bass drum - for the percussive effects.^[1]

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