BASICS 2 BASSES with Tom Thum
Our very own Tom Thum’s unique approach to performance is world-renowned and now the sonic phenomenon is about to start another new chapter in his career, with the announcement of his official BASICS 2 BASSES beatboxing masterclass. With no other instruments needed, the BASICS 2 BASSES masterclass is an inspiring and engaging digital resource that Tom has created to pass on the skills to future beatboxers around the world. We had the privilege of catching up with Tom to ask him about his craft, what inspired him to create the masterclass and the challenges of making a beatboxing course for an online market.
Tom, you are arguably the world's best-ever beatboxer, for those that haven't heard or don't know what beatboxing is how do you describe your craft?
I think you would have to argue pretty hard for that title! There are 1000s of soundwave-bending Beatboxers across the planet, so I definitely wouldn't bestow that title on myself, but I have definitely been around the block (planet) a few times with my skill set and that’s gotta count for something! At its core Beatboxing is vocal music, sometimes replicating instruments with the voice but most of the time inventing totally new tones and techniques. Imagine a lyrebird and a Casio keyboard were sinful together and popped out a waveform. That’s Beatboxing.
“Imagine a lyrebird and a Casio keyboard were sinful together and popped out a waveform. That’s Beatboxing. ”
Is it challenging to create new sounds to not only to keep creating fresh music but also to stay ahead of the game?
Yeah always, the key for me is re-imagining sounds in different ways. For example, trying a sound that I usually do with an outward breath with an inwards breath and seeing if that alters the tonality of the sound. People are always consistently blowing my mind; I think truly staying ahead of the game is a futile exercise because everything is being reinvented quite literally at the speed of sound.
How does it feel to be a Pioneer of a genre, is it a heavy burden to carry at times?
It’s more that my upper torso is a heavy burden to carry. When people say “pioneer” it usually means you’re getting a little long in the tooth, and your knees aren’t what they used to be. However, I really appreciate the sentiment and I’m honoured that people put me in that category, but for me I always have to throw back to the true pioneers of the culture in early 80s NYC before I was even a tadpole. People like Buffy, Doug E Fresh, Biz Markie, Rahzel and Kenny Muhammad are the real originators.
That brings us to your new masterclass series 'Basics 2 Basses', Who came up with the concept for creating the Masterclass series?
I basically just wanted to create the resource I wish I had when I was learning my craft. I did a bit of a deep dive and couldn’t find any cohesive module-based body of work that really dialed into the fundamentals and had a lot of drills, so I thought it might be a useful resource for people wanting to learn. I basically just want to be a little footnote in as many people’s creative journeys as possible.
Who came up with the concept for creating the Masterclass series? Were there any memorable or standout moments during the making of it?
That would be me! It was a product of lockdown panic that extended well past Covid in the end, it definitely became bigger than what I had set out to achieve. The memorable moments for me were just getting to hang and really have a laugh with my mate Tnee Dyer who filmed the whole thing. Honestly, with all the silly outtakes we have, we could create a Masterclass on how to not get any work done. But that sounds like too much work.
“if I can be a mentor for someone else even if it is via a tiny screen… that’s super valuable for me”
'Basics 2 Basses' is an educational resource for musicians and those who want to learn. Is it important for you to give back to the industry and help inspire the kid sitting at home who wants to try but doesn't know where to start?
Absolutely, growing up in the circles I did, I was lucky to have many real-life mentors, so if I can be a mentor for someone else even if it is via a tiny screen… that’s super valuable for me. To be honest I’d prefer someone pirate the videos than not have access to them at all. So don’t pirate the Masterclass, (but if you do give me a shoutout when you make it big).
'Basics 2 Basics' has 10 modules, is there one that was harder to explain or put into a teaching format than others?
Half the struggle was trying to articulate how to make a weird sound that is now second nature to me. The whole time I was using my partner and Tnee as guinea pigs to test out if the exercises worked. There were definitely a few modules that I had to really dial the nuances in on.
“it has certainly been a long slog trying to legitimize the art form”
The Guardian (UK) has said "Tom Thum appears to have swallowed an entire orchestra and several backing singers", and The Daily Telegraph (UK) has said, "There are not enough superlatives to describe the wonder of this beat-boxing virtuoso". They are pretty heady compliments, does the recognition ever surprise you, especially given your art was at one time not even recognized by the industry as a form of music?
One time a guy came up to me at a bar and said “You look like a fatter version of that Beatboxer Tom Thum”; that recognition was surprising haha. But seriously, I think it has certainly been a long slog trying to legitimize the art form and it’s still a way off. But with every weird collaboration or sonic success story, there’s a few less people who think less of us, so even a small win is a win in my books.
You have supported some of the greats including Grandmaster Flash The X-Ecxutioners, you hold the record at 79 + million views for TEDx video views and you won the prestigious Underbelly Edinburgh Award for your highly acclaimed solo show 'Beating The Habit', so what has been the highlight for you personally, in your career so far and why?
I met Costa Georgiadis at Des Fest in Alice Springs, which was pretty next level for me; if there’s anything I like more than music it’s getting my hands into the soil. But swapping the beets for beats, I’d say probably hearing my composition “Ratchet Face,” played by Queensland Symphony Orchestra while I was standing on stage was pretty life-changing. Working with Gordon Hamilton on our orchestral project “THUM PRINTS,” has been a really surreal journey.
Who in your crew or team deserves a shout-out but never gets one? And what is it they do that keeps your world turning?
Ah, so many to name but at a pinch… FAM (my Management crew), they always entertain my weird ideas and have not yet said ‘no’ anything I put forward. Tnee, who I couldn’t have done the project without, my mate Alex Steffanat Overture who designed my website and automated the entire process, and my partner Franky Smart (who else sweeps up my hair after I’ve been pulling it out)?
What's next for Tom Thum? What does the rest of your 2024 look like?
The vast abyss of professional instability (which keeps everything that pops in my inbox exciting).
Tom’s BASICS 2 BASSES Masterclass is available now via https://tomthummer.com/
BASICS 2 BASSES - TOM THUM MASTERCLASS MODULES
FUNDAMENTALS
PATTERNS AND GROOVES
VOCAL SCRATCHING PT 1
VOCAL SCRATCHING PT 2
TIME SIGNATURES
VOCAL INSTRUMENTS PT 1
VOCAL INSTRUMENTS PT 2
BASSES
MIC TECHNIQUE
BONUS ROUND
Interview by Michelle Symes
February 2024