The Magic of Beatboxing at Thomley: A Session to Remember

There’s something truly special about walking into a room, setting up a loop station, and not knowing what kind of music will emerge. That’s the beauty of beatboxing—it’s unpredictable, expressive, and accessible to everyone.

Recently, I had the privilege of delivering another beatbox workshop at Thomley, a wonderful charity that supports disabled children, young people, and adults. I’ve run several workshops there before, usually in a cosy space called the Teenage Den, but this time, we were in a much larger art room. The extra space brought a different energy, allowing the session to unfold in an open and dynamic way.

The workshop was part of Adult Day, which welcomes participants aged 13 and over. The group was diverse, with attendees having a range of disabilities, including blindness, Down syndrome, and some who were in wheelchairs due to paralysis. But as always, beatboxing proved to be a truly inclusive art form, allowing everyone to engage in their own way. 

From the moment we started, there was a buzz of excitement. I introduced the loop station, explaining how we’d be using it to sample and record everyone’s voices to create unique tracks. One of the things I love most about these workshops is the unknown—you never quite know what sounds will come together or what kind of music will emerge.

It was awesome to see that even the most nervous participants found the confidence to step up to the microphone. Some people started off a little hesitant, but by the end, they were fully engaged, adding their voices, claps, taps and rhythms to the loop leaving the room full of positive energy and smiling faces.

The energy in the room was contagious. The staff at Thomley were clearly enjoying what ensued as the session unfolded, and there were smiles all around. It was heartwarming to see how much joy and creativity filled the space as people experimented with their sounds and heard a track come to life in real-time.

One of the standout moments of the session was just how different each track turned out. Some were upbeat and rhythmic, while others took on a more soundscape-like quality, with layers of ambient sounds and vocal effects. That’s the magic of beatbox loop station workshop — it can go in so many directions, every session is brand new and each track takes a it's own unique course.

One of the most memorable moments of the day for me was with a young man named Luke. Luke is wheelchair-bound and for the entire first 30 minutes after being wheeled in he was quietly humming a rhythm under his breath. At one point, I asked the group if they had any song suggestions, and Luke’s carer spoke up:

"He really loves the Addams Family theme tune."

That’s when it clicked. The tune Luke had been humming the entire time was the Addams Family theme! It was a beautiful moment of realisation. I immediately suggested that we build a looped beatbox track around it.

The energy in the room shifted — everyone got involved, layering different beats, sounds, and harmonies onto the theme. For Luke, this was clearly a huge moment. He was visibly engaged and excited, hearing something he loves being transformed into a beatbox remix with everyone participating. Watching him light up was pure magic.

One of the most powerful things about beatboxing is its accessibility. It’s an art form that requires no instruments—just a voice. But what makes it even more special is that you don’t even need to use your voice to take part.

When the beatbox workshop moves to the loop station,participants can use different ways of creating sound. Participants can:

I encourage everyone to simply feel the rhythm and add whatever they feel. The results are often something truly unique and unexpected. Everything gets recorded and layered into the track using the loop station, so everyone has a role to play. Another point to note about using the loop station is that each person only needs to make their sound, beat or melody 'one time', since the loop station will then repeat it. This takes the pressure off people as they can sit back and enjoy the experience of the track developing further as the microphone gets passed around the room. This makes it an incredibly inclusive and empowering experience, allowing each person to express themselves in a way that feels natural to them.

It was amazing to back at Thomley to deliver again. The experience for me was, in one word, 'Moving'. I was moved by the courage and openness of each individual that entered the room. I was moved by the way each participant engaged with the session, with each other and with myself and by the way they put their trust in me. It was another clear reminder of why I love doing what I do. Each session is completely unique, shaped by the people in the room, their energy, and their creativity.

From big smiles to unexpected musical moments, this workshop captured everything that makes for a perfect beatboxing workshop. I walked away feeling deeply grateful for the experience and already looking forward to the next one.

School of Beatbox is a leading organisation dedicated to sharing the art of beatboxing with people of all ages and abilities. Through engaging workshops, online courses, and live performances, School of Beatbox helps individuals unlock their creative potential using nothing but their voice. Founded by champion beatboxer Danny Ladwa, the organisation has worked with thousands of participants, from schoolchildren to corporate teams, fostering confidence, teamwork, and self-expression through rhythm and vocal percussion. Whether in schools, community projects, or professional settings, School of Beatbox continues to inspire and empower people to explore the limitless possibilities of the human voice.

If you want to bring the power of beatboxing to your school or event, get in touch with School Of Beatbox today.