TL;DR
Tom Thum shares his beatboxing skills and introduces sound technology that enhances his performance, taking the audience on a world tour through sound at the TEDx stage.
“Basically, I use my mouth in strange ways in exchange for cash.”
Tom Thum
TALK SUMMARY
Tom Thum humorously introduces himself as a professional beatboxer who performs in bars and street corners. Demonstrating his talent onstage at TEDx, he vividly reenacts sounds and music solely with his voice. Traveling the world with his craft, Tom takes the audience on a virtual journey through various continents using not only his vocal talent but also sound technology like Kaoss Pads. He transforms the Sydney Opera House into a jazz bar, playing with different sounds from the double bass to the trumpet, fully captivating the audience with the breadth of his vocal abilities and technology-enhanced performance.
“I’m a beatboxer, which means all the sounds that you just heard were made entirely using just my voice.”
Tom Thum
KEY MESSAGE
The key message Tom conveys is the power of human creativity and how with passion and innovation, even niche talents like beatboxing can offer unique experiences and take people on an auditory and cultural journey.
“So the pursuit of this crazy passion of mine has enabled me to see so many amazing places in the world.”
Tom Thum
INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS
- Embracing niche talents can lead to unexpected and fulfilling careers.
- Using sound technology like Kaoss Pads to enhance vocal performances.
- The concept of auditory travel, taking audiences across the world through sound.
- Transforming iconic venues imaginatively with performances.
- Pioneering new entertainment through the combination of traditional art forms and modern technology.
“We start our journey in the central deserts.”
Tom Thum
IDEAS:
- Beatboxing as a professional craft provides an alternative career path.
- Physical spaces, like the Sydney Opera House, can be creatively reimagined through sound.
- Technology allows artists to become one-person bands, creating rich soundscapes live.
- The sound of different cultures can be authentically replicated using the human voice.
- Comedic and entertaining introductions can effectively engage audiences before a performance.
- Traveling through sound: Showcasing the acoustic diversity of the world using beats.
- Artistic expressions of place using a combination of beatboxing and storytelling.
- Interplay between manual skills, like beatboxing, and electronic aids to create complex performances.
- Personal journeys in art can influence and bring together global communities.
- The transformative potential of performance art to educate and inspire people about different cultures.
FACTS:
- Tom Thum is from Brisbane, which he hints at not being the cultural hub of the Southern Hemisphere.
- Beatboxing is a niche market with limited local job opportunities.
- Tom Thum is capable of reproducing an extensive variety of sounds using only his voice.
- Sound technology, like Kaoss Pads, can be added to vocal performances for effects like reverb and looping.
- Tom Thum has leveraged his beatboxing skills to travel and perform in many places around the world.
“I’d like to take you on a journey throughout the continents and throughout sound itself.”
Tom Thum
EMOTIONAL ESSENCE
The performance is filled with humor, wonder, and adventure as Tom takes his audience on a global journey, while showcasing his unique talent and passion for beatboxing and music.
REFERENCES:
- Kaoss Pads: A technology used by Tom for real-time audio processing and looping during his performance.
- Sydney Opera House: Mentioned as a setting Tom imaginatively transforms with his performance.
- Cultural Sounds & Instruments: Beatbox renditions of musical instruments and cultural sounds like the didgeridoo, sitar, and guzheng.
- “Billie Jean”: A classic song by Michael Jackson that Tom beatboxes to showcase his versatility.
- Global Music Styles: Demonstrates the emulation of different music genres like German techno and Indian classical through beatboxing.
