Kalimba: Learn notes with gentle sounds

The Kalimba invites you to play intuitively. Even children like to pluck the reeds and enjoy the gentle tones. But you can also learn notes with the Kalimba and play real pieces of music. Here you can find out how to read notes with this instrument using the scale learn.

What is a Kalimba?

The modern kalimba is a hybrid instrument with African roots and European tuning. In the 1950s, the traditional instrument with over 3,000 years of history came to Europe from Zimbabwe. There, the kalimba was tuned diatonically so that it could be played together with other instruments.

Construction

The design is still very similar to the African model: a row of sound tongues is attached to a handy solid wood or hollow body. The number of tongues can vary depending on the size and tuning. But no matter how many metal tongues your kalimba has, you can learn to read music with it.

Where does the sound come from?

If you pluck the reeds, they start to vibrate. The wooden body amplifies the sound without making it overly loud. The neighboring reeds contribute to the pleasant, atmospheric sound of the kalimba, so that quiet overtones resonate.

How to hold the Kalimba

Hold the instrument in front of you in both hands. Hold it at the bottom with your middle, ring and little fingers, while your index fingers stabilize it at the sides. Your thumbs are free to play. Can you comfortably reach all the reeds up to the middle with your thumbs? Then the first lesson in reading music for beginners begins now.

Learning notes with the Kalimba: Learning by simply doing

Don't hesitate for long, just start. Regardless of whether you already have previous musical knowledge or not, you will make rapid progress! Here's the best way to proceed:

You can't read music: Learn to read tabs

You can't read music but still want to start playing the kalimba quickly? Then the notation system specifically for kalimbas is ideal for you. It makes learning the instrument particularly easy and you don't waste time learning scale notes. With this easy-to-follow notation, the notes are shown as if they were lying on the kalimba. If the instrument has ten reeds, for example, you will find ten staves next to each other on the sheet music. You then read these notes from top to bottom instead of from left to right. This way you can easily play the melody. The note value, i.e. the duration of the note, is shown with bars and flags, as in the standard European musical notation system.

You already know the C major scale

If you are already familiar with the C major scale, you can start learning notes with the Kalimba straight away. But be careful: the sequence of notes on the Kalimba, CDEFGAHC, is not arranged in a line like on the piano or recorder. On the piano keyboard, it runs from left to right, while on the flute it runs from bottom (all air holes closed) to top (all holes open).

Instead, the sequence of notes begins with the longest reed - in the middle. This is the lowest note (C). After the C, pluck the reed to the left, the D. The next note in the scale, the E, is to the right of the C. The F is to the left of the D, the G to the right of the E. In this way, move your thumbs from the middle lamella outwards, alternating left and right, and you will hear yourself playing your first scale. With a little practice, you will soon be able to control the positions of the individual notes in your sleep.

Learners with basic knowledge: Search for C major pieces

You may have already seen it: The C major scale is the only major scale that does not require an accidental. For beginners, the sharps or small flats at the beginning of the staves raise questions. However, you do not need to worry about these when learning to read music. It is therefore best to look for a children's songbook or other simple pieces that are set in C major. Take the time to learn to name the notes on the sheet music and you will then be able to transfer them to your kalimba playing. With a little practice, you will be playing your first song on the kalimba in no time! Would you like to go deeper and learn to play the kalimba properly? Then take a look at the relevant textbooks and books around.

Kalimba notes learning for advanced players

As already mentioned, you can transfer your knowledge of music from the piano, flute or singing directly to the kalimba. All you have to do is understand that the scale is built from the inside out and you can then play pieces on the kalimba. As a professional, you will also enjoy kalimbas in other tunings such as G major or D major. Kalimbas are also available in other tunings, such as chromatic, pentatonic or with various minor scales.

Delicate sounds in the best quality

Our Kalimbas are professional instruments, carefully made by hand in Germany. The wooden body made of American cherry is treated with vegetable waxes and oils. The reeds are precisely tuned to ensure that they can be played individually or in combination with other instruments.