10 Best Kalimbas in 2023 (Review) - MusicCritic (2024)

Kalimba Buyers Guide

Often the bass geared kalimba is confused with its more intricate originator the African mbira both commonly known in the western world as thumb pianos and so this weeks buyers guide will be giving a little more depth and explanation for those who aren't in the know.

What is a kalimba?

It is a metal tongued instrument which originated from Africa that belongs to the lamellophone family which is classified as a plucked idiophone.

Traditionally they have African tuning and are used as a bass accompaniment to a mbira which has 2 layers of tongues (or lamella) and plays a wider range, thus able to take the melody line.

The metal tines are mounted onto a box with a hollow to resonate the sound and amplify it in the same way an acoustic guitar body does. The enclosure will often have a resonator to assist.

The westernized version was created in the 1950's modern kalimbas are tuned to a diatonic scale (generally in C) which means it has no sharps or flats like a chromatically tuned instrument such as a piano or glockenspiel.

The originals had thousands of different kinds of tuning, as they were hand made and tuned preferably from person to person. They were used for everything from storytelling to praying for rain and ceremonial use.

When one key is plucked the adjacent notes will also pick up the vibration which creates complex harmonics similar to an overtone or pitch harmonic of a guitar string. This gives it a very unique sound.

The tuning and key layout mean that with a little know-how you can quickly learn to play many arrangements of songs with relative ease either in thirds or fifths.

The fact that it has 17 tongues/tines (sometimes 10 or 26) means that you can also play a full Dorian scale in D which is a musical mode dating back to the medieval period that has a very ethereal quality to it. The Dorian scale in D features no sharps or flats.

How to play the kalimba

As described the modern kalimba is fairly simple to master, you essentially hold the enclosure between each of your hands gripping with your fingers and leaving your thumbs free to move.

You pluck the tongues in a downwards motion with your thumbs one thumb covering each half of the instrument.

The back of the kalimba enclosure usually has 2 smaller sound holes which are can be covered by the fingers to change the resonance of the box and create different tonal qualities.

What to Look for When Buying a Kalimba?

As you will have noticed modern kalimbas are all very similar with 17 keys in the internationally recognized key of C they are all around the same size and the majority are trapezoidal or rectangular.

You should look for good quality tonewoods such as the mahogany and Koa models we have highlighted, some cheaper models are made from layered plywood which just doesn't have the same resonant properties.

The tongues ought to be curved (most are) as a perfectly straight one can hurt your thumbs if you play them for a length of time.

It is important to have a tuning hammer as after time under the pressure of constant thumbing the tines can move and change pitch the shorter the time the higher the pitch the longer the lower so as they move nominally it can change the key over a long period of use.

A tuning hammer is a vital accessory for keeping your tongues in check. It is relatively easy to use with the aid of a tuning app, though it takes a fair bit of patience to tap at either end depending on how sharp or flat the keys are sounding.

Conclusion

The choice of kalimbas on the market are all very closely matched, the biggest differences seem to be purely aesthetic.

With the knowledge and know-how from today's tailored guide, you ought to be able to spot a half-decent option no matter your budget.

The kalimba is a beautiful sounding instrument with a great heritage that takes very little time to learn to play it is a great starter instrument and has some fab dulcet tones.

They cost very little, even the pricier ones are well within the realms of possibility so why not go ahead and try one out, you won't be disappointed.

Expert Tip

It is a good idea if your budget allows opting for one with a solid protective case to keep it safe. The lamella is prone to weathering and a few knocks in the wrong place can change the keys which could mean you are constantly hammering them back into tune.

Did you Know

A kalimba is a type of lamellophone, the name lamellophone comes from the Latin word lamella which means a small metallic plate and the Greek word φωνή (phone) meaning sound or voice. The name Kalimba is derived from Bantu (a sub-Saharan dialect) and loosely translated means little music.

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