Alternative Tunings for the 10-Note Kalimba

The Kalimba Magic 10-Note Kalimba comes in several alternative tunings.

Why would you want an alternative tuning? Because different tunings offer different musical possibilities. By retuning just one tine, you can actually put your kalimba into a different key that can play many more songs! Or you can change the tuning such that the kalimba sounds like a strange and exotic magical instrument. And Kalimba Magic is one of the only vendors who will offer you alternative tunings. Or, you could do the retuning yourself.

What 10-Note Tunings Do We Offer?

C Major standard tuning

You can find all of the resources available for this tuning on the Learn to Play 10-Note Kalimba page.

D Major (just like C, but a whole step higher)

In D Major, you can use all the materials on the Learn to Play 10-Note Kalimba page. Since the instruction is all tablature based, it shows you which tines to play, regardless of the key. Who might want a D Major tuning? The old Goshen 8-Note kalimbas were in D, so if you have one of those and want to play the 10-Note with it, you could get your 10-Note in D. Also, some people want to sing along with their kalimbas, and if you have a higher voice, the D tuning might be more comfortable for your voice.

F Major (has the C, or 5th,  in the low note, and F is the 4th note up from bottom).

The video above shows you how simple it is to retune the kalimba from C to F by tuning the B to Bb. This is sort of a judo move that flips the root from the low note, C, the to fourth note from the bottom, F. As such, you have C, the 5th of F, in the bass. Think of “O Christmas Tree” – it will start on the low C, but then goes up to the root note, F. There are tons of songs that will use this range, and it will extend the power of your 10-Note Kalimba greatly.

By the way, these resources will work with your F-Tuned 10-Note Kalimba:

Easy Christmas Carols for the 10-Note Kalimba: about 2/3 of the songs in this eBook require the F tuning. The fact that only 1/3 of the songs in this eBook use the standard tuning and 2/3 use the “5th in the bass” tuning reflects the power of this tuning.

32 Songs for the 8-Note (and 10-Note) Kalimbas uses the F tuning.

C Minor Tuning

Some people get tired of the overly optimistic sound of the kalimba. If that is you, you may want to explore a minor tuning on your kalimba. Minor tunings tend to be interpreted as melancholy, exotic, mysterious.

There is no book for the C minor tuning of the 10-Note… but there IS a Minor download for the G Alto. You don’t need to bother with the different keys, the tablature (and the reference to the painted tines) mean you can read the lower, central notes of the Alto.

Similarly, if you have a 17-Note Kalimba in C minor tuning, you might want a 10-Note Kalimba in C minor tuning to go along with it, as the central notes are common to both.

Middle Eastern Tuning

Here is a YouTube Short Video of the Middle Eastern Tuning.

There are no instructional materials for the 10-Note in Middle Eastern Tuning, but there is a great resource for the 17-Note in this Tuning. The 17-Note in Middle Eastern Tuning will basically have the 10-Note in Middle Eastern Tuning as its bottom, central 10-Notes. So, if you have a 17-Note Kalimba in Middle Eastern tuning, and you have a partner or a child who wants to get in on the action, get them a 10-Note in Middle Eastern tuning, and they can follow you!

What About Tines Stamped With Note Names and Numbers?

If you are going to retune your 10-Note Kalimba, you DON’T want the note names stamped into the tines. Why not? Because if you retune the kalimba, the note names on the tines will all of a sudden be incorrect. We have two versions of the 10-Note Spiral Kalimba – one with plain tines, appropriate for retuning, and the other with tines stamped with the note names and numbers.

The one exception to this suggestions is the F tuning. If you have a 10-Note with the C tuning notes and numbers stamped on the tines, and you tune to F by simply changing your B to Bb, all the note names will be the same (except B is now Bb). The numbers won’t work anymore, but maybe you are going to use tablature then?

Other Tunings?

If you have a special tuning you need that isn’t in the list of our tunings, CONTACT US and we’ll let you know if we can do it. We are clever, we are capable, and we are experienced. You never know – your odd little tuning might become the next big thing.