Mark Holdaway

I know that there are too many types of kalimbas and karimbas to keep track of. But little by little, I can address that with my Facebook Live events. Please join me for a Facebook Live Session on the Modern Karimbas on Aug 26 2022, 3-4 PM MST (which is 6PM EDT). There is a one-day only 40% discount coupon code that will be revealed there. Download your program for the “Modern Karimbas” Facebook Live Event. The “Program” is a 2 page PDF document that lists the karimbas I’ll be playing, in order. I also indicate a few items you should pay attention to – right index finger technique for

Are you an advancing kalimba player? Consider this book, the 33 Intermediate Songs book for the 17-Note Kalimba in C. It has songs in five sections: classical music, African music, Americana, African American Spirituals, and Great Songs. In a way, these five musical genres and periods flow, from one to another. Americana is a blend of Western classical music and African American music. African American Spirituals flow from Americana, African music, and classical music. This is a unique offering in the world of kalimba literature. I am especially psyched about the nine traditional African karimba songs that have been arranged for the 17/C Kalimba. Here is one of them –

“The Sound of Silence” on 17-Note Kalimba in C   You can download free tablature for my video: “The Sounds of Silence”. Are you a beginner? I start with a melody-only version of the song: The full video is laid out in the tablature starting at Measure 16: You can download free tablature for my video: “The Sounds of Silence”. Here is the Spiral-17 Kalimba that I played the song on. I am playing on a “Double Painted” example of the 17-Note Kalimba. Enjoy!

Hi, I’m Mark Holdaway, founder of Kalimba Magic, and I invite you to sign up for my Facebook Live on Friday, Aug 19, 3:00-4:00 pm MST, 2022.   Schedule for the Kalimba Magic Live Event 3:00    Welcome to Kalimba Magic 3:05   Performance: “The Sound of Silence” on 17-Note Kalimba in C 3:10    Instruction: How I play “The Sound of Silence” 3:20    Q & A 3:30    The Evolution of the Karimba – performance and instruction 3:45    Q & A 3:50    Performance: Meditative Music With the Sansula 3:55    Q & A 4:00    Signing Off   Our Plan For the Future This current newsletter has too much to cover in a

What name should I use for my thumb piano? The Karimba/Mbira Family Tree   When discussing thumb pianos, people use the instrument names kalimba, karimba, mbira, mbira dzavadzimu, and mbira nyunga nyunga – sometimes with specific intent, and sometimes nearly interchangeably.  Where are these different names from, and what do they mean? In this “family tree” photo, we have the Student Karimba in the center; two African karimbas (also called mbira nyunga nyunga) on the outside bottom row; and at the top, two mbira dzavadzimu. So where does “kalimba” fit in? Lamella means plate, or tongue. “Lamellaphone” (also spelled “lamellophone”) is an ethnomusicological term describing any instrument that makes its

These karimba tunings are a doorway into Ancient Africa. I invite you to peek in to understand something of where your kalimba comes from. And if you are interested, I invite you to step into a karimba journey of your own with one of these instruments. Modern versions of historical karimbas: A) Hugh Tracey Student Karimba (Andrew Tracey, 1962), B) Kankobella (A.M. Jones, 1950), C) Jega Tapera’s Karimba (Andrew Tracey, 1962), D) Kwanongoma Music School Karimba, aka Mbira Nyunga Nyunga), and E) Hugh Tracey African-tuned Karimba. All of these instruments contain the same 8 notes present in the Student Karimba. So, we are just looking into how these karimbas are

“Hey I am looking for tips to play meditation music on the 9-Note HOKEMA Sansula. Any links available?”    – John Burns, from downunder My 2007 Sansula “Space Playing” Video After many requests, I have finally notated the tablature for this old Sansula Video of mine. The download is FREE. This music is for the standard A minor tuning. Download the entire three page PDF for free. Sansula Renaissance Product Page. Sansula Deluxe (Skin) Product Page. Blank Tablature for Sansula and other Kalimbas. And remember: if you want to get part of the Sansula experience, but don’t want to purchase a sansula… you could get an 8-Note (or 10-Note) kalimba

OK – I can help you, but I do not have any music written explicitly for the kalimba in B. First, lets explore what You should be able to follow the tablature for the C standard tuning. I have attached tablature — showing you which tines to play — for a 17/C kalimba. It assumes that you have 6 painted tines. Give this a try? Put red sharpie marker marks on the appropriate 6 tines (the ones that are shaded on the tablature… not the center, but just right of center and just left of center). And see if you cannot follow along with AwayInAManger_17.pdf (attached). You will not care

If you are starting out on the Hugh Tracey Treble Kalimba (17-Notes, key of G, but a low note of B), this is a great place to get started.  This is a PDF eBook, 34 pages with tablature, photos and live links to MP3 files. Includes instruction on technique, help reading tablature, scales, chords, patterns, riffs, and several songs. If you own a new 17-Note Kalimba in C (a copy of the Hugh Tracey Treble, but in a different tuning), this book will not work for your kalimba. See here. When I learned how to play kalimba 30 years ago, there were no books.   Ten years ago, this was the