Mark Holdaway

Let Me Count the Reasons The 15-Note Hugh Tracey Alto Kalimba has been made from African kiaat hardwood by African Musical Instruments in South Africa since 1954.   I have recently heard from several people who were trying to purchase an Alto kalimba, but their attempts were somehow foiled. Some ignorant sellers are marketing cheaper kalimbas, claiming them to be Hugh Tracey Alto kalimbas. One fellow who was trying to get a good deal had bought two different kalimbas that claimed to be Hugh Tracey Alto kalimbas… but neither of them were! He begged me: “How am I going to get an Alto kalimba?” Well, it isn’t that hard. I

This is the tuning Cornelius Duncan uses on his track on Poncho Sanchez’ Acclaimed CD “Trane’s Delight” One of the key features of most kalimbas: You will find the higher-octave note on the opposite side from where you find that same note an octave lower. For example, low C is on the right, and the C that’s an octave higher is on the left side of the kalimba. This layout (which is of alternating ascending notes) completely informs how the instrument is played and the resulting music.                                        But what if there were a tuning where a given note that is on the right side… stays on the right side in

Find the books and downloads that will work for your kalimba I’m Mark Holdaway. I’ve been playing kalimba since 1986, and I put all my experience into my kalimba books. Hi, Mark from Kalimba Magic again. Each different type of kalimba, with different notes, is capable of different songs. Hence, each different type of kalimba needs its own book. As there are dozens of fundamentally different types of kalimbas out there, there are many many kalimba books… in my universe, anyway! I have written 50 kalimba instructional downloads and 25 kalimba books. And so, when you go looking at my kalimba books or ebooks, figuring out which one/s would work

On most kalimbas, including the 17-Note Kalimba in C, octave pair notes will be on opposite hands Here is a great tip to help you play the 17-note kalimba. Actually, most “regular” kalimbas follow this rule, so read on even if you have an 8-Note, an Alto, a Treble, or a Pentatonic kalimba. “Regular” kalimbas have low notes in the center, and as you go farther from the center, notes get higher. Consecutive notes alternate from right to left, going outward as you go up the scale. Consider the scale “Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do” = “1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8.” If the low

If you live in a humid climate, your kalimba tines could rust over the years I have seen some pretty old kalimbas with totally rusted tines. Kalimbas that have lived on a sailboat for 5 years. Kalimbas that have lived in Hawaii for 20 years. Kalimbas that have lived in Miama for 10 years. These high humidity environs can certainly induce kalimba tine rust. But I think most of these kalimbas could have been handled differently so they didn’t get so bad so fast. Keep reading if you would like to know some simple things you can do to prevent or remove rust from your kalimba tines.   What if

After playing for 40+ years, Cornelius Duncan has jumped to the top! Cornelius Duncan has been playing his Hugh Tracey Alto kalimba in this “Duncan tuning” for most of his life. But he did not invent this tuning – rather, it came from his brother, Phillip Allen Duncan. A stunning YouTube video of Cornelius Duncan playing his special-tuned Hugh Tracey Alto kalimba has had just 2000 views over its 7-year life. Cornelius’ music honors legendary 1960s jazz saxophonist John Coltrane by playing a song that reflects Coltraine’s song, “A Love Supreme.” The song, called “A Kalimba Supreme” is serious and meditative, showing the master kalimba player offering his strands of

Mark can point you to many helpful resources A Box Lotus and a Regular Lotus Karimba  Thank you for connecting with Kalimba Magic.   I am Mark Holdaway, founder and director of Kalimba Magic. I am dedicated to teaching the world to play this wonderful little instrument. You will find all sorts of useful posts coming through the Kalimba Magic blogs and Facebook page, including playing and performance tips, interviews with players, information about new kalimbas or kalimba books, inspirational tidbits, and free instructional material and tablature.   What else do you need to know right now? Let me guess.   Here are some particularly useful pages for the beginning

Tunings, Books, eBooks, and Kalimbas   The simple 9-Note Sansula, or Hokema B9, has been a spectacular, emotive instrument that people have loved for almost 20 years. Now it’s time to move up to the B11. While the Sansula is charming and beautiful, there are precious few songs you can play on it. The B11 has another name – the “Melody”. That is because it lends itself to making melodies with simple accompaniment, In other words, if you seem to be at a dead end with the Sansula, you might want to check out the B11, because there is so much more music you can do with it! Exploring the

From my experiences in the past One kalimba associate asks: “How do I choose the songs to play at my kalimba performance?” Well, you want songs that connect with meaning and significance to you… and also to your audience. Even though your kalimba is probably not a traditional African instrument, I ask you to consider it nonetheless as a sacred instrument, capable of touching people, moving people, healing people, and helping people be their best. Of course, that means both the musician and the audience. Seemingly a tall order, but the magical kalimba is suited for it. And the songs you choose can play into this narrative.   You can