Mark Holdaway

Is it Cultural Appropriation? Editor’s note: Klara is a valued contributor to the Kalimba Magic blog. She is currently spending some months in Zimbabwe developing her mbira skills, and has given us another rich, intelligent and stimulating piece; here she considers the sensitive cultural issues around her endeavor. The Bridge that Klara writes about (the Machipisa Foot Bridge in the city of Harare) was first built in 1998. Its journey from a very scary place to what it is now is discussed in the two articles linked at the bottom of this page. These articles, from local periodicals, give a rare glimpse into life in a faraway place, and it’s

This Manila-based singer-songwriter has sunk her teeth into the Chromatic Kalimba This is the very first Bb Treble kalimba I made about 10 years ago [Editor’s note: Bea has taken the Facebook world by storm with her evocative vocals and her simple but righteous kalimba playing. You should get to know her now, so you can say you knew about her way-back-when.]  “I believe I speak for an entire generation of self-taught individuals when I say that the Internet allows us to take the initiative in building new skills. I spent a lot of time browsing websites including Kalimba Magic, before purchasing my own kalimba. So by the time I

Christmas Music on Kalimba is so beautiful, and we have books to help you play music like this The kalimba is a wonderful instrument for Christmas carols, with a peaceful and angelic sound.  I have spent many joyous hours learning, practicing, and performing Christmas carols on the kalimba.  More importantly, I have spent many diligent hours notating these songs for the Hugh Tracey Alto and Treble kalimbas so that you can also learn to play these carols. Every year about this time, I get my Advanced Alto and Treble Christmas books out and brush up on my carols.  And each year, I add one or two tunes to my repertoire. 

This minor retuning can breathe new life and emotion into your Alto Kalimba Click to purchase the instructional download for the G minor Alto The Hugh Tracey Alto in standard G major tuning has become the standard kalimba in many ways. For 12 years, it has been the best selling kalimba at Kalimba Magic. I have written more instructional books and downloads for this kalimba than for any other kalimba. I know more songs on my Alto than on any other kalimba. And the Alto kalimba was the blueprint for other models such as the Bb Treble and D Treble kalimbas. But what if the world of G major sounds

An exotic tuning on this otherwise vanilla kalimba makes for new and interestng music Click to purchase this instructional download The 8-Note kalimba is a great instrument on which to learn, and is usually tuned to one octave of the C major scale. As such, it is a pretty modest kalimba, playing songs such as “London Bridge is Falling Down” and “Joy to the World” (and NOT the “Jeremiah was a bullfrog” version). If you are willing to retune your 8-Note kalimba, you can greatly increase the amount of music accessible to the 8-Note kalimba.  The standard A minor Sansula tuning is one of the least ordinary tunings you can put

Two electric kalimbas, plugged in, hard panned L and R This is the very first Bb Treble kalimba I made about 10 years ago This unique recording technique results in lots of separation between the L and R notes in your recording, and you can be very creative when processing their individual sound. I invite you to hear what it sounds like – headphones would make the separation effect complete, but I think it actually sounds better through stereo speakers. To listen, just continue reading.   I have taken two identical kalimbas – both are Hugh Tracey Alto kalimbas – and have plugged them into two different channels of my computer

How do you feel when you pick up a kalimba? Warning: Joyful kalimba can be habbit forming Playing kalimba can effect each person in a unique way.  The interaction asks us to commit both to our instrument, and to the song that we are trying to help emerge into the world.  We have listened as players describe what the playing of a kalimba does for them physically, emotionally and spiritually.  The act of making music develops the relationship between a kalimba player and his or her instrument.  And it leaves something behind as well. Just listen to some of our customers.   “Getting ready to play kalimba makes me feel

Quincy Nichols Shares How the Karimba Has Become His Spiritual Companion This is the very first Bb Treble kalimba I made about 10 years ago [Editor’s note: Quincy is a student of the African karimba, and he writes poetically and eloquently here, celebrating his experience playing the instrument.] The karimba is my friend… a patient, patient friend. There is wisdom in the karimba – it’s an old friend helping to lead me back to myself. It is a layered instrument, helping me to uncover and express thoughts, feelings, emotions, and dreams I’ve hidden from myself. As an aspiring musician and creative person, the African karimba has helped me to find